New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-28

Ivy stlsou OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Mabel 'atr5rnrf,
Burton Grayliug .......-...-... N"o''l A""''
Not to boast unduly of the sophisti-
cation of this centre of things theatri-
cal. it may be stated that in towns Of
five thousand or under Moonlight
Mary" would probably be regarded as
wonderful play. One can imagine the
town smart aleck leaning against the
depot, along about 1880 some sultry
evening, and recalling the one about the
fellow who felt lonely when he didn't
have his wrist watch on. How the sta
ton master would revel in 1t! And
how the town lollers, hanging around
until they should see the 7:43 pull IN
and pull out again, would slap their
thighs in delicious memory and swear
that led was certainly devil If ever
there was one!
Poor Rose Stahl. She is rapidly be-
coming the johndrew Of her sex, wan
dering from pillar to post and begging
pitifullv TO be given regular part IN
at least a half-regular show. II Is al
ways pleasure and privilege TO see
and TO hear her. 1t was a pleasure
even last night, to view her IN George
Y Uobart's cheap and inconsequential
little comedy. There is a certain salts
faction to be derived from watching her
perform: her tread is sure and you
feel safe and happy when she is carry
ing YOU along. No matter how her enc
mics may try her, you know that she
ia always master Of the situation, and
somehow you feel that she IS master
nv reason of her own intelligence and
not BY grace Of the writing-to-order
author
Aside from the star, however. 1t IS a
difficult task to find anything to praise
In last nights production at the Fulton.
To be sure, the play has wit. 1t has
so many smart speeches that everybody
in tho cast had his or her share OF them
10 sneak. In fact, il IS a play I" make
actors and actresses happy. Everybody
is a type, and everybody has couple
Of fine. long. centre-of-stage speeches,
with lots Of Jokes. There is an English
man in the play who is trying to master
American slang, and the second act has
an excellent gag about the relation OF
dogs and sausage.
aMoonlight Mary" however, gives
Rose Stahl the opportunity 70 SPEAK
regular English part of the time, ana
for that one should be grateful. Not
that Mr. Hobart has kept slang out OF
his play. II abounds in IL, and some
of i the star speaks. This was &C.
complished through the medium OF
Narv. who was the heroine of the de-
tective stories that Miss Stahl was sup
posed TO be writing Miss Stahl. two
lingering away at her typewriter In the
living room Of her upstate hoihe, was
an object for immediate sympathy. 80
many people interrupted her taat she
might as well have been trying 20 work
ir the city room OF New York news
paper. ,....,.,
act profigately. but there was littIe
improvement when he moved 10 New
York. Here he had opportunity 70 IN
troduce types with which he was more
familiar. but they remained types: None
of them was a part of the play. When
ever he thought Of something smart
Nr. Hobart would stop the play and
tell Jokes for awhile. No, not exactly
stop the play. 1t didn't really start un-
Ill the second act curtain.
At his second act curtain and at
times during the third act the author
introduced the thread of plot. but:
what the President said TO the railroad
men is ever so much more interesting
reading. Suffice it to say that Moon,
light Mary" is merely shallow and
ever transparent comedy, written sole
ly TO provide Rose Stahl with a role
and in part succeeding. To borrow
phrase from Ruggles. the previous ten
ant Of the Fulton, it is something
that really doesn't matter.
Mr.. Hobart came out on the stage az
the end OF the second act and said that
he wouldn't spoil the evening by
making a speech. But it was already
f.ar IN o'clOck