The sun., 1918-09-10

Hermione appeared in the flesh last

Hermione appeared in the flesh last
night. She made joyous the melo-
dramatic comedy written by Larry
Evans. Walter Percival and George S.
Kaufman. which had its successful
opening at the Knickerbocker Theatre.
Probably Miss Molly Brant, played by
Julia Hay. was the heroine Of the piece,
and very well she did. even in the trying
scene when she found that the man she
had fallen in love with was n burglar.
But IL the trio Of authors didn't have
Hermione in mind when they wrote the
delicious banalities that Mrs. J. Percy
pal Glendenntno utters. and IL Lynn Fon-
tame didn't study the sun Dial for
some Of the inspiration for her part the
present writer Is much mistaken. Any
how, she was the funniest thing in
really funny play.
The comedy doesn't come until the
second act. As a puzzled young sailor
in one OF the front seats remarked in
ne FIRST intermission to his sweetheart
or maybe she was his sister-"The
crosramme calls this a melodramatic
comedy, but I don't see the comedy"
Tho first act. in the deacon's pawn
shop, lays the foundation Of the plot,
ana clearly establishes Jimmy Burke
- q gentleman burglar. so that the
audience Is in no doubt as to who is
going to steal the famous Holloway
necklace. This may seem like an in
artistic giving away OF the denouenent,
but wait q bit--Jimnry doesn't steal the
necklace. and thereby hangs the tale.
Anxious for Publicity.
The second. third and fourth scenes,
all at the Glendenning country place
near New York. are concerned with a
play written by J. PercypaI 0lendenntn0.
which he has enticed his unwilling
friends to enact for the sake Of war re-
lief. AS he says. he doesn't put on
uniform because he can be of 20 much
use in other ways. Percy is q perfect
specimen Of the unmitisated but we'll
meaning ass--srent esses always we'll
meaning?-and Is ably abetted by his
wife.
Now Pcrcys ambition Is to get in the
newspapers, and when day after day an
anxious scanning of the various editions
reveals that war news has crowded his
play not only off the front page but all
other pages, Jimmy Burke, whom Percy
met In London and whom he has per-
suaded to act the burglar in his play,
suggests that he stage a burglary. the
night before the play. OF the Holloway
necklace. which Molly Brunt is to wear
on The Night.
Needless to say no one suspects jimmy
10 be other than the pleasant Fellow he
appears-no one. that Is, except Tom
Hdrordres. one OF the guests Tom
who has fused around prisons more or
less in an amateur way, as he says, at
once shows subtly that he Ia on to
Jimmy, and at once every one in the
audience dislikes Tom. and one goes
away from the play with feeling OF
disappointment that he wasn't the VII
lain.
Wrong "Times" Represented.
Well, the little comedy eliminates
with the mock burglary. Percy has in
vied all the New York reporters and
Is elated when the butler announces -
gentleman from the Times" A moment
later Percys eyes fall on the card and
ne murmurs, My God. It's the Brooklyn
Times"
But he makes the most OF his one
reporter and the burglary comes Off
not as it WAS planned. For Jsrmi
plays of the New York detectives whom
Hdr0rdves has brought down against
the local chief of police. HcLone, with
such good effect that Malone clubs
and arrests the New York detectives
politely removes the handouts from
Jimmy on the assurance of Percy tina
Jimmv Is his friend and the whole
hing was a mistake--and Jimmy make,
neat getaway.
But NOT hefore he had turned to MolI,