The New York herald., 1921-12-31
Frank Burlesque
Best of Fun in
Capt. Applejack'
Walter Hackett's New Play
Produced With Wallace Ed
dingerin Staggering Role.
80 LAwnENcr nEAMEa.


The cornerstone on which Walter
larkett founded Captain Applejack'
is the belief that well to do young
sngishmanns weary Of his well ordered
lie anas his family, home. in Cornwall
Il Is wen TO :takes tt1fs at once With
(, gulp since so many other elements
of illusion follow rapidly on. There IS
almost at once the Russian lady-in-
Waiting who hurries in for protection
not only for herself but for the jewels
of the Grand Duchess. which have been
put into her care for safe keeping. Then
me Bolsheviat painting on her trail must
oe considered. In the new play at the
Cort Theater there are many such i'm
probable elements which the audience
must be ready to accept at once.
Although the heir exhibits such quick
resourcefulness and is able so well TO OPP
lose the enemies of the distressed MOBILES
voinan 1t is not until after he has shown
his metal that the mysterious document
Turns up to show bow he comes by
these unsuspected traits. In secret
tapinet In which he hoped to conceal the
archducal treasures there is a document
which proves him the direct descendant,
or q pirate cirief who sought in the town
efuge after his active career in Spain.
Even yet MIR. Hackett has not shaken
III the mysterious people and things out
II his sleeve. Are there not the prowl-
ers about the grounds for all the world
like those that infest the sanitarium in
Bull Dog Drummond" There is one
~ those wonderful dreams, moreover,
IN which the hero sees himself as his an
cestor. This throwback, as it were, causes
N reax y no Ill effects. Indeed, there
IS so q 'ch of the old Adam In the hero
Liter s Is eperience and cup of coffeet
tf " ,tvc tl.t r. f- ,l~
10 set the best of everybody else in the
play but the heroine-and he marries
her.
He had one advantage over his ad-
versaries. All these incidents in busy
night took place in his own library. The
best part of 1t, however, came In his
lreams. Then the mood of the play was
quite firmly established. There was
more than once a suspicion of burIesque
after the opening scene. When the hero
began to dream there was only bur-
lesque.
Wallace Eddinger staggered on the
quarterback with all the brutality of an
eighteenth century pirate. Quite heart
lessly he ordered murders on every side,
gambled quite unashamed with false
cards and made as many victims as the
most bloodthirsty of his kind could have
conceived. In this scene Of frank bur-
iesoue was urita the best OF the fun OF
Captain A.Siejack.'
The second act kept the audience in
continuous laughter Every time the
hero whisrered Scum" between his
teeth the spectators burst into incon-
trollable laughter. Is "scum" such
funny word? Mavbe II was the whole
souied contempt that Mr.. Eddinger put
into the four letters that rendered it
quite impossible for the spectators to
keep their self-control.
It was almost as difficult for less en-
thusiastic spectators to keep their self
control during the first act. 1t must
have lasted an hour. II was partly
aer'ous. partly burlesque and altogether
aull Miss Mary Nash was lovely 20
look at as the pseudo Russian refugee
and played In a pretty spirit OF bur-
lesque. AL the actors were better, how
ever. once they were on certain ground.
Mr.. Eddinger. always skiIlful, made his
best effects IN the second act. So did
Hamilton Revelle, Miss Phoebe Foster
and Ferdinand Cottschslk. Miss Nash
was most amusing in her sophisticated
comedy, whether she were vision of
make believe reality or outspoken bur-
lesque.