The sun., 1919-10-14

FIVE O'CLOCK LIKE
CHALONER'S FIGHT
New Play at Fulton Theatre
Recalls Case of Author of
"Who's Looney Now?"
HAS FLASHES OF HUMOR
Tim Murphy's Rural Doctor
Helps to Unweave Plot of
Lunacy and Love.
Five o.CIock,-At the Fulton Theatre.

Five O'Clock" opened at the Fulton
Theatre last night, and one would like
TO say that its hour has struck. For
this American comedy was written by
Frank Bacon, one of the kindliest per-
sonalities on the stage to-day in col
liberation with Freeman Tilden, maya
zine writer. and was kept going last
night by Tim Murphy, an actor of the
Dauid Hdrum type who would be able
to play even East Lynne" with up to
date naturalness.
But it is a1 open question how far an
audience win be interested in a study Of
lunacy even II presented with all the
tokum that usually makes city theatre
goers sigh for all the joys of the country
as they sink luxuriously into their COM
Portable seats. The theme of the play
which Walter F. Wanger presented
bears many points of resemblance to the
recent fight of John Armstrong Chaloner
for liberty. and like his case ends in a
triumph for the man under a cloud,
while the brain specialists who have or
dered his commitment to an institution
are left with their regulations MORALLY
stricken.
orviHe staoh,Oood< boy with wealth
In his own right, is placed in an asylum
in Massachusetts, by his blue blooded
relatives, because he fails to take an in
telligent interest in their hobbies. which
are astrology. stamp Collecting. sugar
bowl collecting, and blood pressure.
Thirteen years later, when the play
opens in the dilapidated Mansion
House" Of the town, they decide to have
him examined and come to the village
20 see il he has now been cured" suffici-
emily to be free and able to rhapsodize
about stampa
DR.. Gould, head of the institution. Is
opposed to freeing the young man, and
in the examination in his office, which
occupies all the second act, he rs sup
ported by DR.. Doyle, an eminent spe-
cialist who apparently has built up his
reputation by the way he wears his gold
trimmed pince nez. But the third men,
Der Of this commission Is DR.. Mdrsh,
local practitioner called in as a sub
stitute at the last minute, and he de-
clares for liberating the young man in a
speech which convinces one that true
nobility of character still sprouts in the
American. particularly when overlaid
with rural dust
Finally, when Il Is disclosed that
Stockt0ood has written book on unjust
lunacy commitments, which DR.. GotLId's
daughter has secretly had published
under the name of Five O'Clock" DR..
Gould relents and frees the youth,
moved by remorse or conjunction or
some grand impulse known only to play
wrights who need to finish the second
act. Because the young mans mentality
has been under suspicion the expert
forbids him to marry his daughter. al
though they love each other. but II Is
all Strengthened out in the third act
when Stucktoood takes to rearing juve-
nile mental defectives-which virtually
dramatizes the Montessori method.
Doctors Sanity Under Suspicion.
The play is somewhat under a cloud
itself, for It Is not made very clear why
DR. Gould should be antagonized
toward Stdoktpood except for the fact
that he wears grease paint. Nor does
Il seem plausible that DR.. Gould, after
hearing only two paragraphs read from
the book which his patient has sud
denly claimed as his own, should quickly
decide he Is genius and free him,
thereby arousing suspicious as to the
doctors sanity. Tim Murphy made an
impressive figure as the country doctor
denouncing Krutt-Ebir1 and Lombroso
in favor Of the methods of common
sense and human nature" but II Is
doubtful II a sophisticated modern audi
ence would accept the counsel OF the
play to throw over medical experts in
favor of the genial country doctor with
mis- full bag o. pills and his whislSers
full of germs.
The authors have drawn their coun-
try types with simplicity, falthfulness
and occasional flashes of humor, but
when 1t comes to picturing the people
of Boston's Back Bay section they are
miles OFF their course. They do not
follow up their arguments for their
hero with logical clinchers. so that the
audience was usually in the attitude of |
one who says "Yes?" David Higgins, |
Joseph Conyers, Perez Benton and BY !
ron Russell made good use OF their op- !
portunities. and Alberta Burton, who !
looks like Violet HeInlng, made a charm |
ing picture and acted with rare feeling |
as the girl who would settle all troubles |
at one swoop with faith. Mr.. Bacon, |
called from 'Lightnin'" In his Grand !
Army uniform, expressed faith T. so p
MAY In his curtain speech. and La.a IS /
It's the kind that can move mountains. |