New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-19
BY HECTOR TURNBULL.

number of pleasant surprises in his
amusing comedy, "A Pair of Silk Stock
ings,' which will be presented to the
public tomorrow night. Not only has
he drawn faithful and engaging pct-
ure of that much maligned type, Eng
lish gentlefolk, but he has handled
delicate situation with such brave
show of disarming British wholesome
ness that our familiar, Frenchy, bed
ridden farces appear as sad stun IN
comparison. Articles of women's attire,
generally completely concealed in COM
edy and vulgarly Haunted in farce, are
disclosed to delighted audience, full
filling purpose both unitarian and
artistic. And through it all ingenious
frankness and delicacy are so nicely
balanced that he would be Ga sorry
creature indeed who could read any
thing but wholesome fun into either
the scenes or the dialogue.
/ Then, too, the author has done a real
service to the youth of this city, how
ever trying he may become to that
small group of elderly gentlemen who
infest libraries and mail sporadic out
bursts to the papers regarding the
purity of the English language. The
hero of the play is past master OF
slang. Two hours spent with this de-
pressed but loquacious fellow is guar
anteed to convert any American youth
now confined to an overworked vocabu
/ larry for expressing his wants into an
almost brilliant conversationalist
Faithful friends like "old sock" will be
ruthlessly discarded for the more IL
/ Illuminating "old SON" Pet phrases such
as Have a drink" will be utterly
/ drowned by the infinitely more dra-
matte "IIave d shot in the mouth
"Squiffed" is destined to triumph over
tight" in indicating a certain spiritu-
Gus state. and no doubt the time will
come when to admit being "cut up
will mean social Ostracism, Just as
feeling awfully knocked" will serve as
an open sesame TO the very best houses.
/ This slangy hero is introduced to us
at an English house party, where he
/ has chosen to forget the gloom OF an
unwelcome divorce in the rather doubt
/ full distractions of amateur theatricals.
| He has quarrelled with his wife over
the virtues of two different makes of
motor cars, and she left him in hun,
only to sue for divorce when she un-
eapthed his faint-hearted attempt to
carry on an affair with chorus girl.
In this first act, which has all the
charm and rare faithfulnesS to reality
that Marriott Watson gives IN his Mid
summers Day Dream" the melancholy
Sam comes face TO face with his di-
vorced wife. who has met with dlfil-
culties while on a motor trip, and Is
forced TO ask shelter for the night
Sam decides to conceal himself in her
room. disguised in his theatrical wig
and whiskers, that very night and force
her to listen at any cost to his griev-
ances.
While he is hidden in the wardrobe
his wife prepares for bed, discusses
Sans habits with her hostess and tum-
bles beneath the covers, only to be
routed out by the entrance Of guest
who had missed his train and thought
the room unoccupied. The guest IS
former sweetheart of Sans wife, and
the conversation that takes place is 20
disturbing to Sans peace of mind that
he betrays his presence and is hus-
tied out. bound and thrown into the
bathroom as burglar
The guest, young army captain,
and the wife are now in too good
situation, Electrically, not to be dis
covered, however, so IN prances the
captains fiancee and denOunces them
both as scandslous creatures.
They seek TO prove the innocence OF
the situation by producing the burglar,
/ but since Sam has escaped through the
/ bathroom window this is impossible,
and the scene next morning reeks with
/ British virtue. There is nothing foS
/ the pair to do but produce burglar to
/ establish their innocence IN the eyes
| of the world, which, of course, is
! brought about right merrlly by sam
] ho CilE gfnckInmg
/ with which he was bound and musters
| the necessary courage to declare his
J undving love for his wife. This meagre
report of the plot cannot convey, how
/ ever. even a suggestion of the delight
/ ful manner in which the hall lmprob-
able. half logical story is untolded BY
| the clever dialogue and the splendid
[ cast
MIR. Harcourt, the author, plays the
conventional, rather pompous, host, SIR
John. and his is, strangely enough, the
one character that smacks most OF the
stage. Lady Cover is a sheer JOY as
PLAYED by Miss VI. Hamley-Clltford'
and Caroline Bayley makes the d.
vorced wife, Molly, attractive and eX-
tremely effective by her skllful; care
fully studied playing. Sam as he APP
pears in the hands Of Kenneth Douglas
/ is continually amusing.
His is a role that presents many
temptations TO overact by its sym
pathy and prominence, but Mr.. Douglas
handles the part with restraint that
gives the character sincerity and
/ doubles the effect of the humorous
lines. Sybil Carlisle. who is known to
NJ here for her work in "Pomander
/ Walk" had an unsympathetic role, but
made il decidedly telling Mary Glynne
was cast as what Scotsman would
call "peely-wauly lassie," and played
her part very well indeed. P. Clayton
Greene, as the late returning guest,
/ showed to best advantage IN ans more
or less spirited scene in the bedroom
and Edward Douglas and Lawrence
/ White came and went as guests at an
| English country house are supposed TO
/ come and go.
On the whole, Mr.. Ames has again
done himself proud in the selection OF
a capable cast, and with his customary
good taste he has chosen settings that
are fitting, and so shrewdly toned to
/ harmonic with the gowns OF the play
ers that they add volumes to the effect
/ of the scenes.