New-York tribune., 1918-04-27
Drama
Servant in the House" Seen
in Somewhat Careless
Revival
By Haywood Broun

tlon for that character is evident and
eloquent, it cannot lack effectiveness.
1t would be better play if Charles
Ram Kennedy were more sparing of
words and OF contentious. There are
SO many things which the world needs
that no playwright should endeavor to
supply them all in an evening.
The play is valuable chiefly as
study of the character Of Jesus Christ.
Mr.. Kennedy is one of the few modern
playwrights who are concerned with
Christ. To him the Master is the most
important parsonage of the world, and
naturally he writes about Him. The
playwright. therefore, begins with a
considerable lead over tho usual run
of authors, who don't even pretend that
the things about which they write arc
important. Kennedy can be silly, and
he is sometimes. He can be obscure
and ruddie headed, and he is often,
but ne is never trivial. After ALL when
playwright says that his hero is the
king of Tho world, he has a decided ad-
vantage over the man who is forced to
set his chief parsonage down as
"Ronald Carter--a young Wall Street
broker" Again, if the playwright can
say with compelling sincerity, "the
subject about which | write is the only
one in the world that really matters,"
he dwarfs the fellow who says 81 have
prepared little play in which | en-
deavor to prove that the morals of
young girls in the big moving picture
studios are not all that they should
be-"
Charles Ram Kennedy does not sue
ceed in holding all his lead Even in
"'The Servant in the House" there arc
:prlgs OF the verbosity which came to
full flower in "Thc Army With Ban
ncrs." For the most part the symbol
ism of "The Servant in the House" is
perfectly frank and abovcboard even
if clumsy. But then it gets into murky
twilight places where it has no bust
ness. Henry Herbert. who plays the
Servant we'll, is somewhat more in
was Walter lJampden. (Which bleed
ing brothero' he asks with his arms
cutstrctched like a man nailed to a
. cross. IF we remember, this was not
! IN the business of the original per-
formance. 1t is not good because it is
not necessary
Herbert is somewhat less ncbulcus
than Hampden. Who're Hampdcn sought
to interest you in the Servant by max
ing him a little aloof and mysterious,
Herbert hclds attention by downright
authority. His Christ is the leader
rather than the dreamer. However,
there is never one true manner for
playing each part and Herbert sue
ceeds in being excellent although rot
at all like Hampden. Herbert has
splendid notes in his voice and a
spiritual quality Of personality. He
Is less accomplished Heggic.
The rest of the cast is adequate, but
not distinguished. This is not meant
as reflection upon the art of Miss
Matthison, though we are not among
her admirers, for Auntie is distinctly
a minor role, Edmund Gurney will be
good when he knows all his lines.
MIR. Kennedy deserves censure for
the first performance of "Thc Servant
in the House." A dramatist who takes
himself seriously-and Heaven knows
Mr. Kennedy does that--ought to be
ashamed of letting his play go on with
pared as they were on the first night
times, and one had to get help twice
in the same speech. We have never
seen such carelessness in "the COM
mercial theatre" If musical comedy
or midnight review is worth working
over until. every last detail is right,
then "The Servant in the House" de-
serves at least as much attention. We
wonder if Mr.. Kennedy is content that
the children Of darkness should eter-
nally remain wiser than the children
of light.
A growing conviction that not all
the good drama lies up the alleys and
in obscure places was heightened last
night by visit to Brooklyn. In q
bill of three one-act plays at the
Academy of Music, under the auspices
Of the Brooklyn Academy Of Arts and
Sciences, we saw the worst play we
have ever seen on any stage and an.
other which must also take extremely
worst patriotic play of the season
The worst play was equipped with the
worst acting, and the patriotic sketch
was bad enough to make Rose Coghlan
seem an indifferent performer. 1t was
about an American aviator who was
brought down in German town and
escaped again with his sister in q
German machine, which he convenient
" found standing outside the door OF
ItcT IeSlOenCe. Inc herman nuSDanC
Of the heroine was put out of business
with Knockout drops.
However, after seeing these two We
had the fun of watching "The Dickey
Bird" of Harvey O'Higgins and Har.
riet Ford, which is about male More
who walks out into the night only te
find himself back within the walls
again after brief spell of freedom
Agnes Dorntee, last seen hereabout.
in "Hobson's Choice" gave a skilfu
and delightful performance, and Flor
ense Williams wIs also good in Mar,
Shaw's old part.
"You Know Me, AL" has the profes
sional touch. Hugh Stanislaus STANCE
and Standard Mears have contributed
to the New York stage before. 1t is
probable that the soldier show at the
: Lexington Theatre might find a place
on Broadway with cast of the regu
larly assorted sexes. Some of The
humor would be lost, however, as
there has been a conscious play fol
the laughs which come from the fac
that husky soldiers arc playing ir
skirts and high heels. Dainty fee
were never meant 70 stand on,' say.
Private Gribblc to Private Alber'
Crawford, known for the evening a.
) Sally La Bergcre. and the house rock.
with laughter. However, much Of tht
humor of the book rests on less tran
xiput circumstances and fba ro,,c;o :.