Evening star., 1920-01-19
P0LIS-"Tilly of Bloomsbury" +"

If Ian Hays delightful comedy,
Tilly of Bloomsbury" were 'Tilly
of the Tenements." and the man Tilly
loves were the son of millionaire
United States senator instead of the
heir of Lady Mainwaring, the full
force Of the story might be more
thoroughly appreciated by an Ameri-
can audience. But, even with its
a good house at Polls Theater last
night.
The winning sweetness of Eva
lie Gallienne as Tilly and the boyish,
frank love of Dick Mainwaring.
played by Lyonnel Watts. won in
friendship of the latter's social equal,
Constance Damer. was made SO at
tractive by Gypsy O,Brien that one
wondered almost how Dick could pre-
fer another.
o. P. Heggie. as the kind-hearted
ballln. who takes possession under
the law Of the lodging house of
Tflly's parents, created a character
that would have brought joy to the
heart of Joseph JEFFERSON the elder.
His serious humor threatened. but
never touched the burlesque, and sat
isfied at all times. Edward FOSTERS
curate was awkwardly funny, George
Giddens' father of Dick was reliably
sympathetic and Frank Hector's loud
brother of Tilly a tightening bit that
added much to the general effect
Lawrence Grant presented the story
of the self-satisfied, self-knowing ell
derly failure convincingly in the per
son of Tilly's father and the other
members of the cast We're in har-
monious accord with the spirit of the
tale.
The curtain rises upon an atmos
phere of the conservative English
country home, in which the proud
mother displays her ambitions for her
son Dick The latter shocks her
quite proper sensibilities by bring
he has met and loved in the short
space of three weeks After a week
end visit to this home of the man
she loves devotedIy, the girl. Tilly,
determines to hide the fact that her
mother let's lodgings, and that her
Til!y's family is about to entertain
Dicks at afternoon tea, the bailir
arrives to take possession of their
''middle-class" home, thereby disar-
ranging matters to a degree. The
service as an old family retainer. and.
wearing the evening clothes of Tilly's
father, attempts to lend an air of
aftiuence to the affair. An audible
encounter between two of the dodgers
on the floor above baniShes the pos
sibility of carrying the deception to
successful conclusion; Tilly seizes
the reins and confesses all to the
guests and the family throws up the
sponge" just as the pseudo butler
enters and announces. in accordance
with pre-arranged plans, "the 'choof-
fer awaits orders for tomorrow"
The unselfishness of Dicks woman
friend. Tilly's true love for him. and
his straightforward honesty and be-
lief in love itself bring a happy de-
nouement. much to the satisfaction
of the girls family. to the right
thinking members of the mans and
to the audience.
Especially worthy of comment as
a fine bit of reading of poetic lines
is Mr.. Heggie's explanation of his
farewell to the stage. when. as the
front legs of a property elephant"
he broke that animals back" A
jealous superior had arranged that
he be cast for those front legs in
stead of the hind quarters, with
which the actor was familiar. to
the discomfort of the prima donna,
who was seated on the elephants
back.