Evening star., 1914-11-17
Columbia.

One really good play in a season is
a big average for the modern play
wright and seldom surpassed, even by
the best of the latter-day writers. But
Willard Mack has broken the record
Enthusiastically. No one will question
the success of his Birds of Prey now
being presented in New York under its
original name Kick In" And it is
confidently believed his new Offering,
which received it's first presentation
on any stage at the Columbia last
night, even though its name is not an
Impressive one, is going to be quite
Us much a success
so Much For So Much is drama
whose humor permeates it's entire fiber,
even though presented i'll setting
of modern slang. Its punch" is un-
mistakable IT tells the story of
sclf-relaut girl who thinks she knows
the ways of men and can win what
she needs for the support of her
widowed mother and family by giving
so much for so much" and limiting
the amount given for what she gets to
the minimum. She is clean-Souled.
well intentioned typewritist, in love
with young newspaper reporter, who,
ike few of his class, has not enough
income to take the burden off her
shoulders. but is waiting for some
thing big to come along and then he
IS going to grab it.
He knows enough, however, to be
able to warn the girl that she is GER
tain to lose in the game she is play
ing, and to he loyal to her and try to
help her in his own way, first, because
he loves her. and. secondly. because
she deserves his help. His foresight is
vindicatcd through the girls EMPLOYER
a wealthy man, whom the girl believes
mas been proved on many occasions and
"hom she defends even against her
own mother. until he. too. shows his
hand -lnd therein lies the punch"
or the play, which is as naturally
worked up to as it is thrillingly cf-
fective. And just here be it said Mr.
Mack proves his ability as a play
wright in stopping his play right there
with as simple a last curtain as ever
fell upon play.
The first act presented the simple
home of Mary Brennan, the girl" with
her sawky, invalid sister. to save
whose life Mary took such terrible
risks: her young brother, whose chief
delight in life was to wear high water
trousers. turned up AT the bottom" and
TO read de sportin' page o de Joinal"
ana her simple hearted old Irish
mother. who. even though torn with
anxiety as the plot developed, would
stake her life on the integrity of
Mary. the head of the family" This
ACT also introduces the employer at
me other end of a speaking tube. down
"
Just had heart-to-heart talk with
Tom Hughes. and learned what he
thinks of her game The climax to
this act comes after a brief curtain
u'op, "heh Mary. at nearly , o'clock
IN The morning. quietly lets herself in.
turns out the gas and staggers to her own
room
The second act develops into a
stormy scene between Tom and Mary
over her boss" and his Intentions and
her order to Tom to leave the house
and never return. She is at the high
est point of her self-reliance here The
third act shows how Mary is lured to
her employers apartments to take die
fation because he is suffering with "a
severe tmoCk) attack of rheumatism
And In this act the employer shows
what he is and brings Tom to her res
cue in the nick of time after an in
tensely dramatic scene between Mary
and the. man who would have wronged
her had she been less the splendid girl
she was
The presentation and DEVELOPMENT of
the plot are direct and strikinglv nat
ural throughout, even as is the acting
OF an efficient cast, headed by the author
himself and his wife, Marjorie Ram
beau SO, too, flows constantly the
humor of the dialogue, which serves
always to keep the audience in a pleas
ant frame of mind, and easily disposed
TO laugh. The tense scenes are never
narrowing. They come as one would
haturaiIy expect them IN real Ire, and
quickly accomplish their purpose,
thrilling but never palling. even
though. except in the employer, who is
the only character on the stage who
speaks "civilized' English, the Ian
guage throughout is of the slangy
type, in one or two instances jarring
to the ears of the cultured.
Miss Rambeau's impersonation of
Mary was a real masterpiece of acting
that IS not act'ns but pure art. Gifted
n f.lrl
appeal, Miss Rambeau was the incar-
nation of the authors strongly drawn
chara acter-a real Mary, that no matter
what the demand. never changed, save
in the working of the various emotions
she was called upon to face. In the
tense emotional scenes she could not
have been surpassed. Mr.. Mack played
his part as cleverly as he wrote his
play, and in his brief speech, following |
insistent curtain calls, was as easy and
natural he was in the play, and he
is a player of real merit.
Miss Julia Walcott as Mrs. Brennan.
Nary's mother, presented q simple and
lovahle characterization as natural and
appealing in it's humorous phases as il
it's thorough sincerity throughout. Will
liam 1ngersolI the employer had a
role that seemed less strongly drawn
than the possibilities would permit
but it was played with easy grace and
effectiveness. Ruth Parry as Mary's
sister. and Charles Compton her
brother, fit well into the cast and
helped much in the humor of the play.
William y. Norton as the scoundrelly
valet of She employer gave smooth
impersonation never overdrawn, and
Edward l.. Walton, in 4 pathetic inter-
polation, was more than good. Jack
Jevne had the minor role of the sis
ter's fireman beau.
New National.