The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-04-09
HELP WANTED
CLEAN COMEDY
mEReImENr AND PArHos sreuc
olE FOR MASTERY.
Emma Bunting. a Captivating Little
Person Who knows -o~
20 Act"


Help Wanted" a serio-couic pro
cuction' in which comedy Jus; barely
manages to take the keen edge OF pa
thos. opened a two days engagement
AT the Court Theater last night. be-
fore duly apprecistive but not as
large audience as could have been de-
sired.
The story. by Jack Lait. formerly
Chicago newspaper man. deals with
an everyday subject. and draws a
picture whose contrasts are so sharp
as sometimes TO crate almost harsh
~ upon the sensitive ear But the
euthor. who knew his ground as well
as his subjects. declares that the
types portrayed are actually existent.
ana. therefore. his story Is an unex-
aggerated life picture. Help Wanted
Is tale OF big importing company.
with an owner and manager. who has
a VIE. stepson. a daughter, a law
yer and a record. Everything neces-
sary. In fact. TO set the full stage ex-
cept stenographer. hence "Help
wanted. and hence Gertrude Meyers.
known In real life as Emma Bunting.
No purer picture of timidity and un-
sophistication could well be paint ed
than Is presented by Miss Hunting
when she appears in the great blus-
tering business mans Office. a gradu-
ate fresh from a business college.
seeking position as stenographer.
In response to a Help Wanted" ad.
vertisement. Extremely pretty. petite
in stature. soft OF voice and gentle OF
manner. Miss Bunting gives the char
acter an Interpretation which leaves
nothing to be desired.
Her emotionalism loses nothing o.
effectiveness. because II reflects re-
preston. and her comedy Is charac-
terized by naivete and a free sponta-
neity which produce an impression of
nsturalness. which is the truest test
of acting.
George Whitaker. as Jerrold Scott,
the importer. and predatory employ.
er. whose acairs with stenographers
have caused him many an adventure
and cost him a pretty penny. puts
rather more bluster into the part than
the majority are willing to concede
essential. but withal is capable. The
play is said to be a play OF contrasts,
| and Mr.. Whitaker's depletion of the
| character certainly is in sharp con.
trast with what might reasonably be
expected in such a situation. Bat
4
! sented by Marie Harcourt, who ap.
pears as Mrs. Meyers. Gertrude's
mother This uncouth, boisterous
woman's speech and manner are so
harshly at dissonance with the gen.
leness and native refinement OF the
little stenographer hat IL is hardly
conceivable that they should be par.
ent and child. But this. again. we
are assured, is in consonance with the
authors purpose. and we yield to FIRST.
hand information.
Willis Claire. as Jack Scott. foster
son of the merchant. is a young &C.
tor who gives promise OF a future de-
velopment which viii carry him far
on the road to success. He made a
good impression as the son loyal at
once to his love and in f1lial duty 10
his mother was admirable. The other
characters were capably taken. and
the play ends happily after a scene in
part dramatic. in part comedy and
very much In pathos of the sort that
plays on the emotion without leaving
any bitterness or shocking sensation.