South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-06

NEW YORK. oct BY long
odds the cleverest comedy that has
been produced in New York or any
where else for many moons is Tea
For Three" This is the latest offer
ing from the pen OF Rot Cooper
Megrue. which is being presented at
the Maxine Elliott theater. It seems
destined for a record breaking run.
Mr.. Megrue's own description of
the play is that II is AN angle on
the triangle" 1t is all or that. and
then some.
Given a wife who is clever. hus-
band who is stupid, a friend OF the
male sex. who. in addition to being
even cleverer than the clever wife.
has the advantage OF being a sweet
heart Of her girlhood-given all
these and you would expect some
thing salacious. would you not2 OF
course, you would, If you had been
following the theater with any at
tentiOn at all.
The chief charm OF Mr.. Megrue's
comedy. to this writer, is that he
has taken all these ingredients for a
veritable hell-broth Of scandal and
heartbreak, and out of them has
evolved a savory dish that a man
might be proud to set before his
sister or his mother. Either lady,
by the way. could add something
worth while 20 her store OF knOwl-
edge II she were to follow the play
closely.
Tea For Three" outdoes even
Bernard Shaw's efforts in the line
OF "talky" drama. Arthur Byron,
who holds down third base. or the
friends corner OF the eternal tri-
angle. uses up enough words to make
two or three OF the ordinary run-of-
mine comedies. They are all good
words, and he uses them we'll. but
in order TO get them all in during
union theater hours he has to talk
faster than a Liberty bond salesman
In a poorhouse.
II one could read the book OF this
play he might get the idea that Il
had been written as a mOnOlogue,
with couple Of feeder parts thrown
in merely TO rest the larynx Of the
leading man. But in the presenta-
ton Tea For Three" is anything
but a monologue. in spite Of the fact
that Mr. Byron has more than twice
as much TO say as Margaret Law
renee and Frederick Perry, the
clever wife and the stupid husband.
In the first act we have a unique
presentation OF a coy corner in a
New York restaurant with two
thirds OF the stage darker than a
pocket. the exact center holds this
little table for two in a brilliant
light. and during the entire act Mr..
Byron talks love TO Mrs Lawrence
and she talks love TO him. She
loves her husband as a wife should.
and she loves her friend as a friend
should be loved And that is the
way he loves her. but they are both
In real distress because the hus-
bands stupidity has made il awlS-
ward for the friend TO come to tea
once a week. as has been his Gus
tom ever since the marriage.
Each one OF US has heard some
time a sound that ne hopes TO be
able 20 treasure always. and 20 call
from the recesses OF his memory at
viii To the hunter the sound may
be the honking Of the first autumn
focks Of geese; 10 the miser the
chink OF gold coin. 20 the ball fan
the crack OF ash on horsehide; to
the glutton the call 20 dinner To
me, and may never forget il, Mrs.
Lawrence's giggle: IL is more than a
giggle-it is mischief set 10 music.
The plot 20 give husband a bad
half hour succeeds beyond the plot
tiers widest hopes BY telling a few
white lies" which the friend later
contradicts. apparently by accident
the wife gets her lord and master
into a state OF homicidal mania.
Finally he forces the friend 20 draw
lots 20 see which OF them shall
commit suicide within "a hours
Even the drawing is framed against
him. and the friend draws the fatal
black cross
Husbands first thrill OF exsltauon
over the removal OF a rival Is chill