The sun., 1918-12-15

that suggested she might have
mouthful still. "F'unst thing l ever
heard A cook"
Just then a stray cat shot across
the light sidewalk into the darkness.
Mrs. Warren leaned down.
Here. Tiger, Tiger" she whispered,
side to side.
Say. Warren" angrily cried Paula-
amt you ever learned TO he a lady?
Get up there. Fanny Legrand. take
her by the other arm and less walk
her fast in the cool air. Say. don't
she give herself away?"
But Mrs Warren crouched on the
sidewalk. still watching the direction
In which the cat had disappeared.
Here. Tiger. Tiger" she exclaimed
persuasively. You won't come out
then. Here. Puss. Puss! Sweet
Puss!'
The cat poked its nose out of the
darkness.
Told you So" she said, rising some
what unsteadily to her feet. They're
not tigers. You mustn't treat EN-
rough. So when I said sweet puss. she
came out. Just like my girls used TO
he. Jes' leave 'em to me, you two.
I know my business. mean my pro-
fession. can tell q cat from a tiger"
There certainly Is no further need
for farces as a foundation for musical
! plays since the energetic frm OF Boil
ton a Wodehouse is able to do 50 we'll
| out OF Its own head as IL has in "Oh.
: My Dear" In "Oh. Boy" the effort
at complete originality and undivided
royalties was equally successful. So
/ dramatists who have been In the ha Dit
/ OF enjoying a return Of good fortune
when music's aid was called in to give
a second stretch OF life to the stale
! farce may have lost that uneai I'D in
! crement forever. OF course shere Is
no story TO speak OF in "Oh, Ny Dear! -
and no intrigue that would be possible
in the spoken play. But two impor-
! tant elements OF success exist in the
book. A detective In kept in constant
pursuit OF two men who are thus COM
! PEELED to avoid him Then one man Is
| mistaken for another. and there ensue
some OF the inevitable complication"
/ first popular in such circumstances
when Adam and Eve gave the original
open air theatr1cals under the Tree
Of knowledge. But there is all the
pilot" necessary to complete success
present piece at that popular little
theatre.
But there is no reason why the
preparations for the musical version
OF "a Little Bit Of F1uff" should not
continue. That bustling bit of drama
was acted as all wellwtshers OF the
theatre will remember. early in the
autumn, when summer heat kept from
New York the intelligent and cult
waited. the appreciative and intellectual
who would have delighted in just such
a play. Anything so witty ana vi
Nacious, so sidesplitting in idea and
skilful IN execution, had not beer
witnessed here in years. Certainly
the discriminating public that sup
ported "Fanny's First Play" 1.-THE
Blue Bird" and similar successes OF
the European stage. would have
rushed TO enjoy "A Little Bit OF
Fluff" But these important theatre
goers were. alas, absent, and this
bright little gem OF the British drama
in it's lightest moods FADED under the
blight Of doltish indifference like a
pale and beautiful flower.
But as a musical play. It's charms
will again be accessible although its
merely verbal brilliancy may suffer
under the extra illustration OF melody
Nothing could, however. obscure ite
real merits TO an appreciative public
Then there nave been in recent
months far reaching opportunities &c
learn the best method OF appreclatIne
the merits Of British comedy. 1t IL
not improbable that tableaux vivants
showing the most striking scenes
from Peters Mother" by Pigeor
Post" Betty at Bay" and other re.
cent successes imported from the
London theatres will be shown among
the spectacular features OF the pro,
duction.
To THE DRAMATIC EprroR or THE Sun
'l-Sr In last Sundays Sun It 10 stated