The Washington times., 1920-11-23
THE CAST.

Nigel Gordon .......... Gordon Johnstons
John Leighton William Courtensy
Georgy Halle ......,....,..B Boots Wooster
David Carter Frank Andrews
kaisi .....'....,siyoot,cf s:iyo,cfs Males. Sl,Ss
Hannah ............-...... .Msble stanton
II Is ever dangerous to flout a
pretty woman. This ancient truism
Is shown In all its stark reality in Mr.
Megrue's latest comedy, "Honors Are
Even" which. beginning last night.
Is likely to sparkle its merry way
along for many months. once IL
reaches the metropolis. There is SO
much OF excellence In this bright
comedy that the pruning knife OF the
author cannot mar the production In
the slightest, though that same blade
Is necessary IL but to keep the per-
formance within reasonable limits OF
time.
Because men proposed to Belinda
Carter did not mean much. In the
earlier scenes she flatly refuses two
OF them, There Is much wit and sa-
tire In her denials OF herself. too. In
deed. one can easily foreshadow uIti-
mate refusal OF Nigel Gordon, though
he Is given a sort OF probationary per-
iod OF six months.
Belinda. Almost without understand
Ing herself. she longs for a whirlwind
courtship with particular man.
Ana, almost in a moment, she meets
him. He Is John Leighton. a success
iui, sen-opinionated playwright, who
talks ana talks and talks, paints fan
ciful word pictures, reads lectures to
all present Qncluding the audience)
and succeeds in exciting Belinda's
curiosity first and then in advancing
to something more substantial. Be-
linda's troubles OF the heart form
the raison d'etre " Mr.. Megrue's
comedy. He makes the most OF
them.
Lola Fisher, though reading her
lines In the earlier scenes srather too
mildly to be heard far beyond the
footlights, is pleasantly acceptable as
Belinda. One cannot blame John for
failing in love with her. And. being
or the male persuasion. neither do we
complain at his methods of winning
her. We have seen her decline pro-
posals, you see; something John
Leighton missed.
Leighton, being a playwright. has
his own theories of love and the art
OF making love. He gives them to
that young cub, Ralph Kingsland.
who admitting he is but twenty, re-
marks later that he used 'to stroke
the winning crew at Poughkeepsie."
which is a remarkable thing for q
young man not yet of age.
1t Is when Belinda believes herself
a victim OF wiles she had been using
herself that the action OF the comedy
quickens. That is in the second act,
by all odds the best OF the three.
The speech-making ceases. John
rises in the estimation of all who
have sympathizezd with him in his
hunt.
or course. all ends happily. though
one wonders as the curtain falls on
that second act. One wonders II
Belinda would be foolish enough to
accept that worthless Nigel Gordon.
a confessed thief. What? No, she
doesn't. So there.
Courtenay Is plausible play
wright. He is a schemer, too. Wit
ness how perfectly he arranges things
on his rooftop; yes, and with Belin-
da's father as the storm clouds pass
away. The girls will certainly enjoy
that bit Of cave man stuff in the third
act even as did Belinda.
Underlying the main theme Is an
other, the difficult position of Georgy
Halle, who lacked suitors, and OF
Lucille Berkeley, a widow approaching
the financial necessity OF wedding
again. Boots Wooster is a teasing
picture OF young girl who unblush-
ugly admits she has a pretty leg"
Well, she has. What of 1t?
Frank Andrews. as Belinda's father,
with a lot of money, some extra fine
brandy and certain extra strong ex-
pressions, is excellent. He proves to
be rather good schemer himself in
the end
"Honors Are Even" Is refreshingly
new, well acted and acceptab,y
staged. 1t has the wit that brings
smiles, situations that make for anx-
iety and an ending that causes de-
light. Mr.. Megrue should not long
be in the position Of John Leighton.
the playwright, who remarks to David
"I have M nlav in fNuyn I'm Of