The sun., 1916-12-26
Clever Actress Appears I'm Part
Well Suited to Her Ripcncd
Talents.
"shiriey kss at the Hudson
Theatre.

Miss Elsie Ferguson has been almost
all around the map in her theatrical
wanderings. In "The Strange Lady"
she was .from New Orleans and
Delphi. Ia. She was from hither
and yon In "The Outcast." Margaret
Schiller" Caste" and such Little
Queen" She was a Western girr In
ARIZONA" and an Eastern girl in
The First Lady OF the Land"
She came back home last night in
'Shirley Kaye" at the Hudson Thea
tire for the first time In her interest
ing career as a modern girl right here
In little old New York which many
people believe. Is a part better suited
than all the rest to her ripened talents
AS an actress She has also the advan-
tage Of having played in Shakcspearian
roles. notably Portin, with Sir Herbert
Tree in the revival of The Merchant OF
Venice"
Comedy ny Hubert Footner.
The new comedy is the first play by a
young novelist. Hubert Footner. who
was already becoming known as a
writer. The scenes are laid in a fash
ionable and wealthy setting about New
York.
There are reports OF many difficulties
In selecting a name for the play.
Finance and Finesse." the allitcrative
title OF the playwright. was not ac-
ceptible to the powers and II WAS first
tried out under the name "The New
York Girl until II was discovered that
burlesque company had already seized
that title. The distinctive hut not
descriptive title Shirley Kaye" was
finally agreed upon after many strug-
giles as 1t is the name OF the young
woman about whom the play turns.
The theme OF the play. In this modern
feminist age. is more popular than novel.
1t deals with the successful outcome OF
! matching a womans wit with mems In
finance and love. The story is light but
more or less entertaining.
Ostline story Of the Play.
Here II is T. J. Mdgen--that's all Just
/ r. j. Mdgen-came out of the West
with a carload of money and invaded
Wall Street. He was accompanied by a
wife and daughter with social aspra =
tions and young protege. who should
have been young l>ochinvar II he had
only known what was good for him. but
instead was a woman hatcr.
Mdgen's first move was % organize a
raid on the Kaye Crowd" which has
controlled the destinies OF the Union Cen
trail railroads. Mdoen's money is more
potent than kdye's social connections
and Kaye is about to be thrown out into
the cold. when his young daushte Shir-
lev, who has inherited the Kaye wit.
which apparently skipped generation,
appoints herself to save the kdyc for
tunes and incidentally win the young
westerner. who Is 30 different from her
suitors OF the Lord Algy type
| She calls a conference with the re-
lentlcss yugcn and comes right down
| to business by calling him ar. j." and
Offering in exchange for her fathers
hopeless defeat the social recognition
his family covcts.
Offers Fathers Resisnation.
His daughter Is the one vulnerable
spot In his armor and he capitulates As
gracefully as possible. She softens the
blow and salves his conscience by offer
/ ing him the resignation OF her father rs
! the figurchead president. She had a
way with her father also. She tosses
! T., the daughter the carl who has beer
her suitor and thereby clears the track
to the heart of her railroad friend. the
| Young Westerncr who in a way was
! promised to Md0on's daughter. That's
! the play. but another act IL added, The
| last act is as inconsequential as II Is
/ pretty.
| The young westerner hates to admit
that he has been beaten In the railroad
deal by a woman. The last act Is de
! l,t hot hn tr1 10 4,