The Washington times., 1915-02-09
NATIONAL,

While literary experts and dramatic
purists may clash as to the technical
term with which to classify Grumpy"
they will Mnhesitatingly agree with
the audience which laughed. wept, and
was thrilled as Cyril Maude and his
London Playhouse company produced 1t
at the National Theater last night, that
tho play Is completely entertaining and
wholly satisfying. That being the pri-
mary object Of all plays. Grumpy"
may, therefore. be described as one
OF the rare combinations Of those ele-
ments Of dramatic construction and in
depreciation which the theatergoer may
not be able to define In words, but
which he knows not only satisfies and
pleases him and his neighbors but Is
happy In knowledge It will also please
without In the least embarrassing his
young daughter and her girl friends.
Cutting into cycle of theatrical
events which seem to have their basis
In the literature Of divorce or union
suits. when they are not made from
pages of vice commission report,
Grumpy" provokes a legitimate laugh
by Its genuine comedy. and q legitimate
thrill by It's tense situations. The only
sidelOng glance one gives his seat mate
is to see whether she Is enjoying it's
wholesomeness just as he is. Grumpy"
Ii pure comedy. and yet 1t provides
one Of the most tense situations at
the end Of the first act that has been
seen In this city for many seasons. Its
changes from comedy to melodrama
and back again are 80 quick and so
sure that none Of its enjoyable minutes
give a clue to what the next will bring
Horace Hodges and T. wigney Percy
val. who wrote the piece. appeared to
have given most Of the ingredients OF
cleansing and have pressed them neatly
into the four acts OF their play.
Grumpy" is an aged criminal lawyer.
retired from active practice and living
apologetic and altogether delightfully."-
human old age with a pretty yrand>
daughter on his country place between
Southampton and London. To his house
comes nephew. en- route from South
Africa to London with a priceless dia-
mond. entrusted to his care by his
diamond mining employers. He>arr1veA
at the fas end Of a dinner party. the
guests being a neighborinR doctor and
his wife and friend from the city-a
Mr. Jarvis. who is spending the night
at the house. After the guests retire
the diamond Is stolen from the nephew.
and the remainder of the play is de-
| voted to getting it back-"Grumpy' ap-
plying his knTtNO Ilhbu anu 1oIs Ca ApVlA-
ence with criminals to the task.
Perhaps not the least interesting fea-
ture OF the play lies in the fact that th'
audience knows no more than the play
people about the identity Of the thief
their eyes. They reach conclusion
about It at the same time Grumpy
reaches his conclus ons. and they ar
certain only when he Is certain.
Cyril Maude has chosen the peculiai
character Of the old lawyer In which t
make his bow before American audi
eEces for the reason that after play
ing the piece In New York last seasor
on the occasion OF his first visit to thi
going public insisted that he continue
to do so and gave him little opportunity
| to prove his capacity for other kinds
Of characters. Mr.. Maude comes from
and artistic character and comedy in
| terpretation that few English player
| enjoy. Indeed. he Is said to be the ver!
best representative Of all that is fines
within the limits he set for himself ]
| "Grumpy'' Is a fair sample OF his work
Washington playgoers are willing 4
send him on with full Endorsement o
hia London reputation
The development of n character like
that Of the old lawyer offers the actor
many opportunities for making this OF
that particular situation stand out as (
supreme moment Of the play. with ev
erythfng else building up to or fallint
away from it. Mr.. Maude has put asid'
! the temptation to do this and plays thu
part so that 1t makes a single and singu
| lar creation in which almost everyone
| who watches 1t can see the reproduction
| OF some trait or some expression that II
familiar through association with Jus
such a person. The awakening OF sucl
feeling Is. therefore. the highest tribut
that can be paid the actors work ant
| makes rather small and incompetent an!
comment by reviewer
house company. which Mr., Maud
brings with him. is quite equal to tn
difficult task OF providing setting TO
their star. 1t is only natural that whel
the organization Of the company is lef
in the hands Of such an experienced
manager and producer as Mr.. Maude
assisted by no less person that Georg
Tyler, an organization OF remarkabl.
even balance should have been assem-
bled. Elsie Mackay. the leading woman
Ing performance of the young and girl
ish granddaughter. Leslie Buswell Is
thoroughly wholesome young fortune
hunting Briton. In the part OF the nephew
In Roland Blackstone. who appears il
only one act as diamond broker am
antique dealer with a shady past. tn
playgoing public recognize an old frien
| whose work has always been well don
and in this play quite measures up t
his high standard. Alexander Onslow a
Jarvis, is a thoroughly plausible intru
der in "Grumpy's" family circle. an
John Harwood. who is stage manage
as we'll as the very useful Ruddocf
gives well-prepared performance
Maude Andrew, Mable Hicks. Jane
Dale, c Probyn- -Dighton. William Moor
acceptable cast.