New-York tribune., 1914-12-23
By HECTOR TURNBULL.

The Bandbox Theatre, which opened
last night with the comedy Poor Lit
tie Thing" adapted from the French Of
Lemaitre by Jerome H. Jerome, begins
an experiment In play producing tnat
viii be watched with a deal OF interest
by those lovers of the drama who blame
the commercial spirit for all the evils
a. the American stage. The play was
produced under the direction of Doug
las j. Wood, the head of permanent
company OF players called the New
YorI Play Actors. Their aim is TO pte-
sent the best plays obtanaDle, aud,
-uc.essful iu their first few attempts 20
make the institution self-supporIug.
they plan 10 present q number OF
worthy works without regard 20 imam
cial returns. This, OF course. ls an old
story. Practically every director OF
every "lttie" theatre has started out
with the same purposes and ideals.
Nevertheless, 10 rs fine thing and de-
serves the support Of every one VINO
likes good plays and is Interested ln
dramatic art. one would suppose. how
ever. since the great thing is to get
money and patronage DO considerable
quantity a. the very outset, that the
directors would present play Tor the
opening attraction giving promise or
greater general popularity than the
Jerome comedy. Time enough Tor eN-
Derimeuts when the institution is well
DatronIzed and on a paying basis. ms
is heresy, of course, but POOR Little
Thing Is such gentle study that IT'S
interest is not likely 20 be very great.
1t is IN four acts and untoids mar
rative i'm the most leisurely fashion
reminding one strongly of an animated
novel Kicks" punches thrills
and all the slap-dash stimulants the
modern plavgocr has grown 20 crave
are quite missing, ana Iu their place
we find a shrewd, human study Of that
phase Of middle aged manhood when
"the old Adam reasserts itself,
not only despite wisdom and expert
cnce. but becoming by their very re-
assuring counsel all the more dcvas tat
ing In its effect. The chief character
a famous painter, idoilzed by ms
pupils. falls IN love with one OF tnem'
a mere girl. lie assures himself that
the relation is innocent, but when ne
learns that his son is TO marry the
girl he suddenly realizes how deeply
he had come 20 love her and how ne
had ignored the ready sympatnies OF
his wife in accepting the understand
ing" Of the Younger woman. or course
10 an ends happily, but not until Mr.
Jerome has had sufficient time 70 snow
what "a poor dramatic craftsman ne -
by introducing volumes OF local Color
i'm the most amateurish fashion ana I'D
unfolding his main plot by the
cIumsiest Of stage eXpedlents. For all
that. the play has peculiar charm ana
interest, perhaps the thing we call
human interest" and 10 Is an un-
deniably true study of phase OF IRE
every observing person must nave
often noticed. The acting ls splendlo,
Of course. for Mr. Wood has a good
company, but 10 was task TO tax the
skill OF the best player that the dram
atist had imposed. Eric Blind made
the artist a very real character and
all of his moods most convincing
William RAYMOND was confronted with
the job of playing type not al an IN
his forte. the artists son. HIS acting,
always pleasure 10 watch, was spien-
did and another proof Of his many
abilities. Beverly Sitgreaves made the
wife a hard but very sincere hgure, ana
Janet Dunbar gave the girl student
some charm and a strong appeal 10 ths
sympathies. The rest of the cast ana
well with what was given them, but the
playwright branded them as silly ana
unnecessary. The theatre itself Is al.
mirably constructed for the purpose OF
the new organization, and there can De
no doubt that the productions MADE
will show unusual artistic advantage
BY the services Of the consulting board.
One wishes the Play Actors every sue
cess in their new venture even though
each first night brings an epuogue by
Percy Mackaye.
"The Song OF Songs by Edward
c.l - go, 10 ,,ot-a1 bv Hermann