Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-14
Mr.. Lazarus"
The NewYe ear 3
Greatest Failure
So New York MAY Speak
of the Worthy Little
Comedy

waiting n bit before telling PhiladeI-.
phians about plays seen in New York
is sometimes n very good thing. The per-
spectve OF time plays many pleasant tricks
For instance. II enables the EvnNfNo
LEDoERs critic 20 write comncndatory
review OF ''Mr Lazarus and TO call II tho
seasons greatest failure For this new
comedy by Harvey J. OHigglns and Har-
riet Ford had decided points when II deco
rated the Schubert Theater couple Of
weeks ago; and now. alas II is departed.
Some people treasure the absurd notion
that America ought 10 he producing play
wrigh,s In the image Of rbsen. shaw, Gals
worthy, Pinero. They expect writer's of
mordant realism philosophic comedy. So
phisticated drama Minerva-like TO spring
full-armed from brain that hasn't yet the
Jovian development OF the age-oid Conti-
nent Quite properly the American play
wrights are doing nothing OF the kind
Neither they nor their plays make pretenscs
at the "intellectual"; America has been too
busy living and making. But our theatcr
has evolved n type of homely. simple. slang
fui comedy that is full of small and ac-
curate sketches of our average life today.
II sometime we achieve n drama OF INTEL
iectual and emotional power. II win be
natural evolution from the plays and play
wrights of today that are content to picture
our life and grow with It. Men like George
NJ Cohan lead these legions The authors
OF MIR. Lazarus" Harvey o'Higgins and
Harriet Ford. deserve n very honorable
place because they write about what they
know and they don't strain--as do some Of
our cohans-for violent comic points"
mfr. Lazarus" Is comedy with an
eiaborateiy farceful idea which is firmly and
consistently prevented from running away
with the humanness OF the story. Briefly.
Mr.. Lazarus is gentleman who returns
| from the dead. Once upon time--twenty
years ago-he was one John Molloy. honey
incoming on express train that became
| n burning wreck. Loss OF memory and
some other incldentals put him in the per-
| manently missing class. So when John ro-
i turned as prosperous man under the
name OF Lazarus he found his wife and his
| posthumous daughter shaving In boarding
house TO provide support for q new head
of the family. A number OF other things.
| such as an art student with the usual thin
/ pocket, but n quiet, unconvential sense of
humor; love affair between this young
man and the daughter and sundry financial
trickeries OF the new husband kept Mr.,
Lazarus very busy STRENGTHENING out his
family through four pleasant acts. ulti.
| mately his love for his daughter and his
desire for existence as a man with name
were overborne by the exactions of living
with the querulous, strange woman who
was once his wlfe-and Mr.. Lazarus de-
parted. Behind him he left the message
The dead cannot return" 9s
II is an interesting, II not exacting
fable What made II seem just iittls
more than ordinary was the kindly oh
servatlon OF life which the authors brought
TO It's telling. They were qualities which
America is developing. but which IL doesn'
always contol with so even and judicioul
hand Mr.. Lazarus" is n big step ahea<
for tho authors Of The Dummy" and ''rh
Argyle Case" .4.t
As for the acting. that is presumably
thing very much OF the past. But II shop1
be recorded that Henry Dlxey who pIhnye
| the title part. Is stll skillful comedian
William T. Clarke and Florine Arri6i,
played with their familiar unction; IN
American stage acquired two Intelligent
and original young players in Eva IA
Gallienne and Tom Powers. and that Georg,
Henry Trader did an excellent bit of stag,
direction in its staging What more car
you ask of a failure? X NJ