The sun., 1918-09-13

The Iden Payne company was just the
idea for the Belmont. The best chance
! of the intimate theatre is as fad. Now
that Mr.. Payne has selected Crops and
Choppers" for his first production. Sc
cured Eileen Huban and George Plateau.
trained the other players, and got some
art nouveau scenery. all that is neces-
| sary IL fos society to take It up and
it's a go.
The programme described the play as
| a comedy OF war time. but unfortunately
the implied theat OF hostilities was not
| carried out. There was comedy and
comedy and more comedy: sweet. gush-
ing girls, a number of nice chaps and
chaste. simple interiors Special empha-
| sis should be laid on the stage sets be-
cause II seemed for so long they were
going TO be the, most dramatic element
of the play.
II began In Alison's house IN New
York and the important issue that was
raised. after a while. was what Allison
was going to do TO win the ar
sample of Her Economy.
Well, she was going to economize by
buying a farm and then grow crops
suited in sinking $4,000. but that is
| getting ahead Of the story consider
| ably.
When the curtain rose on the second
act II was obvious that the plot had
developed a good deal. for Allison
town parlor had given place to one
on the farm done IN dramatic yellow
with green and violet curtains and va
| rIegated rays Of Light shining in here
| and there that were positively porten-
tous. Doctors Of the drama say that
along toward the end q the FIRST act
It is time for the plot to begin TO loom
up like 'speck on the horizon no big
ger than a mans hand. 1t wasn't any
bigger. 70 the rule was not broken
so far as that goes. Allison had be-
come engaged TO a young lieutenant as
a patriotic duty.
At first there was a suggestion in
Eileen Huban's acting as Allison that
she was going to be hammered in the
Laurette Taylor mode. and the impress
| sion was heightened when she came on
with a veritable Laurette tam o. shan
| ter: but when the play pulled itself to-
Eether and gave her something real 10
do she did II with grace and spirituality.
Love Scenes, OF Course.
1t isn't every player who can boast OF
a real French accent. George Plateau
supplied II and q great deal more, His
| professional touch brought lie and illu-
sion every time he appeared. and his
part gave him excellent opportunities az
French hero disguised as a farm hand
who had TO make love to Allison withou,
| betraying the fact directly that he was
| a gentleman. Allison fell in love with
him. OF course. and It all came out all
right. as Lieut.. Parcher had fallen In
love with JAMIE WfnpoIe.
There were 40 many bright sayings
about pigs and fertilizers and other
agrarian appurtenances that 1t seemed
for long time az II the play were going
to be all simmer. like a Christmas tree
without any tree. but Theresa Helburn
the dramatist. although she threw to the
winds most of the time honored tech
nique. had a potent trick UP her sleeve
Every time occasion required she intro
duced a new character. right up to the
closing scenes. One OF these was Mrs
Spencer, middle aged New England
| woman. OF which role Helen Wesley
made an excellent Bit OF Characterization.
There were moments when a shudder
crept up ones spine at the thought that
the vulgar public might not be appre-
ciative. But the public be darned. 80
ciety will never let the play come a
cropper with such nice girls and such
nice love scenes in 1t. TO say nothing OF
the art nouyeau scenery,