New-York tribune., 1918-03-19

"a Pair of Petticoats," comedy by
Cyril Harcourt, presented at the Forty
fourth Street Roof by Lee and J. j.
Shubert.
sP CAPTAIN SaFs% Ee ovndss y Miss Maud Ia9a'grd 1
Captain the Eaii Of crowsborouah D ';S' : '0''0"
Commander Sir Rupert Ycld r. n. r. '''' ''''''D
Terrers Observation-Disclosures. Byron Russell
Thomas Henry Travcrs
Mr.. Rockingham Miss Laura Hope Crews
The world war has become an indis-
pensabIe adjunct to smart comedy. 1t
has supplied a complete new outfit Of
costumes for both men and women
without sending them TO a desert ISL
and. In - Pair OF Petticoats" we
have one Rcd Cross nurse and four
men in khaki. Another opportunity
that it affords is an alleged disintegras
tlon of social standards sufficient to the
purposes. Of polite badinage. The sup
posed relaxation Of the conventions is
reflected in the play by naturalistic
manner OF dialogue, besides atfordng
material for the creation of new
character part in the person of young
matron reformer, who sets out to chas-
tise philanderers of the other sex.
Here was a promising situation al
most at the start. Mrs. Rockingham, Of
course, was bound to make a mess of
the newly plighted troth of a perfectly
innocent young couple by remembering
something about another man that
she attributed TO Captain Eric Lown-
des. Sybi forthwith wrote hastv
note to the captain demanding back her
photograph. The fact that he had once
tried to kiss Mrs. Rockingham was
enough for her, although il seemed
very little to the audience. Such an
incident might be fairly stigmatized as
the thumbmark Of an actors play, but
instead of breaking the back of the
plot it lent chat air Of delightful prob
ability" that is undoubtedly the life
and soul Of light comedy
4 little further on the author showed
that he understood very we'll what he
had done, and, as skilful playwright
should be, was not in the least dis
mayed. On the other hand, he pro-
ceeded to turn to account the apparent
weakness. As he remarked to the
captain, speaking through the mouth
OF Commander Yield, who .had been
commissioned to bring back the photo
graph, The boudoir is a fairyland
court of injustice.' or words to that
wait for the pardon that comes as in
cV.tably as reflex action This bit of
reasoning must have struck the male
auditors as bit of profound and uni
versal truth, which quite excused the
rhetorical excess in which the com
mander induged Logic was not un-
necessary to the playwright, but
merely to woman.
Captain Lowndes was too badly
gassed for further service for some
time, so instead of rushing off to the
front he decided to accomnanV W his his
friend DR.. Ross to thc United States.
but the commander had no intention of
allowing him anything like so much
tether. Everybody knows that the way
OF meeting q lie is with lie. and the
wise Commander Yield happened to
know that the way to deal with a
woman is to fool her. SO he suggested
that Lowndes should start off for Liver
pool, but come back at once upon re-
ceiylng a telegram that he should send
IN behalf OF the young lady. Then he
had only to tell Sybil that her canta;n in
mad gone and that he had sent the dis
patch to stop him.
in the last act Mr.. IIarcourt took p
spurt, both as playwright and per
lorner. Ihefe was good deal of Wit
and the situation was novel and clever
Several lines in the play are surpris-
lngly vulgar without the excuse Of fit
uhg the context in the least. Indeed.
they shrieksfor cXcision
Laura Hope Grows suited perfectly
tie part Of the reformer with a wanton
simper The various pcrsonages were
E. not particularly distinguished, but
British commander, at least 10 ne
Americans, as Sir Rupert Yield, r. N. r..
and very capable counsellor to the
young lovers, as we'll as for himself
Leonard Made, as usual, was quite the
beau ideal Of the gallant suitor. Mr.
Harcourt reserved subordinate place
ter himself, as captain the Earl of
,rowsborough, d. s. o., but we'll gar
nished with comedy appurtenances,
such as glass eye, cork leg and de-
foctlvc spelling. General Carew
played BY the very competent George
Glddens, was a somewhat pallid rein
carnation Of Grumpy. A. p