Evening star., 1918-11-26
ADJUSTMENTS
New National.

ASVW AN0tAVAAesAs
A play with a striking central idea
and a novel conclusion was shown at
the New National Theater last night.
Back 10 Earth" originally maga-
zine story by oscar Graeve, is COM
mLtted to the footIights by Dramatist
William LIE Baron, with an abundance
Of technical ELABORATION. The pro-
logue ana epilogue stand out with ir-
relevant distinctiveness despite the
fact that they are denied their GUS
tomary labels. The real stony Of an
living is SO bizarre and SO striking
that 1T must stand or fall on its own
merits, regardless Of any efforts to
apologize or explain. Representing
fiction writer's Imagination does not
tighten the responsibility to satisfy
In some degree the sense OF plauslDlI-
ity. Charles Cherry as the author
VINO facilitates the reading OF his
play by casting the roles among his
friends contributes a basis OF good
legitimate acting to the fantastical
structure which. after some delaying
dialogue reveals itself as an extrava-
gance il prose.
the ansei who visits the earth in
something the spirit of a Cooks tour
list. Harang no name OF his own. he
picks Ambrose Strange" out Of a
newspaper, LOT, despite mis- cons OF
ethereal isolation. he reaches for the
evening paper with the promptness
of veteran clubman. That he has
cut loose from heavenly guidance is
evidenced by his ill luck in choosing
the name OF an escaped convict. thus
lations with the mundane police.
Ambrose is a healthy angel with a
good physical grip in his handshake
which hints that the gymnasium is
not neglected incident of bliss on
the other shore. No actor but WAL
lace Eddinger could endow Ambrose
with SO lamblike an expression of
placid sincerity. Much OF the COM
edy must be carried without material
assistance from the lines, which are
only intermittent in satirical sparkle.
Eddinger appears as a plain, matter
OF fact angel, who falls in love with
human girl and decides to set up
housekeeping here below, regardless
Of the fact that heaven is his home.
This lin~ering frailty of earth proves
Ambrose's undoing and leads to an
exceedingly clever device to end the
play. The end of the. play is SO clever
that 1t becomes practical joke on
the audience. To explain it would
now stands the abruptness, however,
with which sentimental interest in
the angel and his sweetheart is shat
tered may easily prove a shock to the
good-natured sympathy with which
the audience had learned to regard
a course Of events defiant of ordinary
processes of reasoning. The turn
from imagination to mathematics is
sharp one.
1t was a smooth performance, with
no effort to exaggerate character
types. The butler was marvel Of
poise. and the lady who intruded all
sorts of uncalled remarks into seri-
Gus moments was vivaciously anus
ing.
The play brought frequent approv-
ing response from large audience.
B. F. Keith's.
FRITZ Scheff, arrayed as a bejeweled
songs that won her fame and some that
are new. is perhaps the charm Of the
vaudeville bill this week at the b. F.
Keith Theater. True, there is Sergt.
Bowman, modestly wearing the Croix de
Guerre and the Distinguished Service
and both out of the war, but still work.
ing for the United States Tanks Welfare
League, with enliyening songs and sto-
ries from the trenches; the Great Ko-
ban In extraordinary japanese feats Of
equilibrium that make one uneasy even
while he admires the. wonderful per-
formance, and Paul Morton and Naomi
Glass in their musical satire to please
and win the applause. There isn't, how
over, a great deal to arouse enthusiasm
in the remainder of the bill. although
that remainder includes Beatrice Her.
ford, who,, Notwithstanding her ex-
traordinary cleverness in characterize
ton, persists in clinging to what once
was delightfully."- entertaining. but now
begins to take on a musty savor. Tar
Lester Sheehan and Pearl Regay. Harry
Breen. song writer and jokester. in q
monologue that pleased many. and a
Red Cross picture. ''Of No Use to Ger
many" with the Hearst-Pathe News
complete the entertainment.