New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-17
BY HAYWOOD BROUN.

n everybody had hardened to the
words Of Will Rogers "His Bridal
Night" might never have been written.
people say they can't tell those Dolly
sisters apart" Will was wont to re-
mark. "but it's dead easy. The one
that doesn't smile so much is married
TO Harry Fox"
The one that didn't smile so much
last night was married to Joe Damorel'
played b. John Wesley. and she had
reason for her gloom, for Just AFTER
the wedding he went away on tneir
honeymoon with her twin sister. AS
Lent Trevett remarked during par
ticularly complicated situation with
both Dollys IN full view OF the per-
picked husband, Here are your wife"
The new farce at the Republic is an
amusing entertainment. 1t ID built
soundly on the familiar farce device
of mistaken identity which has done
good service from Dromios to Dollys.
It is true that the device is employed
in somewhat Origin al fashion. but
most potent of the elements which
make for the success of the play is
the fact that the twins look alike.
The Man Who Knows tells US that
the Dollys are not twins at all. Still he
is not prepared to deny that there is
marked family resemblance between
the sisters. The average spectator VIII
require at least an act to distinguish
Rozsika from Yancsi. After that he
may do pretty well if his eyes are
sharp. Yancsi is taller than Rozsika
by at least the breadth Of tngernail.
More useful still for purposes of
identification is the fact that the larger
Dolly talks through both nostrlls, while
her sister employs the right alone.
The degree of resemblance between
the Dollys is perfect. The play would
be marred if they were more alike or
less. 1t is good that, with some de-
gree of difficulty, the spectator Is able
70 tell the one from the other. Thus,
he knows more than airy of the chsrsc-
tiers in the play and surely, however
Rumble. nobody would care TO be quite
so stupid as the hero in a Farce.
Lawrence Rising and Margaret Mayo,
who wrote the play, have displayed
gieat skill in handling the difficult
problem of always keeping the audi
eneo posted as to the identity of each
Dolly while continuing to deceive the
characters in the farce.
Although the play has had the ser
vices of two authors, there is some
little work for a third person to do.
We think there are a few lines which
might be left out without making the
world too prim. We do not ask
that the play should be subjected to
the hostile gaze of men in whiskers or
made to pass the requirements imposed
by the graduating class at Miss
Spence's, but there are few things IN
the farce which inspired that most OBJ
jectionable of all sounds in the thea
tre-the half-suppressed litter. We
never did think much of those honey
moon jokes anyway.
But. barring a small portion of the
second act, the play is veil within
bounds, and its improprieties are not
sufficiently burning to bring the blush
of shame to any reasonably strong
cheek.
His Bridal Night" is capitally acted.
Pedro De Cordoba is best of all. tie
has an ardor in his acting that
serves Just as well IN farce as IN more
serious drama. His performance is
complete. IL may seem bit rldlcu-
lous To suggest that farceur is en-
dowed with much generalization, but
that is Just what must be said concern
ing Cordoba. There is nothing aimless
about his work. and one may be as
sured that he is much funnier than
the comedian who dashes about hap
hazard. John Wesley is also pleasing,
and Lucille Watson. deserter from
the scarlet army of the stage, gives
an excellent performance in her hard,
BRIGHT manner.
Heaven has done much to make the
Dollys fit into the play, but they do
something for themselves. The hand
of the coach is still somewhat heavy
upon them, but they have been well
taught. Nicely would about fit the
manner of their acting. One recess
from school is theirs. At the end of
the second act they dance.
The first night audience liked the
play, and at the end of the second act
twelve tons of flowers were passed over
the footlights in one ton lots.