The New York herald., 1922-09-23
The ExciterS' Has
SkiIlfuI Hokum and
Satire on the Same
Entertaining Comedy by Mar
tin Brown With Miss Bank
head and Allan Dinehart.

Theatergoers who win enjoy The Ex-
citers," the new Selwyn production dis
closed last night at the Times Square
Theater. will probably be OF two classes,
and both can luxuriate in this entertain
ing Comedy simultaneously without sus-
pecting the appreciation of the other.
They will be those who like skillful
hokum and those who like a skillful
satire of hokum. For Martin Brown, the
author, shrewdly presents most Of the
ingredients that have carried other plays
to success, and then slyly pokes the
spectator In the ribs for relishing them.
He mikes both processes almost from
the start. with set of society debu-
tantes on Long Island thirsting for ex-
citement, who band themselves together
under the name OF the "Exciters" and
who are similar to the late and unla-
mented "Shifters," except that the badge
or their sorority is dainty pistol worn
on a diamond garter. with the stimulat-
ing knowledge that If they are caught
jail and new experience awaits them.
Just how detectives might discover these
concealed weapons is a matter not gone
into.
The chief OF these most up to date
elder sisters of the flappers speeds too
swiftly overturns her car in the ditch
and gets the new thrill Of facing death
when she's carried out, injured. Fear
full that she will die and her father will
lose the use of a large legacy that was
TO come to her upon her marriage and
help him out OF a financial hole Miss
Rufus Rdnd marries off hand a very
convenient burglar who happens 70 be on
the premises. Then the author blithely
drags the crook element into this ro-
nance. principally 10 show how well he
can juggle all the dramatic elements
without smashing one.
Burglars Efforts Finished.
Some time previously the burglar has
finished his efforts to live up TO his
bargain of a temporary marital rela-
tionship and has involved the girl and
himself in a clique of. high class Grim
inals. his true identity has been guessed
hy the patron practiced In reading the
igns of the theatrical zodiac. But u
isn't quite so clear at the moment JUST
how the crooks jealous woman ac-
complice guessed his identity and why
She should lock him in the room, ex-
cept that it seems dramatically impera-
tive right then that the pair should be
imperilled by the rest of the desperate
clan and do some fancy shooting. the
explanation comes later. but by then
the smoke of battle has died away.
The first act at the country home,
starting slowly, but getting into a real
dramatic swing despite the somewhat
familiar marriage in name only"
delightful second act. In which cave
man crook tries to fend off the woman
pursuing him with some bromidic adj
vice, and a fairly thrilling third in the
crooks headquarters are, on the WHOLE,
1ad hapknpNa6
fourth act turns into delicious travesty
of the standard Hopwood comedy.
Through it all the deft digs at the
girls who would give anything but their
good looks for a thrill, and the men
who apply the latest methods Of business
efficiency to a criminal syndicate. All
the latter need is a motto. Better
Burglary"
GentIemanIy Crook Appears.
i. Allan Dinehart costarred with Miss
Tailulan Bankhead. took premier honors
in a role in which William Courtenay
would bask. He IS gentleman crook.
although he wears n flannel shirt and
a cap and muses. his hair, for he keeps
his shoes ins good order. II Is a fat
part, new to Dinehart, and he takes on
dramatic weight visihy. Whether han
ding a woman roughly or a gun neatly,
he Is always provocatively dangerous.
Miss Bankhead. In a character remi-
niscep. Of Nice People" looked ex-
quisite and shaded the variations Of
the willful, sophisticated Miss Rand
adroitly. though the author seemed to
make the Needless girl try the uplft
stuff on her burglar pal too abruptly.
Miss Enid Markey Miss That's Lawton,
Miss Florence Finn, Echlin Gayer and.
in fact. the whole cast, acquit themselves
admirably. and The Exciters" ought
TO last much longer than the ''Shifters."