Omaha daily bee., 1920-12-12
!" Young Nisiters -
On Stage Reduce
Comedy to Farce
BY BURNS MANTLE.

N spondence) = Probably it
never has been determined
what proportion OF the readers of a
best seller follows the story to the
stage to see what the dramatists and
the actors do to it. But if only a
fourth OF those who read o-year-oid
Daisy Ashford's Young Visiters" see
the play, it should net the producers
j tidy little half million. n
Most of them, we fear, will be dis
appointed. Though the transcript
has been faithfully made. and the
dialogue quoted verbatim. it provides
entertainment that is rather dull and
spiritless when it is not childish.
And this because the grownups who
have directed the performance have
sought to bMlesque the story in
place Of playing it seriously, as
young Daisy wrote it.
They have followed her written
dcscriptionsAef characters and scenes
literally, and visualized not what
was in her mind, but. what they, as
grownups, imagine she saw Thus
the impression is created that they
are making sport of her. rather than
of themselves, and their efforts to
be amusing are consciously labored
and, for the most part, ineffective. =
They have also burlesqued the
scenic setting, as though that, too,
had been copied from designsaby the
authoress. Hence it is grotesquely
fantastic in place of being grand
and sumshious," (which does not
help.
There are many scenes, but the
changes are simply made. In the
first of these Miss Ashford is dis
covered Seated at her school desk
laboriously at work on her novel,
The curtain lifts, and Mr.. Salteena
is having breakfast with Ethel Mon
ticue.
Let's 60 on visit to Bernard
Clark" suggests Mr.. Salteena. Eyes,
let's" agrees Ethel, batting her eyes
wildly. The journey is' made by
portable cab, with the horse and
driver painted on life size "cutout."
Ethel and~Mr. Salteena carrying the
cab with them as they trot along
back of it and pretend to admire the
stationary scenery.
The railway train is also a port
able affair, drawn by hand. but this
time the scenery unwinds with a
panoramic effect until they arrive at
their destination and are met by
Bernard's footman and taken to, the
hall. Bernard is grand yohng
man with cerise sash, and shows
his visiters almost Immediately to
their adjoining bedrooms, that they
may rest after their journey.
Next morning they awake witt!
their heads appearing above the two
beds that we're provided with Nclean |
sheets and commanded a grand view
from the windows, and then they de-
scend again to Bernard's hall, where |
Mr.. Salteena attempts to stop the |
ripening love affair between the ro-
mantle young people by relating 4
few riddles. They Are finally rid OF !
him when Bernard sends him to the !
Crystal palace to meet the Earl of |
Chncham and be socially polished.
Salteena, as you will remember,
was not quite a gentleman and was
desirous Of being considered a. little ,
less mere than the mere people from
whom he sprung. At the palace
Clincham meets him and agrees. for
modest fee, to do what he can, botl,
to make him socially eligible and to
get him position galloping beside
the royal baroushe in green plush
knickerbockers. He also agrees to
take Mr.. Salteena to the levee at
Buckingham palace, which they ap-
proach i'll hanson with other costly
people.
They find the prince of Wales pre-
siding, with his small but costly
crown and placard on the wall ex-
planning that the dear queen is slight
~ indisposed. The levee is a grand
success. especially after the prince
thoughtfully orders three glasses OF
champagne and some ices and a
duchess gayly sings "Ta-ra-ra-boom-
de-aye." Ethel and Barnard also at
tend the levee, having come up TO
London for few days of gaierty.
The following day Bernard takes
Ethel into the country that He may
propose marriage to her. She ac-
cepts him. even though Mr.. Salteena
protests that he had intended marry
ing her himself. But Bernard is TO
her like a heathcn god, though she
will always think of Mr.. Salteena i'll
a warm manner. They hold the
wedding reception at Gaierty hotel
and start away for their six weeks
honeymoon in Egypt, from which.
Ethel confidently announces. they