New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-06

In thanking the First Audience last
evening for its approval Of Cosme
Hamilton's delightful "The Silver
Fox" MIR. Faversham explained that
the comedy was "a little exposure OF
five egoists." That criticism served
hardly to cover the play, since the
quintette Of characters involved
seemed no more conferred in themselves
than most other folk are. They we're
simply. but not too simply. FIVE in
teresting English persons, concerned
in an entertaining series of incidents
and developments therefrom; and what
was more to the pleasure Of those
present, they were admirably gifted
in conversation.
There was Mr.. Faversham, for in
stance, as a soldier-poet enamored III a
hopeless way with the decorative wife
Of his friend, Edmund Quilter, rcn
composer of best-sellers. Mr.. Quilter, in
the person Of Lawrence Grossmith, was
supposed to be a dull, unseeing fellow
who, when his neighbors were discuss
ing subtle things, would look foggy and
ask what it was all about. Then he
would burst forth into unusual feats of
wit and fancy, establishing himself as
the best talker Of them all. His books
were written, it was said, "from the
shoulder down." and he knew only two
tunes, Home, Sweet Home" and an
other.
Close to Mr.. Quilter In displays of
telling language was Helen Ouilter.
played by Miss Violet Kemble Cooper.
An extraordinary woman, Mrs. Quilter,
with q passion for furs and for the
soldier-poet. In her husbands words,
she els like the Silver Fox, which pat
'ters on it's tiny paws from one ice
berg to another, seeking, seeking and
finding nothing-and all she Graves is
love, fattery and undivided attention -
Or, as he described her at another time,
she was like motorist and treated
her friends as a motorist treats his
new one. Or again, she was like a
young chamois.
seemed to fit the lady, SO battling was
she of personality and temperament.
One of her affairs was with fascinat-
ing aviator Clan Keith, of whom the
stupid Quilter remarked stupidity, that
he was too excellent in the air to be
any good on earth. Mrs. .Quilter went
to the flyers rooms in London and
thcre had lunch with him, presumably
for the purpose of being discovered by
the poet, SO that he would be jealous
At any rate, it was Mr.. Hamilton's
ingenious idea to expose the lady's
bare legs in sox, beneath screen. and
to have them identified later by Major
Stanley. in delicious episode, as
those of his lady-love.
!. :. \.
The fifth member of the party was
frankie Turner, the rector's daugh-
ter, cousin to Mrs. Quilter, and I'M
personated thoroughly by Miss
Vivienne Osborne. frankie was a willy
child of of eighteen with trained eyes,
a pretty figure, and determination to
be The second Mrs. Quilter. This she was
at the end, bossing her husband about
and showing him how masterful a
regular wife could be. When he
suggested to her that he should have
an interview with her predecessor
she demurred. "But after ALL" he in
sisted, II was her husband" mo you
were not" said she, "you were only
her furrier." The major and Mrs.
Quilter also became married at the
end, and it was to be supposed that
her tiny paws thenceforth ceased
their pattering from one iceberg to
another.
4 II