New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-02

By being required 20 think hard and
get his mind straight IS 20 which char
acters are crooks and which are detec-
tives. Nobody holds anybody else up
with a pistol. Nobody hears something
he ought not 20 hear By hiding behind a
curtain end nobody sees something he
ought not 70 see by suddenly opening
E door. Nobody lies 70 his wife.
can a play omit all these things
and still move at the insane, break
neck pace which has become preva-
lent in farce" somebody kindly asks,
and We answer: NO; it cannot"
Fast and Grow Fat" has nothing
like the speed Of "A Pair Of Queens"
II must be confessed that it smbles az
times. This is not a play 20 make
your brain puff and your eyes ache.
Never does Mr. Broadhurst's farce
press complication 70 the point OF
puzzlement. It j. not replete with
surprises. The chief twist which
brought about the denouement did not
startle US a bit.
Having set our own opinion first. we
are compelled by candor 20 admit that
the audience was not overpOwered by
the play. Seemingly i missed the
violence which has come 10 be asso-
ciated with farce Perhaps the au-
dience Is right, but for our part We
would rather hear Miss Sears's sage
reflection on diets. "Of course there's
always spinach" than % see Maude
Eburne fall down three fights Of
stairs.
The play tells the story Of a house
party which decides 70 fast for week
The resolve is undertaken az the behest
Of young woman who has read a mag
azine article by one lie Claire or
some such nance, reciting the benefits
TO be derived from going without food.
IN order 20 assure the success OF the
plan the larGers Of the house are
emptied before the fast begins. This
much is SCI forth In the first act.
The second concerns the suffering Of
the party and the strange behaviour of
a lady who faints from lack of food
and is revived with half a pint Of
whiskey. The act ends with three Of
the male characters tiptoeIng down the
staircase at the dead Of night 10 rife
the locker where the dogs puppy bis
cult is kept.
In the course Of this act q mysterious
stranger is introduced in the household
when a passing boat takes refuge at the
island in a storm. He is shocked in
the morning 10 find that he can obtain
no food and complains loudly at the
enforced famine A little later it de-
veiops that he himself is lie Claire, the
author of the magazine article. and
that he sets no store by the theory
there IrOpounded, but merely wrote the
piece Tor 10 cents a word Then the
fast breaks down. There are also two
love affairs, a comic sea captain, a
comic linesman. Frank Mcintyre, with
too little 20 eat, and Zelda Sears, with
a bit too much 20 drink. This we hold
is enough material for any farce.
We never saw Frank Mcintyre play
70 better advantage. II is his privilege
10 remark after a breakfast consisting
OF a glass of water and a luncheon
made up Of two more: Give me a
small rock and a pair Of goldfish and
I'd feel ike an aquarium.
Later, when the sentimental lines
man. after boring everybody TO death
by talking about his dear little wife,
shows the picture in his watch 20 Nc
Intyre. the comedian is permitted by
the author 20 remark pleasantly,
your mother"
Zelda Sears also has good opportuni-
ties. Inebriation OF unsuspecting la
dies is old farce stuff. TO be sure, but
It is done well by Miss Sears and the
scene is written IN good taste. II IS
great stuff.
Roy Atwell contributes not a little 20
the fun of the evening and Myles Nc
Carthy and Nellie Fillmore play char
acter parts well. Vivian Rushmore and
Marion Vantine are attractive heroines.
We don't mean 10 give the impress
sion that Fast and Grow Fat Is ex-
pert farce. II is not anything Ike as
deft as Fair and Warmer" for in
stance. Very probably it IS Just a
shade too slow placed for farce, but
this is much preferable 20 the speed
mad product. After season IN which
the system Of Dr. Tarr and Mr.. Feather
has largely prevailed in farce max
ing Fast and Grow Fat is welcome,
For that matter, come 20 think of It, the
play should be welcome in any season.
ANYBODY who has ever had a stom-
ach should see Fast and Grow Fat"