The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-14
THRILLS AND LAUGHS
IN NEW HUDSON PLAY
"The Dummy" a Blend Of Farce
and Detective story With
Lost Chcc-ild.
EVEN THE VILLAINS JEST
The HumOr Is Good Because 1t
Has WithstoOd the Test
of Time.

to be satisfied with detective plays. Great
minds are said to have rested. absoi bins
the many inventions Of Boisgobey. Ca
boriau and Poe. Is the day Of lingerie
and syncopaton as aids TO the repose OF
wear.ed commercial intellects already
past? These thoughts are suggested by
THE Dummy" which was seen last night |
at the Hudson Theatre. Here were the
mysteries of the detective story--devised |
by Harvey OHiggins and Harriet Ford |
used to soothe the weary business man. |
while such wit as Is customarily selected |
as the accompaniment of the rag and the |
silk stockings was distributed by tn.
various characters as the verbal s.lace
Of the play.
There was another interesting variant
on the old schemes by the Introduction OF
the "kinchen lay" The heroine of THE
Dummy" Is the blue eyed baby daughter
Of more or less disconnected parents Real
king the value of a child as an asset in a
divorce case when one parent may chase
it across the State line in an automobile.
pursued by the other seeking the prize In
order TO enfoi ce terms Of settlement, each
has carried away the little girl. AS
matter OF fact. the baby Is in the posses
sion Of real kdnappers, holding her for
ransom. How to get her out becomes the
problem that troubles father and mother
and a whole ofiiceful of detectives, includ-
ing the great Burlington.
He takes into his office the ambitious
ex-messenger boy who wants to be a great
lASz ,v,1 h h. a ~
goes into Central Park, forgets. at the
suggestion of his chief. how to hear or
speak. and manages to get himself stolen
by the same kidnappers. confined in the
same gambling house with blue eyed baby
Beryl Meredith. and when the mother
comes to pay the ransom II is promised
that the child shall be returned. The gang
IS frightened of to cottage in the
Catskills. and. fearing capture there.
leaves the two children and departs. 1t
Is the youthful detective who brings the
baby back to a New York hotel and
orders ham and eggs Thence happiness
ensues. since the boy. having achieved
fame so early In life. gets n large reward.
the k.dnappers are arrested. husband and
wife arc rcconciled. and the tired busi-
man must have enjoyed a new SEN
sation in his efforts at recuperation.
The criminals and the detectives last
night were a sad lot OF dogs. and con-
tentive to their duty" like another crew
not far TO the east They not only cracked
safes. hut tests and seemed to understand
completely that IL was just as much their
duty 10 b. amusing as II was to - VII
, famous They were pracused set OF hui
moTisis, and they revealed their good
Judgment In a recognition of the infall-
hility Of the old jokes. They took no risks
and the humor last night had stood the
test OF time. Here is new phase of the
detective story. But IT sets high stard-
ard II cannot be easy TO be at ~, v
thrilling and funny. and II there were more
laughs than shvers last night the audi
ence at the Hudson did not feel any dis
appointment on that account.
The new experiment of a comic detective
play turned out most happily, Mr.
o'Hlgglns and Miss Ford have written
drama destined to enjoy long popu-
larity The story Is interesting. the
slangy fun almost in,essant II often
familiar and the idea OF the ambitious
youth successfully outwittng the expert
tnced crooks most divertingly carried out.
All the elements of success seem to be
possessed by the four acts of the new
play. In the detectives office In the
New York hotel. in the closed gambling
house or in the Catskill retreat OF the
kldnappers there are the requisite alter
nations of fun and interest that serve tc
endear play to the public heart 1t Is
all OF the theatre. stacy. but ii is stront
IN the suggestion of the world OF illu
sion which remains in spite of al EFFORTS
10 discredit 1t, the world in which thu
thea,regoer is likely to be happiest.
Then the play had the advantage of al
admirable performance. This gay an
tocose stratum of the underworld whic
had never before been selected for tx
plo'taton was represented by skille
comedians. Edward Ellis as gamble
no IN
well for these roles and Ada Dwyer n
his wife. Joseph Tuohy as her admire
and Charles Mylott as a humber worke
IN their he,d--all OF these delivered fh"l
racy dialogue as II they delighted In
much more than they did in the seriou
business OF crime.
II vas the sa me with Ernest Tru'
who played the messenger hoy TRANSFORMS
into "detec;uv" in way that made IN
performance seem inconceivablt wlthou
him. He will always be the real hero q
the play His facial expression a!on
vas an achievement OF which any acto
m.sht be proud. 1t was whlsp, red In lot
bits last night that Mr.. Truck is ne
nearly 20 young as he looks. That is
fortunate thing Il 1t he true, for tn
au''WS 1s well as fer the audience The
tnJ f.N an actor uncommunly skilful
MS nt.uralnGss and variety who u,ve
looked day older than the boy he wa
f'i', sod 20 ne.
The only seriousness in the play WI
provided by Frank Conner and EDIT
ehuvnc. who were excellent as Il
par'rts Of the kidnapped child, Vel
''mely incarnxed by Joyce Fai
JOSEPH l5r imam was an impressive d
'r''i'' but the master mind who plann'
'~ Hckedness did not appear
eas' one detective play has enjoyed or
ihNor This year. THE Dummy Is anoth
'N' ought TO fascinate the pubic.