New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-05
THE CAST.
BY HAYWOOD BROUN.

When q dramatist can write o splr-
tied melodrama with the use of only
one set, and that the interior of
secondhand book shop, and can also
contrive TO have the three acts extend
over no greater period than a single
June morning he has accomplished a
rare feat in play construction.
Without doubt Austin Strong began
Bunny" as a character play. Posi-
bly, that was still his plan as he COM
pleted the last act, but in the perform
ance last night the thing which made
the evening enjoyable was not the per-
sonality Of the central figure so much
as the rare and diverting things which
happened to him upon particular mad
june morning.
Quite the best moment in the play
comes at the end of the second act,
when the bookish hero seizes an an
Gent revolver and pots first vase
and then the cuckoo clock in an effort
to kill the villain who would rob him
of his love.
1t is good fun to be surprised in the
theatre If the surprise comes early
enough 1t does in Bunny" The cur
tain rises upon an excellent set, show
ing tho interior of an old book shop,
with rows and rows of volumes, which
looked most readable at a distance.
The thought naturally struck US that
we were In for sweet and quaint play.
Such play Is sometimes amusing, but
1t affords few thrills, and 20 tell the
truth We are just bit tired of plays
which are heavy with the humdrum.
Bunny" quickly undeceiyed US. After
baillh had been overpowered and
bound, sub-villain sent reeling from
rignt hook, more important miscreant
driven off at the pistol point and a
door broken down by an angry mob, we
realized that Austin Strong had chosen
quite the busiest book store in the
world as the scene of his play. It was
as if the novels on the shelf had each
lent an incident TO enliven the morn
ing. There was also characters with
all the fresh and interesting qualities
of fiction.
Lewis Stone played the part OF
Charles Nathaniel Disney, VI. A, known
L
of his mild nature. Stone gave an in
teresting and intelligent performance
and he was excellent in those moments
when he could cut loose to win with
brave words and Drawer deeds. AS a
bookish and absent-minded young man
he did not appeal TO US greatly. He
lacked charm. The portrait is much too
hard and much too sketchy. Il lacks
the minute detail which is essential if
such character is to be interesting.
1t may be contended, of course, that
playwrights err in believing that ab-
sent-mindednes is virtue, or at least
one of the attractive vices. Ii isn't.
Bunny gave man bay rum instead
of sherry, stepped on lady's foot when
he wished TO kiss her, mislaid a baby,
lost his money and sat on a visitors
high hat. Anybody who behaved in
that fashion off the stage would be an
intolerable nuisance. IL is the absent
minded who borrow your money and
forget IL; they are the folk who make
off with your books, keep you waiting
on street corners or in hotel Hobbies, lose
unposted letters in their pockets, delay
dinners and disrupt bridge games. The
absent-minded are no good.
On the stage, nevertheless, the worth
less wool gatherer may be made a SYM
pathetic figure. We remember a per-
Torrance of Z. s. Willart in THE Pro-
fessor's Love Story" The character
was quite the conventional idiot which
the theatre has tagged as the professor,
and yet, in spite of his idiocy, the play
er contrived to make the most addle-
pated acts attractive. His touch, in
some way or ether. softened the folly
of the man.
Stone fails in this. When Bunny is
foolish he is a fool. You laugh at him
and make no mental reservation in his
favor. Fortunately Bunny has mo-
ments of wisdom. The play tells the
story of how ne suddenly blossoms
into a man of action and wins the he
rome from the very altar side in spite
of the best efforts of the bridegroom
and an associate villain. Stone does
not dominate the play 10 the extent
which he should. We believe that is his
fault rather than that of the play
wright In a measure it may be due TO
the most vigorous sort of competition
offered by mis- associates. Henry Ste
phenson as Lord Macdonald Dicey gave
a rafting fine performance. The high
est honors of the play were his. Hilda
Spong, playing with an Irish accent,
was also extremely attractive. Eva lie
Gallienne did well in a character part
and a number of minor roles were han
died in a manner something more than
adequate. Bunny" is a mighty good
show.