New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-30
Sale love tncs Princess Pallsv'rin
By HAYWOOD BROUN.

"ie LIVE ~ paJsma play. vi
course they are silk. but the ingenious
Avery Hopwood has made them blue
instead of the conventional pink. The
success or failure of the farce which
was produced at the Gaiety Theatre
last night probably depends on what
SIX pa!amas mean to the public. For
our part, we feel almost as if we knew
them. We have heard so much about
them. And we like silk pajamas, too,
but ispassionately. They neither shock
nor stimulate. To Us baby blue paja-
mas are merely garments in which
some people sleep.
The new play is chiefly interesting
as an experiment. The author calls II
romantic farce. Obviously this is a
difficult mixture of two dissimilar dra-
matte forms. Romance makes much OF
life and farce belittles it. But even II
we should grant that the author has
succeeded in blending the two factors
there is much in his play which is an
offence against both farce and romance.
Farce says the world is merry and
romance declares that IL is beautiful,
while Avery Hopwood has invited into
his play the divorce law of New York
State, the Mann set and seasickness.
The divorce law of New York State
and the Mann act are stupid and ugly.
Seasickness is ugly, and not one of the
three has any business in farce or in
romance.
As a matter Of fact Mr.. Hopwood's
experiment does not seem to US to be
successful. The author had almost
persuaded US TO laugh when Of a sud
den Pedro de Cordoba and Marjorie
Rambeau began TO make love. De Cor
doba is gallant figure. When last
we saw him he was the toreador to
Farrar's shadow Carmen. He is a ro-
mantle actor, and we were quite will
ing to take him seriously last night.
Marjorie Rambesu was. They made
love most interestingly, but it was not
in the least funny.
Seemingly, the actors enjoyed their
romantic opportunities more than
their farce chances. At any rate they
got everything possible out Of the ro-
nance, and in doing so allowed the
farce to grow cold. Mind you, that was
not the fault Of the. actors. The play
Is written In that style. We feel GER
tain it Is a mistake. Having thrilled
with the love story of gallant man
and a pretty woman We cannot in the
very next instant become boisterous
over the fact that q fat interloper has
come between them. Having been al
lowed TO become serious in the middle
OF farce we awoke TO the fact that
the funny parts were merely silly. Mr..
Hopwood formerly worked on the prin-
ciple that once he had an audience
laughing he should by no manner OF
means allow them TO stop. II is sound
farce doctrine.
There is nothing remarkable about
the fact that a playwright should make
en- experiment and fail. But we never
ceased to wonder last night that the
man who wrote such jolly piece as
Fair and Warmer" also did Sadie
Love" Fair and Warmer" convinced
Us that Hopwood could skate. He
romped across thin ice. Last night ne
fell in. not once but often. There is
many a spot in Sadie Love- where
there is no ice at all. Still, it would
have to be mighty thick. The impro-
prieties of this play are heavyfooted
How can anybody be clever about the
Mann act7
Sadie Love" is we'll played. De Cor
doba was most convincing in his love
scenes. and amusing now and again.
Marjorie Rambeau is pretty and has
nice comedy sense. Betty Callish gave
a clever performance as the Comtesse
de Mirabold, and Ethel Winthrop lent
dignity and distinction to the part OF
Mrs. Warrington. Franklin Underwood
was unattractive in the painfully
thankless part of Jim Wakeley. 1t was
hard to believe that the heroine could
have fencied him above her husband,
even for moment.
With all the jokes out and the love
scenes in Sadie Love" would be bet
ter play. No; on second thought. one
joke should remain. Last night was
rot wasted We learned Everybody
starts reducing tomorrow. and the
irno IL ,-o-Anrdn,. -