Evening star., 1923-12-31
Thank You" Is Clean
Comedy.

John Golden's Thank You" from
the pens of Winchell Smith and Tom
Gushing, was presented at the Ma
tional Theater last night. For genu-
inc, clean. and wholesome entertain
ment the work is comparable with
'Lightnin' and maintains the high
standard that has been set by its
producer.
In THANK You" the power of the
almighty dollar is carried into the
rectory of "one-horse town." where
a conscientious, hard working min
lister is struggling to exist on mig
gardly compensation. His salary is
entirely inadequate, but, together
with casual donations from his parish.
he is able to exc out a meager exist
ence. Then his niece Diane arrives
from Paris and takes up her abode in
the rectory. Paris suggests some
minds of the Thank You" mans
narrow-minded flock, and much criti-
cism anent the additional expense in
caring for her reaches the minister's
ears. At the meeting of the church
vestry, when the minister's request
for more salary is discussed-and re-
fused-one of the most amusing
scenes every staged locally follows
the niece's eviction from the house
hold is sought, but to no avail.
AT this point the plot of the story
takes definite shape. Kenneth jamie
son, "libertine" scion and heir to
millions, makes his advent, and Mrs.
Jones, wouldbe society leader. whose
husband is senior warden, attempts
to corral him. Mrs. Jones has a
marriageable daughter, but young
Jameson takes to the pretty niece
instead. Mrs Jones causes to be pub
lished in the weekly Spade ma
licious story in which Diane is pic
tured as an adventures seeking ia
mieson's money. At the same time
the chagrined mother writes jamie
sons father in no uncertain terms
warning him of the pending "catas-
trophe."
The elder Jameson, having pre-
vfously paid dearly for his sons esca-
pades and thus knowing him quite
well, loses no time in reaching the
scene of the wrangle, his mind al
ready made up to believe the worst.
both of Diane and his son. He is
consequently, unprepared for the
shock of finding his offspring a con-
sistent farmer, willing church-goer
and valuable citizen, quite as much
SO as finding. Diane the housekeeper
in her uncle's domicile. After sew
eral heated scenes he pledges his
support to the triumvirate and
things begin to happen Immediately.
Jameson, senior, is a man of few
words. He tells the assembled yes
trymen, whose meeting he Interrupts
in brief, vitriolic utterances just what
he thinks of them and their unchris-
tian methods and offers liberal an
nual contribution to the church. to be
used, first for the rector's salary, the
surplus to be expended as directed by
the minister. In this way the min
lister is compelled to live on a plane
one notch higher than the wealthiest
member of his flock and assume a
pedestal unknown before
OF course, Diane and Jameson be-
come engaged and clinch at the final
curtain.
Martha Hedman, who portrays
Diane, was never better, while other
members of the cast whose work was
outstanding included Harry Daven-
port, as minister; Frank Monroe. as
the elder Jameson; Richard Ster-
ling, Phyllis Rankin as the mighty
Mrs. Jones; George Schiller, Herbert
Saunders. Phil Bishop, Frederick NAL
colin. Albert Hyde, Helen Judson and
Elinor Post.