The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-18
Grand.

Grand
When motion pictures were first in
move about on the screen carried the in
terest and drew the thousands; then came
novelty was translated into action on
higher plans, bringing the industry into
its own. In similar manner came first
handed thrills to servant girls and funny
little sensations up and down the spines
as pathfinder to this popular method Of
| amusement presenting Scandal" by
Cosmo Hamilton-and loi We now knew
for we have seen one written by a genius,
played by artists, produced by a gen.
in Bed" Under the Covers, "Twixr
Sheet and Sheet and Tucked in for the
Night, when Scandal" was revealed.
Here is comedy utterly preposterous and
frequently disconcerting sex comedy,
comedy of the robe de not" and the near
bride and the frilled bedclothes, and All
that takes an audience up to that deadline
which still, thank the stars, exists against
dramatizing every detail of n honey moon
and frivolous predecessors. And It does
all this in the action and language of
comedy, not problem play. Any town
1T is plausible and convincing and Jaded
appetites crave seNy tales that taste real
the counterfeit ones reek so of cheap
speaking, well behaved. 1t veers perilous-
" to the, thin edge of ,propriety, and |
behaved or not the play sparkles most in
feetiously and is so capably acted. You
w %iL sb nGi IdfeqTensy IN season encounter
The whole theatrical world will take with
smacking lips, little Emma Bunting, a
new sort of heroine for this breed of tale,
a girl who has a soul both in her own
person and in the character and who can
make more sparks fly in a flimsy night
made good at the game. Miss Bunting's
whole performance is like that--quickly
alternating moods of determination and
dismay, bravado and panic, pervaded all
the time by a sly enjoyment Of the awful
mess she got herself into. even at its most
catastrophe moments. 1t is a rich char
acterlzation in her hands, thro it would
be dubious stuff for one less ski1lful. Ter
position henceforth upon the American
| such as Beatrix Vanderdyke.
Herbert Mowbrey is his usual self, within
should say, for this sort of thing As the
mlddle-aged man who plays at love In ways
different from the puppy wooing of the
conventional Juvenile, adds dignity and
| just the apt back ground for the story
| He scored for himself a pronounced hit.
| The entire atmosphere of the play is of
this esoteric vapor that which was crude,
| rude and lewd becomes chic dashing and
naughty-nice. The phraseology turnout is
concerned are whited with polite cleverness
| and the whole performance bears the
| touches OF the author, wit, a satirist, an
plot, of course is merely the cheap stuff
| of which thrillers are made for what are
| known to the trade, / believe, as sex mag
| aztnes. It's a piquant play and 1 shall not
| venture TO tell you what happened. There
is an unexpected flip at the end, however,
to keep to the play going and get off the
| thin ice and then comes the obvious thing
mutual defiance melting into mutual love,
| which, with the announcement is permitted
| to come to the surface. Tone and pitch
| are maintained, thru interviewer networks
| of comedy and smart discussion. from end
| to end. The play is romantic deep, mod
| ern, classy, brilliant and sound. 1t is
with subtlety, yet power scandal" is a
| credit to all who had a finger in it and 1t
| hit the high voltage and karataGe.