Evening star., 1916-10-03
ADJUSTMENTS
0elaG.

+ Romance does not often bridge the
chasm between a millionaire's palace
and poyerty-stricken lodging house
But 1t does in the exquisite, almost
fairy, story of Edward Childs Carpen-
ter. which Oliver Morosco is again pre-
senting at the Belasco. with little
world of characters that seem born to
their roles.
Those who read the story will at
once jump to the conclusion that 1t is
trite; that "the poor little rich girl and
the stern, heartless father; the poor
but proud young author-poet, that, like
the hapless poet Chatterton, dreamed
and starved his life away in cheer
less garret. and the graspfng, but vlgi-
liant and respectable boarding house
their day SO often that only genius
can weave them into q new combtna-
ton whose charm will flush the cheeks
and brighten the eyes OF youth and
send the gray hairs with misty eyes
cropping back into their own dead ro-
nance. But the genius has'done this In
The Cinderella Man." and SO beauti-
fully and with such, rare charm that
those who watched the play last night
for nearly three full hours felt just q
wee pang of regret that the last cur
tain mad to come SO soon.
And the charm Is not all in the story
alone. but very largely as well in those
whose action makes it living reality.
There never was sweeter or more
lovable picture Of young innocence with
heart that yearned to love and be
loved than that presented by Phoebe
Foster as Marjorie, "the little fairy
godmother," who dared to cross the
roof from her fathers home to the
chilly garret. where the stoical young
poet, despising her class. was deter.
mined to rise on the wings of his own
dreams of successful opera, to take
her tribute of a Christmas dinner and
dainty silk bed quilt as the offering
or her admiration for the man she had
never seen, but Of whom she had often
dreamed.
From the accidental clandestine meet
Ing, the beautiful little romance grows
like gorgeous lily starting from the
homely bulb until 1t unfolds in radiant
glory at Its bloom. It is youth at it's
purest freshness. physical and spiritual;
IL ls love refined to its highest beauty, q
with yet not flaw in all the details to
mar its radiance.
II ones enthusiasm can make the pic
ture, 1t is only necessary to say that
Phoebe Foster was little fairy god
mother" of which even the fairies might
a being that one finds rather among the
Ideal than the real. and that Shelley
Hull was the fine. manly human hero who
deserved to win such sweetheart.
But as all the elements Of the play are
essential to the development Of its full
beauty. Frank Bacon's picture Of the
faithful old valet and man-of- all work
could not be improved upon, while the
author himself is entitled to further re-
membrance for a real dramatic situation.
tense and splendid in its power. when
Louise Rial, as ''the great She bear" the
landlady, discovers the youngsters tete-
a-tete at their rude tea table and orders
them out Of the house. Charles Lane was
refreshing as the old bachelor friend
Of the young lovers: Reginald Mason a
fine exponent of his type of the titled
young nobility. who couldn't think Of
work. you know" but was perfectly
willing to marry little Marjorie and let
her father set her up. you know, and
all that" Berton Churchill. as the un-
usually grun father Of the little fairy
godmother'': Hubert Wilke, as the COM
poser Of the opera. and Theodore Bab-
cock. Percival T. Moore and Helen Tur-
ney. In minor roles. all helped nicely In
rounding out the dainty little love story.