New-York tribune., 1920-11-30
By Haywood Broun

When The Young Nisiters' had no
existence beyond covers there seemed
little reason, except its enormous popu-
larity. for turning it into dramatic
form. Probably popularity rather thsn
eligibility was the deciding factor. And
yet it provided rather surprisingly good
entertainment at the Thirty ninth
Street Theater last night. We had ex-
pected nothing and it IS much more
than that
The program credits Mrs. George
Norman and Marvaret Mackenzie with
the dramatlZs-,on Of the Dalsy Ash
ford story, and they have done a good
ioh. Cuuouslv enough no mention -
made of the scenic artist whose unaas
ging ingenuity has much to do with
the spriehtliness Of the entertai inmenl
The cast with one signal and woe
ful exception IS good and Bernard
Clark. the Earl Of Clincham and most
played to heart and fancys desire
Miss Marie Gof as Ethel Monticue
does not seem to get the idea or. as
Miss Ashford has il. the idcar. She
fails to realize that hurlesque, even
more than any other form of dramatic
entertainment, must bn played with
seemlv seriousness Laughter should
come from tho audience and not from
the actor She insists on broadening her
role at ever turn and hammering
home its humorous possibilities with
back and shoulders and elbows.
Sincerity. although helpful, is not
absolutely essential in serious role
which may create belief in spite Of the
o.a 49, H.
fantasy to realize that thev are fan
tas.ic and 10 rub it in is little short
OF fatal. Miss Golf never approached
IN antc al any part in the perform
arce without running start. When
she came 70 the actual leap she was
we'll wlnded. 1t was laborious and
exhausting performance for all con-
cerned
The model manner was that of Leslie
Palmer as the Prince. He was easy,
gracious and beautifully trustful in his
most ludicrous moments. He even
seemed little pained when he won
laughter, which IS the eminently cor
rec- attitude for fantastic comedy
Harold Anstruthar likewise. took Ber-
nard Clark d seriously as Miss Ash
ford must have done when she CON
csiv0d him. ami there was the same
rt'irg solsmnity and dignity 70 the
corcaors.V comic performance q Lio-
rel Pane as the Earl of Clinchanl.
Herbert Yost's Mr. Salteena vas fair,
bur he was inclined at times TO get
enough outside his role to realize him
self IS comic figure
Partly because Miss Gof does not
10 her duty and partly because some
little tine Is needed 70 establish the
mood Of the piece even for those who
are familiar with tie book, the first
act is Only mildly diverting. The play
comes INTO It's own during TIE second
act, particularly at Buckingham Pal
ace, where the prince ate his ice cream
in such a fashion as to mark one of
the dramatic events of the season. He
also handled mis- small but costly crown
in q way to delight all beholders The
third &C. again marks a et-down. and
herr We are inclined not TO blame Miss
Cot so much as the Inevitable dif-
fculry Of keeping Il? a spirit of fantasy
beyond IS given brevity OF life.
John Cromwell mas staged the play
well. and although there are sixteen
scenes they march past any given point
AZ cuickstep. We were never certain
in spite II all the affidavits that
Tho Young Nisiters' was actually the
work of nine-year-old miss. and in
dramatic form the humor seems even
moro sophisticated We are inclined to
tn.nA that somebody is having a Joke
or Us. nu, j. IS novel Jest and more
than usually amusing.