The New York herald., 1921-06-05

THlS rising young playwright, having
reached a jovial state of geniality
one evening in company with Ben
Johson and Dick Quyney, undertook to write
play with a happy ending to it, so pro-
uuced Cymbeline," which is at least anus
ing, although one does miss very much the
walls of the widows the groans of the dying
ana the floors made slippery with blood and
gore which one learns to expect upon visit
ing a playhouse where one of Mr. Shake
speare's plays is being produced.
Mr.. Shakespeare comes by his liking for
blood honestly. His father the late John
Shakespeare, was one Of the best known
butchers of Stratford, and even as a child
Little Bill as he was affectionately called
by the townspeope, would assist in knock
ing beef on the head with a hammer and
later doing it into all kinds Of things, from
q chuck roast to a T bone steak. What
more natural, then. than that he should be
at his best while strewing the stage with
the bodies of his victims, the while running
hot blood all over the place?
Cymbeline was a King of England when
the inhabitants of the place were known as
Britons, which antedates by several years
the beginning of the war between England
and Ireland and which was some time be-
fore the Irish invasion of New York began
Cymbene loses a couple Of sons through
theft, the cradle robbers having been swift
workers in those days and he has left only
one daughter, Miss Imogen who later eopes
with young fellow named posthumus Civ
ing rise to that famous expression. love
laughs at locksr 'iths," which has evor since
been employed by newspaper men with such
telling effect in announcing the elopements
which have been part of the news Of the
day for many years, the practice really hav-
ntaH Wit al
ever, that is quite another story and does
not figure In "Cymbeline." Anyway. Pos
thumus is banished to Rome. He takes a
ring from Imogen and gives her a bracelet
He fully believes that his wife loves him
until party named Iachlmo not only gets
the bracelet away from Mrs. Posthumus but
also tells her husband about a mole on her
neck. In these days any one who saw her
on the street would have an intimate knowl-
edge not only of the mole but Of any other
secrets she might be cherishing about her
self unless IL was something about her ears
which the young ladies now so carefully
conceal. but In those days, il appears in
formation about mole on a lady's neck
carried with It implications derogatory to
her character.
Anyway. her husband orders her killed
but tho man 20 whom the job is assigned is
chicken hearted fellow and cannot strike
and finds her two brothers who were stolen
in infancy Finally Cen Lucius leads q
Roman army against King Cymbeline. but
is defeated and captured. All the characters
meet in front OF Cymbelines tent Imogen
forgives Posthumus and Posthumus for
gives 1mogen; the King forgives Posthumus
and the latter forgives Iachimo Im0gen for
gives Iachimo; King Cymbeline forgives
"sn. Lucius; Bellarius who had stolen the
two young Princes confesses and Is forgiven
by every one
The ono person in the play who dies is
tho wife Of the King. who had done son1a
underhanded work in causing quarrcls be
tween the characters, but even she dies q
natural death, supernduced by sorrow for
her sins after she had reformed
The curtain falls with every one weepne
The tears of JOY on the neck of his or her
neghbor and with everybody happy
Tho play isn't at all bad and we pre-
dict bright future for this young play
wright II he applies himself assiduously to
his work and can overcome tendency to
exaggcrauon in presenting situations