New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-27
FIXING UP PLAYS
FOR CHILDREN
Youngsters Enjoy a Spe-
Cial Bill at the COhan
and Harris
BOY ACTOR MAKES
GOOD IMPRESSION
WitChing Echo of Irish
Players Is Bit Out
of Place
(By HAYWOOD BROUN)

In raising children, so they tell us,
tho trick is to find out what the little
dcars want 10 do and then explain TO
them why they must not Il is this
that makes it so difficult to plan en-
tertainments for the young One must
consider not only what they like, but
whether they ought to like IL.
A bill. consisting Of Keystone COM
cdy. animated sections Of Mutt and jeff
and Charlie Chaplain would uudoubt-
eddy delight any audience Of children
almost to the limit OF their capacity
for enjoyment, but there is probably
good reason for restraining the appe-
tite OF the young from such fare. It Is
best that none should sec Chaplin, save
the sad and the sophisticated who
know that although admiration is in
cvitable. imitation is impossible.
Perhaps that IS why Chaplin has been
called the crime against American
childhood. ID 80 wrong 90 set up an
ideal which is utterly impractical The
sad and the sophisticated know that
the rest Of us cant have our eustard
pie and throw t., too.
The bin devised for the children $
matinces at the Conan & Harris The
atre is to be commended because; on
the whole. 10 consists of things when
children will like and ought 10 IKE
rs well. During the performance OF
q "Fditha's Burglar" one boy walled,
want 10 20 home but there was no
way or finding out whether he was
sor,o Young relative of George Jean
! Nathan or merely a child who had been
/ frightened by the appearance or the
,obbor. Most memDers Of the audience
vore calm enough in the presence OF
so genial an intruder as Otto Kruger
Tho plav is q shortened version OF
veteran drama. IL is founded on
Frances Hodgson Burnetts story. H.
n Sothcrn once played the burglar
with notable suavity. Kruger was
chiefly concerned in bringing out the
humorous qualities of the house
breaker. and i'm no time at all the emil
dren feared him not a bit more than
did Fditha herself. The play was a
fearful time getting under way, but II
/ amused the youngsters and some others
as soon rs the burglar arrived.
Much the best number. for its pur-
mise on the bill is Merry Christmas,
Daddvl' bv Mary Austin. in which
hit Of 2 boy named Arthur lie Wen
gave an extremely fetching and appeal
ing performance. The play handles
somewhat ingenious idea deity and tne
mounting is attractive. Merry CnrlSt-
mas. Daddy" concerns an over-praci
/ .ical father who is set against all
Christmas observance until he has oeeh
hound gagged and bullied BY crew
F from his sons picture Dook' CaPOa u
Kidd Dare Devil Dick the Indian tight
or Tobv the clown, the Wizard Of o.
and others are among the members OF
/ the avenginc band. The clown does
GinAops and the wizard extracts any
orantitv of flags and such like from
/ bis mouth. Kruger, the hard-hearted
father. did well in this play. also, az
I AID Caroline Newcombe in the part OF
a negro nanny.
The best play Of all did not interest
tho children greatly. There is no par
ticular reason why Lady Gregory
miracle play, "The Travelling Man,
should be aimed at the young. 1t IS
simple enough, but it is written IN
fervent mood which, we THINK Is en-
tirelv beyond the experience oil emil
Lady Gregory has dramatized a
story current among the Irish peas
ants. 4 forlorn woman sinks down
n the side of the road one weary
night. and to her there comes tall
lair stranger. bright and shining IN the
darkness. She knows him for no com
mon traveller, and when he directs
her IN house where she finds a man
who offers her shelter and marriage
she realizes that the wanderer on the
road was the King Of the World. she
| remembers, too, that he told her, !
will come 10 see you some other time:
The play begins on the seventh anni-
versary Of the night OF the stranger
and the woman tells her little son the
story. She l. baking . cake OF white
-four. for every year she makes proper,
preparation for the second coming OF
The man. Wanting sufficient -four, she
goes to the house Of neighbor and