The Washington times., 1919-03-04
RELAsCO.

A plot that Is new. unique and
clover. a wsII-dast and wSll-drilled
company and q strain OF delicate
humor combine to make Adam and
Eva" which had its metropolitan
premiere at the Belasco last night,
one Of the most amusing evenings
entertainments that Washington has
had this season.
Considering the fact that the piece
is but two weeks old, il is really re-
markab,e that so polished a perform
ance could be given. And the play
Itself is as we'll rounded out as IL II
had had a whole season to be per-
fected:
Just at the start one is q bit dis
appointed by the rather trite situa-
ton on which the curtain rises-the
family Of rich American business
man, who toll not. neither do they
spin, yet they would have scorned the
simple array Of the lily Of the field.
But this feeling soon disappears.
The family comprises the father.
portrayed by John Flood. Clinton and
Julie Dewitt, his son-in-Iaw and mar
ried daughter (ReginaId Mason and
Roberta Arnold), Eva, the unmarried
daughter, a roe taken by Ruth Shep-
ley, Aunt Abby CAdelaide Prince),
and Uncle Horace, played by Ferdi-
nand GottschGlk.
Father is suffering from a severe
first OF the month fever, brought on
by the flock Of bills, and has just
announced that he's going to close
up the house and take the family
out to the old farm in New Jersey to
economize. To Illustrate him, they
persuade DR.. Delamater civilian b.
Mack to pretend that father is sick
and prescribe a voyage to Brazil.
Father "falls,V but later learns Of the
plot. So he decides to so to Brazil
anyway, but installs his manager,
Adam Smith (Ooto Kruger) as acting
father" in his absence. Smith is a
young man who, to quote the words
OF the play, got his ideas about fam
lilies from the Elsie books, and father
thinks he will be doing him a good
turn by disiIlusioning him.
The second act finds father gone
and, with him, Adams ideals. The
only person in the house who will
have anything to do with shim-eN-
cept to ask for MONEYS COTinthia,
the maid (Jean Shelby, and they've
overdrawn their months allowance
in ten days. To make Adam still UNI
happier. he's fallen in love with Eva.
who apparently thinks that he re-
turns the alteration Of the maid, ard
who is being violently wooed by DIT.
Delamater and Lord Andrew Gordon,
an impecunioUs Scotchman (Courtc-
nay FoOtl.
Adam is driven TO desperation by
unreasonable demands for money
made upon him by. his ready-made
family. DR.. Delamater comes to him,
II Sc
just a fortune-hunter, suggests that
he be driven away by being told that
fathers fortune has been wiped out
by a furry in the market. A great
light strikes Adam-and he tells the
doctor that his employer actually has
been rufned-Whereupon the doctor
gracefully backs out as a sutton.
In the meantime. Eva has accepted
Lord Andrew-and he Upsets all prece-
cent when told Of the financial disas-
ter by saying he loves her for herself
ard is ready to go to work for her.
The rest Of the family, in the pinch,
comes up to the mark. incidentally,
Adam has stolen air their jewels, so
they can't live on them.)
The third act opens on the New
Jersey farm where the. two sisters
have gone to raise chickens and bees.
is out selling CLASSY clothes"
Uncle Horace is selling life insur-
ance, Aunt Abby has married, Lord
Andrew is running a livery stable,
and everybody is 'happy-except
Adam, who admires Lord Andrew so
much for his manhood that he
think OF offering his love to
Eva. and Eva. who, while liking the
peer. hasn't, as he expresses il, the
grand pash" for him.
In the midst Of this, father comes
homeland is much surprised to learn
that he's ruined" He accuses
Adam Of trickery, and Eva comes so
warmly to his support, that Lord
Andrew sees the true state Of affairs.
and. as soon as Adam has explained.