The Washington times., 1919-04-21

Dr. Bentley. .............. Stanley Stanton
More than half century ago Abra-
ham Lincoln uttered the most COM
piete criticism that can be offered
Of 'Nightie Night" the new farce
which had its metropolitan premiere
at the Garrick Theater last night.
True, ''lIightie Night had never been
dreamed yof then, but his words fit
the play perfectly: For those who
like that sort of thing, it's just the
sort Of thine that they like"
''Nightie Might" has a plot which is
brisk enough in itself. but there are
IN addition enough purely incidental
lines Of striking frankness to make
q an ideal entertainment-for those
who like that sort of thing. Also IL
has the merit OF a number of lines
hat bringing back pleasant mem
cries Of our childhood.
The prologue is staged in what we
ere told is a Pullman car, going from
Washington to New York. Billy Mof-
tat. now happily married runs into
frixie lorraine, a dancer for whom
he had a, penchant before he took
INTO himself a bride. Trixie con-
ides in him that she's just married
FER sweetheart of seven years before,
Jimmie Blythe, into whom she's un-
expectedly run on the street She
hadn't had time" however, to tell
Kim that in the interim she'd been
married, until after the ceremony,
and when she did he left her. So, of
course, she hadn't told him anything
SooUt being a dancer, or having a
little boy, either.
1t turns out that Billy is an old
friend Of Jimmie, and he engages to
help straighten out the tanEle
Willis they're talking, Jimmie's 5
wedding preseRt-to Trixie, a bracelet
watch, falls and breaks, and Billy
puts. il in his pocket to get it fixed.
During this little episode they're
too much. sengrossed to notice that
1rnesttnei Dare has passed through
the car andsSeen them together.
The first act is in the Moffat apart
n1ent, with Mollie fondIy watching her
husband back from his business trip.
She looks through his pockets. for the
-tft be usually brings her. and finds
the bracelet watch. Because Billy
Knows she's 50 jealous. he won't tell
Ter about meeting Trixie, so he lets
ler believe that he got it for her.
Along aboUt this time Jimmie
BlYthe comes in 20 ask his friends
aid in .finding his wife. but Billy is
tied dO1VH by his promise to Trfxie
rot to tell her husband OF having
seen her. Incidentally, Jimmie doesn't
EnoW her as TriXie at all, but as
AngeliRe. and he's heard. from Ern-
"stine. some very harsh stories about
irlXle s -goings on with Billy.
Billy teHs his wife that he's going
10 take her to California. and in order
TO keep their gem of a maid" thew
decide to sublet their apartment. serv-
ant and all, leaving the arrangements
10 Mollie's younger brother.
while the Mo1at's are out at the
theater TriXie comes in. noteknoyvfnsy -
whose place il is, and rents the apart
'nent from little brother. who's 50,
shrewd a business man that he lets
her move right into the spare room.
promising to get out in the morning.
There's a pretty .how-de-do, of
course, when Mrs. Moffat discovers
her one-time rival in pajamas IN her
own apartment, and. she decides to
leave Billy at once.
Billy however, manages TO straight
sn things with her until Jimmie comes
in and spills the beans again by rea-
son OF the rather unconvincing way
shat he has come to believe that his
0wn stepson-unknOwn to him--is
BHly's illegitimate child.
Again, after numerous situations
that might prove amusing to some,
because OF the constant be-pajamaed
appearance Of TriNie, he gets into.
I!s wife's good graces again, but
'TuiXie wrecks things now by coming
out and calling Billy "Papa"-why,
"Riy the author knows.
Either before or after this there's
highly dramatic fight between
Bnly and Jimmy. but finally every
thing's UnsCrambled by the. doctor
who attended TriKie when her baby
vas born, and who says he knows
L was her husbands, child .