Evening star., 1919-09-22
ADJUSTMENTS
BELASCO-"Too Many Husbands.

-
"Too Many Husbands" by w. Somer-
set Vaughan. is an epigram in play
form and as delightfully."- amusing
throughout as the most pungent epi-
grammatic witticism. The audience
which witnessed its pr .sentation at
| the Belasco Theater last night will
| long remember it as one of the most
| diverting plays they have ever enjoy
ed. The eminent English playwright
has written a satirical farce comedy
that is Shavian in it's treatment of
very serious theme suggested by
the world war tragedy. It's lines are
/ sparkling with effervescent humor
that at times brings a satisfying
smile and at other times hilarious
| laughter. It's situations are farcically
funny, and the plot is worked out to
an ending in entire keeping with the
rather than to instruct or draw a
moral.
The scenes are in the London home
! of Victoria, who feels satisfied she
has done her bit in the war in having
been married to two officers of the
English army. both of whom won the
distinguished service order. Her first
husband. Maj. William Cardew. was
seen to fall in one of the battles OF
ypres, and Victoria wore becoming
mourning costumes for the conven-
tional year before marrying his best
friend. Maj. Frederick Lowndes. AL
though armistice days have arrived
and Maj. Lowndes is home from
Flanders fields, Victoria still finds
diversion in the attentions of Leicester
, Patton, whose patriotism took form i'll
building ships for his majesty's navy.
This ria ha wing Ieen
tablished. Maj. Lowndes comes home
in the late afternoon of the day the
play opens with the announcement
that in three minutes Maj. Cardew.
the first husband, will walk into the
home to claim his wife. Maj. Lowndes
is overwhelmed with his responsible
ty to tell his predecessor husband the
present status of the home After
Maj. Cardew's arrival he seeks to
break the news by suggestion rather
than by direct statement. The cur
tain falls on the first act with Maj.
Cardew's guess that his friend has
married his wife's mother. That leads
to amusing complications in the sec
ond act, until husband No. 1 finally
learns the rea! truth. Then follows
probably the most delightful bit of
humor ever presented on the stage.
when each husband seeks to yield his
matrimonial yoke to the other. while
convincing Victoria he seeks only her
happiness. Victoria presents her own
solution in the end, by summoning
solicitor to arrange divorces from
both husbands. leaving her free to
accept the Rolls-Royce and other ac-
companying material luNuries of the
shipbuilding Patton.
Rarely has Washington seen a COM
pany of such merit and balance as A.
H. Woods has provided for the inter-
pretation of MIR. Maugham's comedy
and the portrayal of it's veryhuman
characters AS the frivolous Victoria,
Estelle Winwood is delightful. With
methods of comedy much in contrast,
Kenneth Douglas and Lawrence Gros-
smith make the husbands two of the
drolfest of characters The Mai.
Lcwndes of Mr.. Grossmith is slow
thinking and ponderous. while the
Maj. Cardew of Mr.. Douglas is quick
witted and resourceful. Each of the
others in the cast adds to the pleasure
In parts that are strikingly drawn.
and as well portrayed
Too Many Husbands provides
amply that light diversion from the
somber war play that is due in times
of peace.