The Washington herald., 1920-06-22
sei..ee-..TAe C.ye GAEL.
~ EARLE DORSEY.

At this stage In It's dramatic de-
|velopment, one can apply only the
most preliminary tests of its tech
|nicai and theatric values to THE
Cave Girl" the Maine woods comedy
by Guy Bolton and George Middle
ton. at the Belasco. Peering through
IL maze Of scsffording that SUR
rounds the central theme. It 10 pos
sible to catch fieeting glimpses of
10 basic plot structure that appears
sturdy enough for stage purposes.
but to imagine that last nights
version of .~rhe Cave Girp' is the
version Manhattan will see ID az
vain as the idea that THE Cave
lGirl' is playing a midsummer en-
gagement in Washington TO make
profits.
"The Cave Girl" is still an un-
seasoned play. Its central idea 10
fully as, staunch as the central idea
of Adam and Eva" and when propi
erly developed. 1t may hold comic
possibilities far In advance OF either
Adam and Eva" or Polly With
Past Its scenic properties are un-
usually vivid, even to the point OF
contributing downright illusion, but
III is not yet a finished dramatic
production.
The theme of The Cave Girl" 10
Inherently attractive. 1t IL predtcated
upon the developing and clarifying
forces of nature on the human AMI
NAL, when that animal is brought
into sharp and embarrassing con-
f1iet with those same forces. The
idea seems even more fruitful In its
comedy possibilities than the Bolton
Middleton idea behind Adam and
Eva" yet it should be allowed
to develop its possibilities In
thoughtful. unhurried fashion,
rather than In q manner OF broad
farce into which IL frequently de-
scended last night.
Its first act reveals a Maine hunt
ing lodge, to which a Manhattan
millionaire has brought his SON. hop
ing that the deadly work OF
propinquity and association with
the daughter of a widow will re-
suit in the marriage. For counter
point, he has provided another
guest In the shape OF his sons
friend.
tion and before the end of the first
.
widows daughter are properly en-
gagged but the boy is almost imme-
diately disillusioned by the bungling
tactics of the matchmakers. En-
ter, at this juncture, the cave girl,
the daughter of a Maine woodsman,
adopted by a college professor. To
prove the professors theory that
the Maine woods will sustain life,
q IA SfA In kA
lionaire's iarder-and been caught.
The scion Of wealth shares the cave
girls idea of freedom, particularly
when the latter is tied up and wait
ing for the sheriff, so he releases
her. burns down his dads hunting
lodge to gain time against his we'd
ding day and all hands are cast
loose on the mercy of the woods to
prove or disprove the professors
theory of woodcraft.
Up to this point. The Cave Girl"
lexudes several Characterization that
are notable and that even survive
the manifest inept handling to which
they have been subjected by a di-
rector and poorly directed cast.
From that point on the play period
ically lapses into broad farce.
1t Is manifest that the widows
daughter is not going to stand the
life OF the Maine woods without
even matches, let alone talcum
powder, and 1t seems hardly fair to
expect her to. The sojourn neces-
sary for the cave girl to develop
complete mastery OF the situation
and for the widows daughter to
sink to a rather unenviabIe place in
her fiance's esteem is covered in one
act, representing about two months.
In the end. the scion of wealth
shunles of his engagement without
too embarrassing consequences, wells
the cave girl who has demonstrated
that natures law of selection is the
only law. while the professor has
learned to play bridge and is en-
gagged himself.
futting aside a too captious in
spection of certain unworthy eIe-
ments OF the Iiece, 1t Is clear that
much Of the incidental comedy de-
veloped during the action OF the
fiece Is OF a sterling order. effec-
tive in the extreme. That much
OF 1t falls short of its real effective
ness is largely due tc an insincere
and mediocre direction that sends
the action, at times, almost into
hurlesqde and which shows a start
ling and shocking tendency TO emf
phasize minor incident at the ex-
pense of major episode.
The playwrights themselves must
bear the respt visibility for the plays
frequent recourses to grandiose
nourishes of hokum and frequent
injections Of apparently unnecessary
profanity. This grandstsnd playing
Is so much sound and fury and re-
fleets little credit upon its author
ship. though its box ONCE appeal
Is not questioned.
The plays apparent shortcomings
in casting may be due to faulty
direction. An actor told to en-
phasize certain lines and situations
that should not be emphasized may
often appear to be at fault himself,
but as 1t stands. Miss Grace Valen-
tine, as the cave girl, seems to be the
only one who attained real sin
certify and conviction in her por-
trayaL Miss Madeleine Marshall,
as the other girl, seemed on the
right track. and Mark Smith fur
nished a rich vein of comedy as the
rival for the hand of the widows
daughter, but his Characterization
called for. farce shading that had
a tendency to give false values to