The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-04
THE THIRD PARTY IS
AN AMUSING FARCE
Offers at the Shubert Old Fash
toned Fun With New
Test.
ADAPTATION WELL DONE
Success Due In Great Measure TO
Excellent Acting i'm Lead
ing Parts.

The Shubert Theatre turned out 10 be
the scene Of the first divulgence here of
a new farce called THE Third Party" as
the Thirty-Ninth Street Theatre, for which
II was originally intended, IL still stand
ing pat with TOO Many Cooks" Other
cities had seen before New York the
play acted at the Shubert last night II
was acted in London as THE Chaperon'
and some OF the Western cities. notably
Chicago, enjoyed 1t for some time last
year In its present form. Last night
the first New York audience to witness
the play welcomed II with enthusiasm.
Not even the few patronizing spectators
who had witnessed II in Washington and
other cities could refrain from the
laughter which the admirable acting
evoked. For THE Third Party" was
really success OF the performers They
found their Inspiration more or less In
the material that the various authors
had provided. But they embelllsh.d II
marvellously.
The programme attributed the author
ship OF the English piece to Jocelyn Bran
don and Frederick Arthur The Gallo
grandparents were not mentioned by name.
Frankly, we don't know who they were.
But OF their existence there could be in the
words OF Gilbert's inqustor. mo possible
pIobdule SHADOW OF doubt, no possible
doubt whatever" They are somewhere
enshrined in the records Of the Palais
Royal and from "A distance we salute them.
But We prefer to pay much greater defer
ence TO Mark Swan, who has made the
speech Of the characters in THE Third
Party" something more than the bald
translation OF some French farces He
has impaired a strongly national tang to
the dialogue which may not be In the least
appropriate 10 English scenes but is Alto
gether forglvable in the circumstances.
Ii Is. indeed enough to be grateful for,
since much OF the success OF the perform
ance last night WAS due to the liveliness Of
the dialogue which Walter Jones and Tay-
lor Holmes--hrst In the ranks Of tho
comedians-deivered with so much spirit.
For The Third Party" was frankly OF
their stencil. II kept well within its APP
pointed groove. There was a luncheon
party in London to mix the married and
the engaged followed by scene In an
English country house to carry further
the complications so skilfully contrived In
this opening episode. Everything hap
pened afterward just as II was expected
TO. The wrong persons were found to-
gcthcr when they should not have been
and they were even sent To their repose
in the disorganlzed manner which Is the
current eNpedient OF farce in this year OF
grace. But for the plausibility with
which thcs. situations had been arranged
there might have resulted only dulness
But the excellent acting and the original
skill II the dramatists succeeded in keep
ing the audience hilarious through
rather long and altogether warm evening
Walter Jones's apolectlc seriousness
was never more potent to amuse his
admirers and the staccato method OF
Taylor Holmes combined to make in these
two an admirable pair OF entertainers
J ffrcys Lewis showed that there really
has been a feminine prototype for the
guttcral humor OF George Monroe. and
that was an achievement that made for
the general hlarity OF the evening There
are two admirable scenes as background
for the play. Then the general efficiency
OF the acting helped THE Third Party
10 It's complete farcical success.