New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-01

BY HAYWOOD BROUN.

Clare Hummer is the most promising
collaboration New York has seen in some
seasons. She did Good Gracious
Annabelle" all by herself, and that was
unwise, for Miss Hummer is as clumsy
in some branches Of theatrical work
manship as she is skilful in others.
There is abundant humor in the new
farce which was seen at the Republic
Theatre last night, but it is almost
wholly humor Of line rather than stu
alton.
This is not as damning as II sounds
for the author has managed TO swing
whole scenes in which nothing happens
by making The characters talk exceed
ingly well. There is nothing wrong
with the Fundamental and familiar idea
upon which the play is built. 1t is
already doing service in Come Out Of
the Kitchen" Miss RUNNERS farce
concerns the doings OF a group Of
young people who pretend to be
servants on account of temporary
financial embarrassment
This sounds simple enough, but Miss
Hummer requires a long time TO put
her idea into operation, and no sooner
is il under way than she blocks It's
progress with embellishments of the
most incoherent nature. A good zeal
of the plot has to 90 with two shares
of mining stock. An odd-lot transac-
tion is complicated at best, put thls
particular one would defy John MUIR
and all his minions. We will give one
share of any curb stock selling 1or
less than 30 cents TO the person VINO
can explain Just what Annabelle did
TO her certificate and just why she
wanted il back.
There was also some more utterly
incomprehensible narration about an
abduction and a forced marriage which
occurred before the play began. Inc
abductor was a horrible bearded per,
son. called the hermit, but IN the END
he turned UP presentable enough, win
the smoothest sort of chin and an
income Of $4,000 a day. As like as
not he was the hero of The Great
Divide"
for the defects Of Good Gracious
Annabelle." Let il be set down I'M
mediatelv in refutation of that wnlch
bas cone before that Miss Hummer
has devised the best slavey part which
Nav Vokes has ever acted hereaoouts.
The actress plays it in the same man
nor in which she has always done TINS
sort of thing, but her work Is none
the less amusing for being time trled;
Lottie's chief interests are Scotch ana
stars. In the play we ind her ABOUT
10 undergo a day for which the planets
signify nothing but sickness, troupe
and domestic relations
Iottie participates in rarely anus
ing scene. in which she pops on and on
inst in time to spoil the effect of a
vers libre poem recitation by ROLAND
Young as Wilbur Jennings. 1t IS too
bad that not all of Miss Runners
humor fits into situation so neatly as
this particularly pleasing flare.
The poet of ROLAND foung's is an
easy and delightful performance. lie
is not sighted in the distribution oil
GOOD lines. Miss Lola Fisher must
be credited with putting the play on
its feet. She saves a slowly moving
first act by the fun which she prings
as soon as she enters. Later she Is
not so amusing. This may be traced
to failing opportunities, but we are
inclined to believe that there is lack
of variety in her comedy methods.
Edwin Nicander is most convincing
and sincere drinker. We can think "
no play in which author and actor have
combined so we'll to picture the psyehol-
ogy of a gentleman in his cups. with
ali this excellent acting and writing
much that Nicander does is not in tn
least funny. We don't mean that thei
is anything repulsive in it: On re
contrary. it is wisely set forth that ne