The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-11
LEW FIELDS STARS
AS "A LONELY ROMEO
Comedian Is at His Best in
Musical Farce at Shubert
Theatre.
LARGE CHORUS OF GIRLS
Summer Show, Filled With
Humorous Scenes, Pleases
the Audience.

| Lew Fields Is always welcome. Lik
all funny men. he is funnier some timei
than at others. Often the inability Of tn,
comedian to seem as amusing as he woult
| like to be depends upon those circum
stances that are proverbially described
as beyond control. But Mr.. Fields con
| trolls his humor as far as possible. II,
! Is always an artist. utilizing q studied
| ana polished method Of transmitting hi
natural talents to the public He hap
pens to be In particular favor Just now
| since his latest appearance at the Cen
fury Theatre showed him to be more
diverting and spontaneous than he had
been for years. This thought evidently
fingered In the grateful minds OF the au.
dience that welcomed him at the Shu.
bert Theatre last night.
He appeared as Augustus Trip, a hat
ter and man of family so addicted to
dancing that he disguised himself al
night to seek this diversion. His name
Augustus Trip, might have suggested
some such inspiration on the part of the
playwright. who happened in this case to
be the veteran. II. B. Smith. In addi-
ton to devisng for Mr.. Fields this role
OF the dancing deceiver. he placed him
In one OF the restaurants to which he re-
sorted. In his own millinery shop, in an
ice cream parlor' and a country home
So in the matter OF background at least
the talents OF the comedian were not re-
stricted. There were lyrics by Robert
Smith and melodies by Malvin Franklin
and Robert Hood Bowers. The usual
precaution In favor OF a numerous COOP
GRAFTON was duly taken.
Mr. Fields was as amusing as he ever
had been In his best minutes. As the
VNA IA x.-A
sneak out Of the house to try a one
step in the cabarets he was inevita bly,
overtaken by all kinds of trouble. Try
ing TO reconcile his family to the results
OF his outings, whether he were brlbing
his son or cajoling his wife. appealing
to his son-in-law elect or lavishing
gifts on his daughter. there was comedy
in all his devices. There was real nov
city In scene at the telephone In which
the voices OF his family protesting at
his absence from home were heard.
Finally the family pet dog was brought
to bark its displeasure.
A comic alteration with a locksmith
led to Mr.. Fields's specraity with the
property" aids to humor. Last night
he had a hat shop, so the trying on of
hats to Mt a Western stranger was add
ed TO that long list of mechanical inter-
ludes which includes the soda fountain,
the barber shop, the sausage shop and
the rest of the rungs in Mr.. Fields's lad
der of fame. The audience seemed last
night to take genuine pleasure in his
efforts to force hats OF various styles
and sizes on the head OF the suffering
Frank Doane.
But "A Lonely Romeo" must be made
to move more quickly and its excessive
length must be curtailed unless the star
wants literally to be lonely The piece
proceeds on we'll known lines. II is con-
ventional musical farce very adeptly and
expertly done but It dragged In the first
act to a perilous gait at times Frances
Cameron Is too spirited in song and ac-
ton TO make her responsible and Violet
Wilson proved a welcome arrival in the
field of musical farce. She possesses an
agreeable personality and gives indica.
tons OF greater capacities than her part
last night afforded.
octave Broake had no chance to call
out carpets as OF old, but she i'm
pressed herself in the scenes in which
she appeared. Harry Clarke contributed
to the scenes OF the play designed to re-
veal the home life OF a milliner.
Herbert, a son of Mr.. Fields's, made
his first appearance in a small role.
There was a large and active chorus
of girls as well as cohort OF chorus
men to proclaim the return OF silk hats
and plaids to favor. The dancing was
eccentric, as in the c-se of Joe Niemeyer.
II it was he who did such wonderful con-
tortions in the first act. and allurine in
the steps OF Jessica Brown