The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-16
PLAYHOUSE OFFERS
! FANTASTIC COMEDY
GA Young Mans Fancy" of
Charming Intent, Need
full of Revision.
DIALOGUE rs sPRIGHTLY
Acting on the Whole Is Salts
h fying-John T. Mcintyre
the Author.
DIALOGUE rs SPRIGHTL1

"A Young Mans Fancy" which
George Tyler presented in the Playhouse
last night. is really fantastic comedy.
as the programme said. 1t is indeed
meant to be quite fantastic enough to
pique the most jaded taste. John T.
Mcintyre. a magazine writer who wrote
l''Steve" for Arnold Daily and impends In
other theatrical quarters is the author.
The first act departs far enough from
the popular dramaturgy of the day to
have no less than six scenes Fantasy
hesitates at the second act. where there
are only two, while the third. with but
one, seems literal.
and other lovers in operetta and panto-
mime have for theatrical generations
eazed on the doll like loneliness of the
adored one until she took the semblance
of life for a while at least. 80 did the
hero of "a Young Mans Fancy gaze
on his beloved in the vicarious and false
presentiment of an image made for shop
window. He pondered at home, as poets
are said to do, before he took to the
highways. and stood before a show win
dow which had its curtain drawn be-
cause the wizard within was preparing
the mannikins for the public view. After
he had locked upon the curtain from
the viewpoint of the man In the street
the poet was in another scene, behind
the curtain
Then in his fancy the figures of the
picture seemed to stand on a real lawn
instead of on that in the window, to
move and talk with the poet and then
to disappear. But always foremost In
his imagination was the graceful figure
of a delicate yellow haired creature
absorbing the thoughts OF the poet.
Whether In the window or on the green.
whether in her real self or her image,
this was the maid of the poets thoughts.
The Maiden in Life.
or course, the young man comes to
know in reality this maiden Of his wax
ing dreams, although there Is an inter-
iude before Joseph Urband and the author
oontrive that his journey shall end in q
lovers meeting. Maybe the stage hands
delayed this climax unduly last night,
for there was ample lack of preparedness
for the performance. But Mr.. Mc1ntyre's
touch in fantasy does not appear to be
as light as gossamer. although the me-
chanical progress of the play was 30
slow that his intent was at the best
obscured In any case. there must be
merclless revision before the piece. which
is original and charming in intent, comes
to its full value.
The sQuabbling of the surly window
dresser last night got. after while, on
the nerves of the audience, and there
was in these scenes altogether too mucn
of the same kind of thing. Jessie
Busley's infectious humor was, however,
of heroic value here. It may be that
there is too much mechanical apparatus
necessary to allow illusion-the illusion
which Is Indispensable in such a play
ever have its full sway. Yet the scenes
In which the lovers actually lived did
prove fascinating to the spectators, con-
fused as they may have been at times
by the blunders in the transformations.
It Is not possible. however. to estimate
the improvement to be expected once the
play has been condensed and the scenes
move as they were intended to. Some OF
Mr.. McIntyre's speeches show a delicate
humor. very gracefully expressed. The
dialogue, indeed. once the men and
women were altogether human. was
sprightly, and in the sentimental pas
sages refreshingly unhackneyed.
Acting of the Company.
Philip Merivale was the poet. The
audience recognized MIN not only be-
cause he talked of ballades and rom
deaus but forgot his hat and stick. He
gave a delightfully."- natural and sympa-
thetic performance. His simplicity of
manner and his hearty manliness added
their attraction to his performance
Jeanne Eagels was the young woman
from Virginia who had posed as the
mannikin and lived in New York in
order that she might enjoy the luxury
of earning her living. In the shop
window she was a blond study in pretty
attenuation that posed gracefully In
life she was little more animated and
really little more audible. since she
talked through her teeth after the pre-
vailing fashion among leading ladies',
choked off all nasal resonance in her
voice, and was as artificial as only a
mannikin in her OF hours could be-
Eugene Blair played with fine author
ity. Joseph Urban had supplied some
highly characteristic scenery, which was
as usual Viennese secessionist in feel
ing. Paul Lannin had composed an
interesting ana diyerting symphonic ac-
compartment to the action.