South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-02
At THE
OLIVER SPLENDID
Wallace Eddinger and Irene
Bord0ni in Sleeping
Partners Please.

Wallace Eddinger and Irene Bor-
doni have great scope in sleeping
Partners" which they presented last
evening at the Oliver, and artists as
they are. they embraced the oppor-
tunities with most satisfying results.
A good-sized audience, for Saturday
night saw these co-stars, and two
other players. in what is in some as
poets a very unique farce comedy.
Its most obvious bid for distinction
is the fact that the action requires
but four characters, only three real
ly essential ones. 1t will readily be
seen why Sleeping Partners is a
play for two stars; one could not
bear its burdens.
The title and the fact that the
farce is an adaptation from the
French may have deferred some who
prefer. and with justification, their
drama untanted by the Odors Of the
average and too-frequent boudoir
farces; those same elements may also
have drawn others in sheer prurient
expectancy. These latter. if any
there were, were disappointed. 1t
would be difficult TO impute any
thing sinister or offensive TO "Sleep-
ing Partners" as presented by Ed
dinger and Miss Bordoni, although a
bald recital of the story would not
be convincing substantiation of that
statement. Fact is, the characters
are respectable-even Eddinger, an
alleged adventurer among women, is
an impulsive lover. boyish in his inn
petuosity. nothing more. And the
affair In which he becomes involved
with the handsome French woman,
despite circumstantial evidence 20
the contrary, was a Irritation quite
harmless.
With that angle disposed Of II Is
proper to say that there are some
who will not care for Sleeping
Partners" as farce. but they are
the ones who crave action, and yet
more action, in their drama; to
whom a slap-sticlI is more eloquent
ed glance. Briefly, the merit Of
Sleeping Partners" is two-fold-
Wallace Eddinger and Irene Bor-
doni.
The players put the piece over.
Scenes are interpellated, others are
drawn out, and bits OF business
arc inserted. not because they fur
ther the action in any way, but be-
cause they give opportunity for a
pair of consummate artists to thrill
an auditor who may be a bit fas-
tidious in abhorring a slap-stick,
but who responds TO those nice dis
tinctions which set artistry in acting
apart from claptrap and stage tricks.
Mr.. Eddinger has an inimitahle
manner: if he had not he would
never have been able to hold the
stage alone for so long a period ut
/ the opening of the second act last
night. Without timing this per-
/ Torrance. it must not be far from
truth to venture the assertion that
/ he comes very near the record for
solo acting The purpose of the
scene he accomplished admirably,
working up to a ludicrous anti
climax.
Miss Bordoni was no less effective
in her own scenes and in those with
Eddinger She portrayed the role Of
a charming little French woman
with moderation and a dash Of de-
| Iightful piquancy. She is decidedly
an actress and an artist.
Guy Favrieres as the husband fills
! this less important role very ade-
uuately. and there is no need to
slight Arthur Lewis, as the servant,
He won a few merited laughs him
self
/ Until the year 1874 the Japanese
/ - ~ q