New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-12
'Gammer Gurton's Needle
IS Played with Fine
Jolly Fervor
FUNDAMENTAL FUN
IN OLDEST COMEDY
Mckay Morris Shines in
POrtmanteau'S PrOduC-
ton at Princess
by HAYWOOD BROUN

Imagine q dramatic critic Of to-day
cast back into the court Of Queen Eliz-
abeth as Twains Connecticut Yankee
was snatched into the land Of King
Arthur. Suppose. then. the Queen
should order the visitor TO summon a
performer OF commanding skill or lose
his head. Do you think the critic would
whistle down the ages for Forbes Rob
ertson? Not a bit OF IT,; II he loved
life he'd call for Charlie Chaplin. Of
course, If 10 were the court Of Henry
the Eighth he might summon Sybll
Carmen but that's q different matter
This Is an age when lies and hard
ems its heart against the slapstick and
the custard pie. But the roots Of Eng
lish comedy lie in falls. kicks and
brawls. Ale, and too much of il, was
the first blood OF our drama. and il will
be sorry day for the theatre when
no performer may lay violent hands
upon another for the sake OF laughter.
Drama which is coarse and bOlsterous
may be undeveloped, but it is alive, and
10 Is quite possible that a Shakespeare
who vas incapable Of the porter scene
could not have written the sleep-walk-
ing scene.
At any rate. a rough and tumble
ancestor OF a noble line OF English
plays was introduced al the Princess
Theatre Yesterday when the Portman-
teau Players gave q jolly, hIgh-spirlted
performance Of "Gammer Gurton's
Needle" Probably the actors are black
and blue to-day but each bruise is
token Of laugh won 10 q manner
which is ancient and honorable.
The programme calls "Gammer Cur
tons Needle "the very first # the
early English folk comedies" We are
under the impression that Ralph Rols-
ter Dolster" is older, although that
may be barred as a possible lmi-
tation Of a Latin model. However,
"Gammer Curtou's Needle was per
formed wci before the seventeenth
century and !, typical OF the knock
about style which English comedy as
sumed when &c cast of the morality
form and grew through "a probationary
period N which - most characteristic
expression was the lnterlude oil John
Haywood
The play IS about a needle which the
Gammer has lost while sewing a rent
IN the seat Of the breeches Of her ser
want Hodge Both the Gammer and
Hodge are anxious that the precious bit
of steel shall be found, and their anXl-
ETY. makes them easy prey Tor the
tricks of Diccou, the bedlam, who sends
them scurrying or a number or raise
cleWs.
H. is Diccon who contrives to have
the Gammer fall into an alteration
with Dame Chat. and the fight between
the two old women was carried OUT
with a zest which set them rolling all
over tho stage. T. is also Dlccon who
succeeds in having Doctor Rat, the
curate. beaten over the head with an
iron bar And DC rs Diccon Who ls re
eDonsible TO. the discovery OF the nee
die for when hc smacks Hodge amid
snips the yokel howls. and the needle
which had never strayed Ear rom the
Mace where Gammer Gurton !ett on ner
nendinc. is extracted from his person.
Mckay Morris plays Hodge with nne
vigor and "a proper understanding o.
broad comedy values. lie does as much
with a stuffed property cat as Chaplin
could DO with a soup tureen. By the
,yay. Morris seems 20 be the most versa
Tie and che best actor m a company
which has several good performer in
o.. ranks Next 90 Morris comes Flor
crce Wol'ersou. as Dame Chat, and
Tua.t1 Lowrr does We.. as Gammor
Ggr-oa. Nar-r W.rst0r. an attractive
.ro.r.c. u.cas..r as so NLmot
Fc.-larc Is % .or-.u.e cor the scenery
and cos--r.cs 70. -re play. which arc
,tcc.lr'. Az C.c drinking song IS we.
rcrcerc. E. tne second ac.. A.. g. OH,
"Gsnme. Gdlton: Needle IS ro.lcA-
ing performance.
" Ike Suar. Walkers ask VINO
Pa. Vale .tc ,c.t..s Boz and BIS
.rterudes ale amusing ;r.acs, yet on
che whole we ,c..k wC ra.-e r.m more
t:r-.@ a- producer ,hau p.aywr ght
T..- p. .o. ATE. seeing 'ItC Ir'mD-
lot" 2. 81 -rue .aa; :re man wno
.noke the prologue warned the audi
euce by saying. You wouldn't spoA
dream by asking why We ~ouic.
That ls 30 excuse Cor the .ncoherence
o. Stuar. Walkers play Moreover, Us
verse Is o. low order chiefly de-
pcnoent or vain repetitiOas after the
manner O. Frank Tinney. u IS OK
pia.red during The course OF the play
tina. trmr.et s -he hole when
sunbeam makes 100 a shadow. Dramatl-
cal!y. "Iae Irmp.ct' is the hole M a
toughuu. or less
one Indifferent play IS a minor mat
ter. since the three other offerings OF
me afternoon were excellent. The
Birthday OF the latanta,' founded on
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