The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-16
Oliver ID. Bailey and Lottie
Meany Provide Little Play
House With Second Wind.

Oliver d. Bailey and Lottie VI. Meany
are names not yet known to fame, bu,
probably they are the two most fortu-
nate dramatists in the United States. II
Is certainly not possible offhand to
think Of two others who have a play.
house exclusively dedicated to their
writings. But the Fulton Theatre stands
ready for their Inspiration at any time
The most that Philip Moeller ever
achieved was to have the Washington
Square Players wait with open mouths
for one of his plays to drop into their
repertoire whenever he had a quarter OF
an hour to devote to such work. But
the dramatlsts who wrote "a Stitch in
Time seen last night at the Fulton
Theatre, need never trouble about finding
stage for their efforts The Fulton Is
theirs
There il always an exhilarating I'M
certainty about the event OF a first
night dedicated to one OF the products
of the Bailey-Meany theatre. Unex-
pected turns in the nature OF the en-
tertainment are likely to be observed.
Only two seasons ago at the Cort The
atre PAY Day" set out to be a more
or less exciting melodrama employing
certain expedients OF the cinema in lis
development. But the audience on that
first night decided the nature otherwise
and PAY Day" enjoyed more or lels
prolonged prosperity as a buricsque on
the movies.
Cinderella ms q Reformer.
The play last night was called a com
edy drama" and its four acts passed In
a studio. The heroine was a modern
Cinderella - beloved stage type and
having arrived in the first act because
her mother. the charwoman, was sick.
settled down in comfortable residence
apparently in the abode of the young
painter. She reformed him and kept him
before the easel and. to Judge from his
work encouraged this faithful disciple-to
judge by his painting-of Schreyer. She
was determined that he should be some
thing So she sent one of his manu-
scripts to a publisher and he became
a prosperous writer OF short stories. He
was uncemmonly successful from the
first. since the publisher sent him $500
as his first check.
It was OF course necessary that Gin
derelld should not be placed among rev.
dictionary surroundings. So the fairy
prince loved worldly girl who did not
love him In return nearly SO much as ne
thought. Indeed Cinderella, whose name
was in reality Phoebe Avn. had TO sac
rihce herself several times before her
quiet devotion won her lover TO her.
This delay. however. afforded her time
TO exercise a spirit of reform on the for
mer pals OF the versatile painter-novel-
list, so it was not wasted.
just RuHies the Surface.
The authors did not intend that their
story should do more than ruffie the
surface OF the emotions. It can scarcely
be said that the play had any stronger
influence on the audience 10 this time
their intent did not miscarry. Nothing
could have changed "A Stitch in Time
to farce or indeed add TO II any
farcical aspect. 1t moved smoothly on
its carefully prepared tracks to an al
together unexciting and harmless end
and reached its climax In a pervading
odor of the hygienio camphor.
Irene Fenwick, with blond hair and
a brogue that was not so fast since Il
disappeared after the first act. played
the Cinderella winsomely and Ralph
Kellard was an agreeable young hero
copying Schreyer with an air of mas
terry. David Higgins gave a sympathetic
portrayal OF an old butler and Grace
Carlyle's beauty decorated several
scenes effectively.