New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-28
By Ralph Block


out Of imagination that finer flower
comedy. "A Tailor-Made Man. which
broke upon the public view last night
at the Cohan & Harris Theatre, is for
the larger part Of four acts comedy
Of a kind that is both rare and de-
lightful. Taking strength from an idea
which has had its historical moments
of satire, this amusing and not impos-
sible tale of modern life does not dis
dain an even higher ground, and here
I and there IL rises TO points at when
it becomes a real comment on life ana
destiny. And il is comment that IS
we'll favored and full Of relish. SO
far as its term Of life upon The Broad
way stage is concerned, "A Tailor-Made
I Man" ought 10 be given carte blanche.
Whether il is Gabriel Dregley, VINO
wrote The Well-Fitting Dress Coat
who is responsible, or Harry James
Smith, who used ID as a basis for com
edy, "A Tailor Made Man goes mucn
deeper than the obvious axiom OF
clothes make the man for its story.
There is even hint of Carlyle in its
conception Of world in which appear
ances are so important that once mt
| ted with all the appurtenances OF sue
cess-even If they are stolen ones-a
man may win his way by daring and
chance-taking against all odds. That
is, so long as ne is not found out. And
it is q kind of pragmatic lecture that
Mr.. Smith reads finally from the stage
OF the Cohen and Harris Theatre-to
the effect that success makes anything
right, even discovery.
"A Tailor-Made Man" is, indeed,
closeup Of the operation OF Destiny
on the life of one man. He Is man
quite conscious Of what life holds for
him and entirely determined that IL
shall by no unhappy chance evade him.
As he says in his moments of early
triumph, he does not aspire to do the
things done by Napoleon, but TO do the
| things Napoleon left undone. He
starts humbly, tailor's assistant, and
| il il because he is a tailor's assistant
that Destiny so easily puts out hand
10 him and lifts him from the taliors
shop 70 higher realms. He has not
wasted his moments, and he can bear
at will the habilaments Of culture and
the mien Of success, but for one lack
clothes. SO he steals the evening
clothes of a customer, and, in sec
oud act that is full of wit and crisp
comedy, he is disclosed as an unbidden
guest at smart evening function.
From being an unknown he passes by
swift stages to the point where he has
captured the attention and interest Of
every one present. The curtain falls
with John Paul Bart, the erstwhile
tailor's presser, assured on his jour
ney TO success.
The third act has echoes. It does not
give forth such glittering reflections
as it's earlier periods gave of Mrs.
Bumpstead-Le Leigh" but II echoes here
such more obvious bits of humor as ut
PAYS to Advertise" Once created, this
puppet Of destiny must be placed at
work on the business Of living. tie IS
now an important parsonage, the right
hand man of a great Industrial general
a sort of stage Ivy Lee. He meets an
industrial crisis with a philosophy that
is convincing enough for the moment
and not at all out of the line of devel-
opment Of the play. IL is, indeed, so
much favored of optimism, so wen
manicured and efficient in solving trou-
bles. that really go very deep IN mod
ern life as to create faint suspicion
that the dramatist has intended even 70
satirize the complacency OF wealth IN
dealing with the problems of labor. AT
any rate, it is only suspicion, and
does by no means interrupt the smooth
progress of the play.
So for il has been almost purely COM
edy. II becomes more intense when the
inevitable disclosure Of identity IS
made. Like the toy soldier who has
nlayed his little hour, the tailored
dummy leaves the midnight time OF TIL
umph and returns 10 the tailor shop,
presser once again. But he has not
dared in vain. 1t was an experiment
with Destiny, he explains 10 his en-
ployer. come seeking an explanation. IL
was 10 discover whether the great
world or the tailor shop wanted him
most. And the great world answers IN
no uncertain words. The ending may
be somewhat overwhelmed after the
delicate flavor of what has gone before,
but IL is purely in the mood OF the play
and nobody can bubble when the tailor
made man wins the tailor's daughter
and carries her up with him to the
place he has won.
The measure of Grant MitchelIs act
ING is given perfectly in the frst act
The interior of the tailor shop, with
It's tvpical inhabitants, provides little
TO distinguish the play. II IS only WIN
tho entrance of the hero Of this
strange piece that the action takes on
b,iIliancy and color, that the lines
tegin 70 crackle and sparkle, and that