New-York tribune., 1919-09-15
Dram a
Adam and Eva" at Longacrc
an Amusing Piece of Light
Comedy
BY Haywood Bro,,n

by f1eyWOod Broun
Adam and Eva" is a pleasant and
amusing play, capitally acted. perhaps
the theme is not so fresh as that of
foiiy with Past" but Guy Bolton
and George Middleton have handled it
adroltly enough to conceal that fact.
AS good as fresh" might he fair
label.
inc lesson which the play teaches
Is generally accepted, but we are not
sure that 1t is true. MIR Bolton and
Mr.. Middleton point out that there is
no true happiness for the idle. and that
honest toll is a pleasure as we'll as a
duty They are inclined, we think. to
press the point a little hard. Under
the lmpHlsc created by a false report
OF the business failure OF the head of
the mouse every member OF the family
and numerous hangers-on seek employ
ment. julie goes in for raising honey.
explaining 81 know all about bees since
read that book of Nlaeterlinck. .
Uncle Horace. who has not lifted a
nahd IN thlrty years, becomes life
insurance agent. Clinton De Witt. y
hltherto worthless son-in-law, goes on
the road as q clothing drummer. Lord
Andrew Gordon, fortune-huntinr
Scotchman. gives riding lessons, and
so on down the line. Each succeeds
admirably and each has d jovous time
of it in his work
We are inclined to doubt whether the
rule that all play and no work makes
Jack dull boy is Sc universal in its
sweep. Undoubtedly. it is generally
true, but we hold that scattered about
the world are . Few stanch spirits who
have genuine gilt for idling Leisure
as profession has been sadly neg
lectcd III this country. Probably many
a pretty talent for 1t has been engulfed
by the Hood OF circumstance. We could
wish that he playwri ghts had made some
CONCESSION 20 this dormant and ideal
lzed desire to do nothing which rests
IN the heart of man. 1t IS d little dis
couraglng 10 have any dream shattered
so thoroughly as the authors OF Adam
and Eve have shattered the hope Of
the ascetlc lev who would resolutely
turn their back upon toll. Ii is even
q Nttle depressing 10 those of us who
despair OF becoming total abstainers,
but thlnk we can improve our ability
10 Idle In moderation. Those of US who
can take it or leave it,
Bolton and Middleton are ruthless.
plscontent they say, is the lot OF the
waster and Joy the portion of the
toler. But if the play is, Of necessity
a hit le materialistic it is also highly
amusing. James King. a rich man who
has supported his family for years. be-
gins TO protest against their eXtrava-
gance. and they connive to be rid Of his
economies by inducing a doctor to tell
hlm that he must go away for long
vacation alone. He discovers the plot.
but goes away just the same, leaving
his young business manager in charge
OF the family This young man de-
cides that toll is the only way TO sal
walton for the~ idlers and tells them
that Mr.. King has failed in business.
Straightaway they become self-sup-
porting and improve in virtue by leaps
and bounds. Eventually the delighted
father returns to ind them all made
over. Here the play ends with the
hero betrothed to the prettiest daueh-
ter OF the household.
Personally, we should enjoy seeing
the sequel. We wonder whether the
family, upon hearing that work was
not necessary. insisted on keeping up
or We're unseltish enough TO return TO
the dreary duty OF merely spending
money. Fortunately even in the afIlu-
ent days, which were SO tiresome and
Irritating to the persons engulfed in
wealth, all the characters were highly
amusing 10 the audience. Bolton and
Middleton have lowered their plav
with bright dialogue 1t is not the
perfect dialogue which comes from
faithfully ch4racterized utterance, bur
is al least never wholly out Of
character and it is pert and inventive.
To be sure the people OF the play are
an adept lot N making up or remem-
berlng gags.
Uncle Horace meets the enthusiasm
/ Of one member Of the household 10 get
TO work with tho remark tha. he might
/ be able to qualify as detecto" OF
shopllfters in q piano store. Lord An
/ drew, the fortune-huting Scotchman
upon hearing thai the family OF his
fiancee is ruined, inquires "Docs ruin
mean the same thing here that it does
in England >"
There are moments when the play
is a little sweet. hut these are always
balanced by an oifsetting quantity Of
cynicism. This may not be the best
method in the world 10 present the
truth. but at least it serves 10 alta n
an approximation of truth, which is
rare enough in the theatre.
Adam and Eva is particularly well
acted. The best performance, we
thought. was that Of Berton Churchill
as the rich man. Courtney Foote was
also capital as the Scotch lord Miss
Roberta Arnold burlesqued rather
broadly at times. but since she was
consistently and hilarously amusing
this can hardly be cited against her
Ruth Shepley, Otto Kruger, Ferdinand
Gottschalk. Richard Sterling and Regi-
nald Mason were all contributors 70
the fun OF the evening.
adam and Eva makes no contribu-
ton TO the wisdom Of the world, but
it is thoroughly amusing. There was
every indication in the first night re
ception thal it viii be among the sue
cesses or the seasor
Poincarc TO Honor Cities