Evening star., 1914-12-29
Belasco.

Belasco.
After the theatrical disappointments
to which Washington has been subject
ed from week to week, the presentation
of 'Too Many Cooks" was like the
rustic of the new leaf on which good
resolutions are registered. The at
traction comes under the William A.
Brady label, the same that is at pres
ent sponsor for the only prominent
Shakespeare star (Mr. MantelD. except
ing Robertson. now in evidence on the
American stage.
TOO Many Cooks" is long way
from Shakespeare, yet it is not with
out a certain influence along general
lines of solid value. 1t Is native Gre
alton, robust and wholesome; comedy
in three acts "by and with Frank
gard to appropriate personality and eff
ficiency as characterized the perform
ance when it made it's unexpected hit
in New York. 1t makes no problemati-
cal pretensions, being simply the story
of the house sthat two young people
planned as their future home, only to
find it seized upon as subject OF dis
cussion as well as a domtc1le by all
their relations and some OF their
friends.
Mf. craven Is QeASntlullS HI SsiucuS0
in the role Of the young man who has
staked his fortune and his future hap
piness on the little house in the sub
urbs. The first act shows the founda-
ton of the house. The superstructure,
as 1t is outlined in the enthusiastic de-
scription of youth and hope, is a castle
in the air. The auditor follows with
sympathetic pleasure the gesticulations
which trace the halls and apartments
on the impalpable atmosphere. The
appeal is Irresistible, whether the view
point be that of youth looking into the
future or maturity In the mood Of gen.
tie retrospection. The house progresses
with the story. the idea OF the hin
ORANGES to it's progress being carried
along in harmonious relationship to the
distractions which the course Of true
love meets. So interested does the
audience become in the house that a
burst of applause greets it when the
rise of the curtain on the third act
shows that it has survived the vicissi-
tudes of strikes and suggestions. 1t
stands complete, a monument to Youth
and Hope triumphant, and an assur-
ance that the reconciliation which has
been ingeniously postponed In order to
make pretty conclusion is joyously
inevitable.
The characters are those of every
day existence. 1t is not necessary 10
import characters in order to make
them interesting and as a specimen
OF native play. "Too Many Cooks" ,s
interesting apart from it's effectiveness
warm glow of fine sentiment 1t is
as typically an American farce as
Madame President" was typically a
French farce.
1t has no shallow intrigues.
It's theme is home. sweet home"
Its conversation is conducted in the
breezy vernacular, but 1t Is not the
slang of the slums.
There are cynical interchanges on the
subject of matrimony. and Mr.. Craven
has displayed a peculiar felicity in
giving the conventional ideas OF social
restraint rather the best of a very
witty argument. The characters are
well contrasted, Mr.. Cravens role being
that OF the straightforward youth, at
tractive because of his personal neat
ness. admirable because Of his sincerity
and interesting because of his absolut e
devotion to the ideal which he has Sc
lected. The fact that the ideal Is a
usual one serves to give the topic uni
versa1 appeal under treatment SO
clever as to lift 1t from the common
place.
Alice Cook, who is the girl of the
young builders dreams the inspira-
ton OF the house In the suburbs, is
charmingly played by Inez Plummer,
while the sarcasms which brighten the
dialogue continually are well voiced by
"hiidiH bdSiu, tne woman mater, who
nnaiiy meets poetic justice as he falls
in love with an uncompromising shrew.
There Is multitude OF Cooks" father.
mothers. aunts and others. all ready
with advice and alert for opportuni-
ties to interfere. The carpenters, the
walking delegate, the benevolent but
brisk uncle. the village hack driver,
are characters that lend touches of
human probability to the scene, anus
Ing, yet not distorted into the grotesqus.
Ihe title Too Many Cooks" would
suggest a purely farcical entertain =
ment. but the laughs that 1t arouses
are unlimited in their diversity. rang
ing from a response to the utterly
iudicrous to the ripple Of sympathetic
approval Tor some bit of pungent phi
losophy.
To say that TOO Many Cooks" is
clean does not go far enough in de-
scribing its merits 1t Is not only clean
but it is well polished