Evening star., 1923-01-01
NATI0NAL-"Barnum Was
Right"

"It is to laugh'-not in the more
subtle sense of the French idiom, but
in whole-hearted American fashion, If
visit is made to the National Thea
ter, where "Barnum Was Right" q
new farce. Is opening the new year.
Perhaps the new production should
be called farce -meIodrama" for the
authors, Philip Bartholomae and John
Meehan, have wrapped up, along with
their comedy, a mystery story, in
which a gunman, a detective and real
and false jewels have their part. Pis-
tol shots and the almost demoniacal
desire for hidden treasure which over
takes middle-aged business man
help to furnish the touch OF melo-
drama.
An easy mark" is born every min
ute-to phrase politely the old show
mans famous remark--and the au-
thors have seized upon the credulity
or human beings as the basis upon
winch to build a farce that has some
screamtngly funny situations. The
producer, Louis Il. Werbe, has gath
cred an excellent cast, in which are
found Donald Brian, Marion Coakiey,
Nell Martin, Lilyan Tashman, Spencer
charters, Elwood +. Bostwick and
others Donald Brian, sans dancing
ana sans music, may strike the fol-
lowers OF his lightlooted career as
unusual, to say the least, 1t is said
that Mr.. Brian's ambition is for act
ing parts, pure and simple, and last
night ne demonstrated that he has
more than an infectious laugh, that
ne mas good judgment of the values
alu ah sureness OF touch, even though
ited - IN
But to get back to the theme of
barnum Was Right" Hidden treas
ure-Who hasn't thrilled at one time
Sn 60 .ne thought of practically gathered
opahIsh doubloons, pieces of eight
Ina the like? A manor house. reach
ing back into the days of pirates bold
located on Long Island furnishes the
scene Tor the treasure hunt An idea
S endt fortune may be made out of the
fortune hunters is evolved from the
brain OF a scion of one of Americas
Wealthtest families, who has deter
Ihlneo TO cut loose and make his own
way IN the world. His theory is that
Barnun was right" when il comes
.o 20 BUSINESS: and a shrewd operator
,leeos only to play upon that particu-
Iar weakness Of men and women TO
make all the money he wishes.
mixed up with the old idea of hid
u peu treasure is the young man who
mas come to the conclusion thar in
herited wealth-when n comes bH III
nundreds of millions-is all wrong
NOT because of any particular views
on sociology, but because he was in
france in the A. +. f.. and finds n
arhnn aitncuit to mix with his "buddies"
When he returns home The young
man is Fred Farrell CT Chicago, NAV
ed by Donald Brian. He is WORKING
as waiter in Long Island hotel
When he falls In love with sylvia
Locke and she with him. He confides
IN her his shame of his Inheritance
ana determination to cut loose This
makes hit with Sylvia. but not with
samuel Locke, her father. The nm
Shot of the disagreement between
Locke and his would-be son-in-Iaw is
tnat the latter takes over the old
manor house, owned by Locke. and
sets himself up a hotel there after
)udicious advertising of 2 pirate gold
story. And there the story unf0lds
with seekers of hidden treasure
Terrible Wops." Nuts" and Others
are entangled in the lure Of the
treasure hunt
a scene in Sylvia's bedroom in the
Manor House hotel at midnight pre-
sentS really the climax of the farce.
II IL can be said to have one. Ger
tainly it is amusing, with Neil NJ
TN TN as Mr.. Tuttle, the treasure-hunt-
ing professor, who has found. not
soid' but golden champagne in the
cellar emerging from the huge chin
ney, while the Terrible Won" George
Z. Mack, lured by the bottle of
Iaugh1ng waters which the profess
sor mas dragged in, comes from under
the bed OF Miss Sylvia
- Ihere Is too much of the new play.
AZ needs trimming here and there.
ana insertions in other spots. but II
contains amusing ideas and situa-
tionS and some clever lines. At
present the machinery creaks too
staged.