The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-02-22
DE- JAMES 5. METcALF.

In one way luck has been on the side
OF the producing managers. In this bliz-
zard week only two new pieces have been
launched, so the weather hazards have
not been serious factors in a form OF en-
terprise so hazardous with every element
fayoring. One of these-"The Rule OF
Three" by Mr.. Guy Bolton-could not
possibly survive in even the most Ia
vorable weather, although those interest
ed will doubtless lay the fattering unc-
ton to their souls that under more propi-
tious skies the piece might have had
chance.
Not even a most excellent cast and
good staging, especially in the way OF
scenic sets provided by the New Era
Producing Company. Of which the young
baking-powder millionaire, Ziegler. Is SAID
to be the financial backbone. could over
come the inexpert work of the author OF
The Rule of Three" His basic Idea
was not a bad one for farcical comedy. IL
involved the complications arising from
"A lady, twice divorced and married a
third time, finding herself under the roof
OF small summer hotel with all her
three spouses, present and ex. Her child
by the first one was with her, and hav-
ing an impartial liking for each of her
three papas and a communicative tongue,
helped in mixing things up.
Unfortunately for the play, Mr.. Boil
ton had the idea that talk could be made
to take the place OF action and situation,
with the result that a good idea and a
lot of other good things went to actual
waste and made an intelligent frst-night
audience wonder again why reading the
play, or at all events, seeing 1t In the
various stages OF rehearsal. couldn I
show the producers that It was bound to
be failure. On this material were vast
~ wNR ~
such clever artists as the always charm
ing Katherine Gray, Messrs. Orrin John
son. George Hassell, Francis Byrne, and
VIII Archie.
Not Educated, bot More Effective.
The author who lets his nase go on
the program as Jack Lait, which may
have been the result of his christening,
although ii seems hardly likely that
even so he would not have been justified
in assuming for public purposes the more
dignifed John" seems as shown by the
methods of Help Wanted to have had
more experience in practical stage work
than in anything resembling literary edu-
cation.
Help Wanted" the title, may possibly
refer to the parlous situation in which
the naive heroine finds herself, but in
the intention of the author it evidently
had its origin in the familiar heading
Of certain advertising columns in the
newspapers. The plot concerns itself
with young women looking for work as
stenographers or typewriters and the
dangers that may possibly confront them.
It is to a certain extent a white slave
play, If that abused term can be made
to apply TO the gilded temptations to
which are exposed unwary ladies brought
into amanuensis work done in the famil- |
lar association of the private offices OF
designing employers.
The principal male character, portrayed
by Mr.. Charles Richman, was a designer
OF that sort He was a wealthy business
man, and, although already provided with |
a charming wife and luxurious home, he |
had acquired a mania for hiring new |
stenographers and taking them to lunch |
con with him. This habit involved him in |
so many difficulties that he maintained a |
special lawyer to extract him from the |
consequent entanglements- The browning |
and apparently reforming blow came
when the luncheon habit interfered with
the genuine affection of his stepson for
the particular stenographer on whom the
luncheons were being concentrated at
the period covered by the play. She was !
pretty girl of the Little Eva type and /
incompetent as stenogra-
pher. but the latter fact was apparently !
immaterial to her employer in view OIL |
her superior quallncatlons IN tne luhSh
con line.
At all events the same or similar
charm had appealed to the stepson which
led to a very vigorous showdown when
the youth discovered the intentions OF
his mothers husband Then, of course
both youth and girl were dismissed from
all the financial advantages of associa-
ton with the lunch-giver in their capaci-
ties as relative and employee. Such sit
uation has no terrors for a practical
dramatist like Mr. Lait, and by a series
of condolences, unlikely in real life but
easy on the stage, the girl and youth ind
themselves in the palatial home of the
where by the interference of
the mother the stepfather's heart is soft
ened and matters are put back where
they were, except that the young folks
are sent to live in Paris, where there are
no luncheons, and the only dangers are
the gastronomic ones incident to the
dejeuner q la fourchette.
There's a fine ignorance of real life in
New York shown in Help Wanted" and
a lovely contempt for probability, but the
piece moves along at lively pace and
it has some diverting episodes both in