The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-27
JEALOUSY CHIEF BASIS
Scenes Are Laid in America,
but English Tinge Runs
Through 1t All.
"An Exchange Of wives''-At tho
Bilou Theatre.

and literary artist, keeps his high ideals
before him, took a chance last night. at
the Bijou Theatre. He must know,
even after two plays that seek to place
some of the truths of life before the
public In their most alluring form, that
the world which Is interested in a lover
Is usually more interested in young
lover and is most of all interested in
two young lovers. But ever ready to
sacrifice success and the admiration of
the world for the sake of truth, Mr..
Hamilton in the play seen last night
deliberately devoted his time to the
study of a group of lovers no longer
in the first flush OF youth.
The world must admire the courage OF
man who is thus willing to put his
talents as a playwright at the service
Of a study of married couples Only
the middle aged ones seek and diversion
In contemplating the emotional adven-
lures Of those that stand in their own
years. So Mr.. Hamilton for the sake
Of carving slice from life deliberately
sacrificed the interest-and the royalties
of large share Of playgoers.
Not Very Old Lovers.
AS the couples concerned in the action
of AN Exchange of Wives" had not
been married for more than seven years
they were not to be considered very old.
But for other reasons interest in them
| always would be confined to limited
circle. They were an uncommonly
loquacious quartet to begin with. Chrys-
| tai Herne married in the play to Lee
Baker and Margaret Dale married to
Forrest Winant we're passing holiday
together Miss Herne being bored with
her loving and embarrassing husband
70 trt nit ha htIa nj
Dale, Lee Baker. Miss Herne's husband
| in the play resented 1t violently.
But on the advice of Miss Dale he
pretended a similar passion for her which
might have had the desired effect had
not Miss Herne played the game still
more strongly feeling no real interest
In Mr.. Winant. but determined to win
back the love of Mr.. Baker. 1t happened
that Miss Dale was. as the other wife
more worried by this procedure than
anybody else but the audience, which
was more or less harassed by all 1t had
to witness and especially by what 1t
was compelled to listen to. Thus did Mr..
Hamilton lead his characters to the
ultimate happiness of the last curtain.
The talkative quartet was aided by
| n butler and a maid servant, who to-
gether had more to say than any col
lection of domestics heard on the local
stage in years. The conversation of the
masters was in the first act so common
place that the players were compelled
to overact painfully to impart some sig
nificance to the proceedings When It
seemed as II the supply OF complete
banality had been exhausted. the cur
| tain fell. In the second act, Mr.. Ham
| ilton, still in his character OF a student.
| amused the spectators mildly by writing
a dialogue for the two wives In which
each Intercepted the other as to the
most personal habits of their husbands.
This piquancy succeeding the long
stretches Of pointless clatter enlivenec
the audience 10 some extent. But wheh
the wrong husband was seen ascending
the steps with the wrong wife, as the
lcurtain FELL the climax was received In
silence.
The Idea of the Author.
Mr.. Hamilton is not the first dramatis
to attempt to make a play on thi!
familiar idea. Elmer Harris tried 4
some years ago and failed, although h,
did the job much better In your Neigh
boris Wife," which was seen at the Ly
ceum Theatre, than the English drama
fist did last night. But others hav,
been inspired by the idea that what Il
"nattainable seems after all most to bt
desired. Nor is there anything bu
triteness In the awakening of love II
another through jealousy. Nobod,
would quarrel with Mr.. Hamilton for tn,
lack OF freshness in his material wer,
there some discernible charm OF style
but the dialogue is appallingly dry,
Margaret Dale. acting at rather
breathless tempo, added more vivacit.
to the evening than any of her associ
ates. although Chrystal Herne's imper
sonation of the languid and loving wifi
was full OF her personal charm an,
distinction. Mr.. Winant played with un
usual lightness Of touch. and with a NOR
plausible character would have had
genuine success. Mr.. Baker was an ex
cellent foil as the stolid golf playini
husband. The play. although its scene
were laid in this country. is altogethe
English in feeling. 1t takes more thai
a reference to Park avenue and Brook
lyn to impart the American characte
to a play, or indeed to give 1t an at
mosphere OF reality anywhere.