The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-25
ADJUSTMENTS
"Parlor, Bedroom and Bath"

The attempt of an unsophisticatcd
 husband without even the ghost of a
 past to appear a gay Lothario in his
 wifes eyes, with the idea that by thJ
 means he can retain her love, forms
 the basis of a somewhat risque farce,
 "Parlor Bedroom and Bath." which
 was presented at the Jefferson theatre
 last night. The play was written by C.
 w Bell and Mark Swan.
 While none of the characters even
 when caught in the most compromis-
 ing situations, are really bad at heart,
 it is possible to enjoy the performance
 and laugh heartily without endanger-
 ing ones morals. The piece is unde-
 niably funny. with many witty lines
 and scenes that are most amusing. Judging from the hilarious laughter last night, no points were overlooked by a well filled house.
 Reginald Irving, as a matter of fact, a proper husband and deeply in love with his wife. Angelica, has been oc- tensibly leading fast life, but ha weares of the deception and wishes to make a clean breast of 1t to Angelica. Then it is that an ill-advsed friend,
 the genial "fixer" of farce comedy, persuades him that his wife, who :s beginning to look into matters, must catch him with the goods' to be con vinced. A trip to a seaside hotel
 somewhere on Long Island Is planned, where the friend arranges for Regi-
 nald to be trapped with another woman by Angelica. Reginald mis- takes Nita. the wife of his friend, | Frederick Leslie. for his partner in .he plot being led into the error by Nita's proposal to have dinner with him in a moment of pique because Frederick will not take her with him on a busi. ness trip.
 at ha fa act ! 1 furious and the unhappy Reginald is involved not only with Nita, but with an eXuberant girl reporter who had been chosen as his real accomplice in
 the scheme to hoodwink his wife, and with still another woman who comet
 to rescue Nita. Of course the tangles are finally strengthened out, but not before Reginald undergoes some ex- periences that will serve him as food for reflection for the rest of his life The company as whole is com petent and the members we'll cast. Homer Barton, who played a similar | role in Fair and Warmer when 1t was first seen in Birmingham, imper- sonates Reginald Irving with much success. Violet Barney as Angelica Irving, Marguerite Risser as Nita Les lie. Frank F. Moore as Godfrey Hay wood, who plays the coup that proves disastrous; Gertrude Webster as IIeii, Crorton and Eleanor Martin as Vir ginia Embry present these characters acceptably. Eda Ann Luke, as for
 mer chorus girl who does reportorial work for a publication that specialzea in society scandal. has one of the best roles in the play. and many of tha brightest lines are entrusted to her. but she eXaggerate the character be. yond the requirements of good farce in which little finesse is better than great deal of horseplay. Miss Lukes undoubted talents as a comedienEe would show to more advantage by the
 exercise of restraint and the elimina. tion of some business" that could be left out of the second act without de- tracting from the amusing qualities of
 the play.
 ''Parlor. Bedroom and Bath" will be
 presented at a matinee this afternoon
 and again tonight.