The New York herald., 1922-05-21

tiC SOuuIiys ilio AOu5S SOoAN ~
by the additional advantage of acting
in, most of them. The youthful hero,
acted by Elliott Nugent--he is really
that in spite of Mr.. Mitchell's i'm
portance in the announcements-will
be remembered by some for his re-
freshing portrayal of the advertising
agent in "Dulcy." His performance
of the idealistic young plumber is
strong enough in its youthful charm
and vigor to entitle any actor to suf-
ficient honors without also giving
him the additional glories of author
ship.
Probably writer who could have
written a three act play long enough
in the past for Robert Downing to
produce it, is really responsible for
most of the prosperity of the present
enterprise at the Belmont. j. c..
Nugent was this dramatist in the far
past. He acts with "A suggestion of
Irish brogue in his speech, although
lis photographers spring
up quickly In the theater-say he was
uOil vi III III oltOs Whtit
his father was labor leader and
consequently an orator. The family
in its present estate acted In vaude-
vile with success from TIE time it's
juniors were old enough to be on the
stage. There might never have been
any "Kempy" had not the two Of the
second generation shown a desire to
be on TIE regular stage. Elliott's sue
cess proved that his ambition was
justified. So to keep the family to-
gethcr "Kempy" was written; and it
seems destined TO unite them for a
long time to come.
Augustin Duncan has been so much
praised for his skillful direction Of
Fanny Hawthorn" at the Vanderbilt
Tieater little bit down the street
that he need not be sensitive over the
diverse views as TO his achievement
in realizing "Kempy." Evidently he
was brought in to increase the effect
of life in the play. He is uncom-
promisingly realistic. He was to make
out of the new work. second "Tke
First Year" which it could never be
under any conditions. There are a
great many admirable and unusual
and praiseworthy traits in the new
comedy. Its truth to life is not, how
ever, one Of them. 1t is in nearly
every line of the tEeater. 1t would
have ratified along more brislSly there
fore il 1t had been allowed to remain
more in the spirit Of farce. Exaggera-
ton would, on one hand, have been
fatal to its success. On the other, it's
proper tempo was held in check dur
ing the opening scenes. After that
period waG passed, the actors seemed
to take the bit I'm their mouths and
the play drove ahead just as it should
Lave done from the first speech.
Folk Plays Here and Abroad.
Mr.. Duncan has made Fanny Haw-
thorn" as "Hindle Wakes is called
in it's latest manifestation, n perform
ance of uncommon merit. None bet
ter has been seen during season
rather rich in good acting and notably
fruitful in the degree of attention TO
artistic direction which it revealed.
Here Mr. Duncan could apply without
stint his subdued and naturalistic
methods. The event has been a graft
fyingly human and touching perform
bHCt Vi tiiiS lilttIGotlil6 pay. Anu
what a genuine example of folk play
II is!
Possibly 'Kempy" also is a folk play.
1t preterds to deal with the life of
middle class people in a small town
near New York. They belong to the
sandy soil of this New Jersey settle
ment. Presumably they should repre-
sent its life and opinions. There is,
however. little or no trace of the peo-
pie OF that special region in speech or
manners or thought. They might as
well be in the middle West so far as
their conduct reveals their habitat.
On the other hand, Stanley Houghton
has made his play racy of the Lam
cashire soil. IL might have happened,
OF course, anywhere. since girls are
frivolous and men adventurous the
world ovei. Far more in the genuine
mood of A native folk play was owen
Daviss The Detour," which had the
native tang of Long Island, however
deficient is may have been I'm other
qualities. There was the real folk
quality in the Herne pieces and 1t is
rbounding in THE First Year." which
Is infused with a naturalness alto
gether unlike the stodgy pretentious-
ness with which so many stage di-
rectors approach the problem OF MAX