The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-10-01
Pot Luck" Fixes
Value ofGood, Kind
Husband at $4,000
New Play at Comedy Theatre
Is a Feast i'm Season of
Famine.
coaIEpY rHEATRE-.por LuoK~-com-

n. Moore
Wilbur Holcomb. Frank T.. Jamison
lava Crum. douglas Bright
Probably the point OF considerable in
terest to husbands--and to wives, too
about "Pot-Luck." which Kibourn Cor
don, Inc. ushered into the world Thurs
day night. is the assertion by a wife that
q good, kind husband is worth at least
$500 to the other half of the argu-
n:ent. That may sound like n bargain
price but the audience at the Comedy
Theatre cheered 1t. particularly the
$500 exhibits present.
Dorothy Cish. herself. applauded from
G box this sentiment by the author.
Edward Childs Carpenter, and no one
should know better than this movie
star the par quotation on husbands, for
wasn't James Rennie. the leading man.
her husband in very sooth. or there
obouts? hearty recognition was like
wise bestowed on the flea by her COM
panions. Constance Talmadge and her
husband. who eloped with the Rennies.
and might. therefore. be said to have
keen lec in on the same investment.
Some husbands, after hearing this
pronunciamento By the spouse who wants
to stand by her man even IL she has
just discovered he was crook in the
past. may claim their wives have been
holding out on them and start to collect.
Values May Increase.
Perhaps IL this charming rural COM
ely prosperS for a long run the eX-
change on husbands may have increased
so that at the end of elk months. say.
their value may have gone up to $4,000.
At any rate, the play, with ingredients
that have generally proved to appeal
to the public, seems to have been en-
dowed with more insurance than that
against failure.
The rustic sections have always been
known to provide a thriving atmosphere
for crooks on the stage. but hardly be-
fore have such characters had to cope
with matrimonial bureau as one Of the
temptations O.: Already. A novel note is
struck from slx start by showing in the
prologue amy Jeiccll'a shop at Hebron
Conn. but it is shop dispensing phono-
graphs. whicn indicates that civilization
is slowly penetrating the llinterland OF
the theatre. Here Amy, Tilted by q
young man and facing old maidenhood
with only Jonn McCormack's voice to
comfort her. decides to pluck husband
out of thin air through an ad in q mat
rimonial newspape
He proves on arriving from Boston
to have double surfaces of Amy's rec
ords, on one side overlooking with
smooth sentiment and on the other with
hard jazz. For that reason ANN rejects
him and chooses his handsome young
friend, and the rest of the .hree acts is
concerned with the attempt of the dis
carded sutton to blackmail the friend
into splitting half his wife's negotiable
h1r1 De IF cft.ev 90. Ia
town, which wants him for Mayor that
Store McCouiey was once nipped for
ootlegging--which, as things go nova
days. might not be considered so dis
graceful by a town.
Some Ingenious Touches.
Some ingenious touches were evident,
such as the method. of the conscience
stricken SteDe of exposing to his wife
the fraudulent aim OF the marriage by
means Of q story he is writing. and his
system OF outwitting his former pal
through n harmless literary society,
which here for once serves useful pur-
pose. What a boon il only young au-
thors could call in the neighbors as in
this highly entertaining scene and have
them settle life's problems for them ever
the cider and crullers, These skilful
cxpedients by the author served to in
crease the suspense in his play quite
artfully. while blended with them were
moments of intimate, natural humor and
OF refreshing sentiment that lifted exist
ence a little above the level of the SUBJ
way.
Rennie played the pinch-hit husband
with repose and variety. and seemed
hardly conscious of the fact that he was
doing his bit to revive the matinee idol.
s~-L-A - HI.
its clear diction. but seemed almost too
high geared for this piece. Clara Moores
was pretty and winsome as the girl.
though at times dangerously angelic.
Tho rest OF the company. including Rock
life Fellowes as the crook. gave enjoy
able dclineations of familiar though
mono the less diverting types that made