The sun., 1919-09-14
BY LAWRENCE REAMER.

1t is said that at least one of the au-
thoresses is associated with the stage
just as the governess in THE Ici-
portance of Being Ernest" was said
10 be at one time remotely connected
With education. There is some evil
dence that "Nightie Night is the
work of an actor. Its unflagging ac-
ton, lack of logic and sense of situa-
ton seem like the dramaturgy of the
player. THE ingenuity and fun of the
play might be taken just as much as
evidence of the stage experience Of its
authors. The two women who wrote
the piece had learned from experience
Just how certain effects of humor
could he obtained and they were skill
full enough moreover to employ them.
But there is striking evidence of the
power to create genuine humor that
may come from an occasional obser-
walton of life. Thep the sensation of
pleasure is altogether different from
that impaired by the most meticulous
watch work construction. The long
arm Of coincidence swings over, this
farce with the predestined power of
gigantic crane. 1t lifts the characters
from scene to scene. Eventually IL
puts woman into a strange room and
makes II necessary that she send her
frock, spoiled by careless waiter, to a
tailor. He is little" tailor. He NAV
weigh ton, but he is always called a
. little tailor because he does the little
jobs. 1t is imperative that this gown
he returned. But the disconsolate
maid returns excitedly to say that the
shop is closed because the little tailor.
OF all the days in the world, has locked
1t up and stopped at home. 1t is Yom
kippur. He is orthodox, like so many
little tailors, and took occasion to ex-
| hibit his piety at the most inconyen-
lent possible minute. The spectators
| roared at this explanation of the SER
wants. How many times in their own
| lives had they been put to it by the
little tailor's habit of locking up and
! staying at home when the spirit
| moved him.
So an observation of life founded
on experience may after all set us to
| laughing more heartily than the most
| expert mechanics. More of these
comments would have increased the
undoubted success of "Nightie Night"
although Mr.. Klauber has no reason
to complain of the measure of his
Certainly without the mechanics
7 the other humor would never have
! carried him so far. Such little
speeches are valuable as garniture,
| although 1t is certain that the sound
structure is much more important to
| permanent prosperity. Good plays
are, Of course. to a degree independent
Of the men and women that play
i them. They really are "suref1re" as
the enthusiastic spectator at the
Princess Theatre called out. But the
discretion with which Mr.. klauber
has picked his company is an impor-
| tant element in the happy event of
his experiment. In only one case
| has he erred badly. A reputed fire.
eater, a man of uncomfortable temper,
! quick at jealousy-this was one of
the characters in the farce acted,
! however, by such a young person so
mild in manner that he could not
| have disturbed a flock of baby car
riages in Prospect Park. The utmost
he could accomplish in the way of
| physical demonstration was to look
at times as fearful as rather peev-
| fish English sparrow. There was lit
| tie in "Nightie Night" that did not
come to it's fullest expression. But
the value of this particular character
was certainly not realized.