The sun., 1916-10-06
new BOOK PLAY AT
4STH ST. THEATRE
Maximilian Fosters erich
Man. Poor Man" Is Pro-
duced at Last.
B%ROADHURsT ADAPTED TT
Marie Wainwright and Geor.
gia Lawrence Are Menu
bers Of the Cast.

The second book play OF the week
arrived last night when the Oft deferred
performance OF Rich Man. Poor Man
was given at The Forty-eighth Street
Theatre. From Macmillan Fosters
story OF the same name which appeared
In the Saturday Evening Post George
B~roadhurst made the play. That maya
zine Is just now an important factor In
shaping the destinies Of the American
theatre. No other field seems to appeal
80 strongly TO the actor and the man
ager. h present play at the Aston
Theatre was created in its pages and a
similar experiment was tried last night.
The heroine Of the new drama. as the
title suggests, cannot decide whether she
will select the young bank clerk with
whom she IL deeply In love or the grand.
son OF the man who has been her guar
dian. Her choice IL complicated by the
fact that the life OF comfort she has
led and the affection by which she has
been surrounded were gained through q
crime.
In order that such a tife OF comfort
might be hers. n forgery has been COM
mitted. II Is the threat Of exposure for
the forger that plays its part In de-
termining her choice.
Mr.. Broadhurst has posed his heroine
IN this predicament through four acts.
They pass in this city in the humble
boarding house Of the first and third
acts and In the richer quarters to which
the heroine is led later.
Boarding House Cinderella.
Mr.. Fosters charming story OF the
boarding house Cinderella who through
Q fraud was put into the possession Of
all the comforts and happiness which
an old man desired for her. would have
seemed the most available material for
n playwright. But there was nothing
10 be heard during the frst two acts
but the creaking and rafting OF the
adaptor's machinery. And II seemed so
Tar as the effect on the public was con-
ccrred to be altogether futile.
The alteration between the two levels
o. society was most naive. The dele
cation from the boarding house did not
ESTATE to invade the new home OF
their former friend. Indeed. the most
intimate affairs az their existence were
transacted IN the drawing room OF their
arch enemy. Hut they never hesitated
o make themselves altogether at home
there.
II may be that in another kin Of q
playhouse there is n public for the de.
vclopment OF such "A charming story as
Mr.. Foster supplied to his collaboration.
/. seemed. however. altogether out OF
place in the Forty-eighth Street Theatre.
Four Cnconvlncing Acts.
Last night there was scant respect
for the manner in which Mr.. Broadhurst
mad made four theatric and altogether
unconvincing acts out OF the \original
tale. Even tho excellent acting Of Jessie
Ralph. who was quite the best Of her
associates. the earnest efforts of William,
Mack. who is badly In need of a good
part to preserve his reputation. the SIM
plIcity OF Regina Wallace and the old
school skill OF Marie Wainwright did
not avail TO interest the audience deeply.
II was a shame to see such a delight
ful hit OF fiction as Mr.. Foster had
written sacrificed 20 n hopelessly in-
effective preparation for another medium.