The Washington times., 1929-09-17

Producer Miller entrusted the
task Of turning the German farce
OF Siegfried Geyer into the Eng.
lish idiom to p. q. Wodehouse,
facile author and playwright with
propensity for comedy.
Candle Light" attained the
peak Of hilarity in the opening
act wherein the framework for
Laughter was constructed along
straight comedy lines. It's dia-
logue was gilded with sharp
repartee, situations within the
realm Of plausibility and gay mood
maintained by the splendid acting
OF Leslie Howard. "Is Mr.. How.
ard up to his old trick Of steal.
Ing the show?" was the general
surmise Of the lobby critics.
7 h hereafter Candle Light"
dragged. Act two hoped speedily
to the wholly farce motif with an
oVer'abundance Of dialogue. hardly
as brilliant as in the promising
first stanza though 1t thrust Miss
Lawrence to the forefront as q
skilled farceuf. This Sagging in the
middle lack OF spoltaneity was re-
lleved by five minutes of rib
tickling situation as the various
mistaken identity individuals at
tanned understanding for the final.
curtain.
The plot In not startingly oriEi.
nal concerning az It does the don.
ming OF royal raiment by a valet
and impersonation of his master to
promote an evening Of frivolous
romance. Prince Rudolf, some.
thing OF a bachelor roue, HAPPENS
back to his apartment just as his
very efficient body servant Is set.
ting the scene for q lively rendez-
yous. Entering thoroughly into the
spirit OF the occasion az a rich
lark. His Highness becomes, IL
you please, the man servant OF his
lackey. There are. of course, in,
cidental complications which It
would be unfair to unfold for those
who win later enjoy these moments
OF mirth. 81 Am You and You Are
Me-" and there you have the
structure of the windy second act.
The language is smart and some
times spicy but the situations are
circumspect with nothing more
shocking than the frank confess
sion OF the lady who left her pa
jamas In the princes chambers.
Miss Lawrence. whose American
appearances hitherto have been
concerned with the frothier musi-
Gals. encompassed the role Of q lady
bent upon a few hours OF adveI.
turous escapade with suave charm.
Caparisoned in the exquisite frock
and ensemble Of her mistress, she
took command Of the business Of
generating laughs with consider
able success. once lines and situa-
tions permitted her to dominate.
Leslie Howard as the supremely
efficient valet, Joseph, revealed
again the polished ease which
makes his acting delight and,
as chronicled earlier, put the first
act In his pocket. Reginald
Owen was q prince to the manner
born, a blase aristocrats with we'll
developed .dnny bone, charming,
barring such times as he was
called upon to bluster and feign
raucous laughter which sounded
little less than genuine. Incl.
: dental characters were capably
handled by Robert English, Betty
Schuster, Rita Vale, Duncan Nc
Rae and Jack Carlton.
Gilbert Miller, az has come to
be expected, provides an impos.
ing setting-an apartment draw.
ing room done in ultra-modern
architecture, with the richest OF
fittings.
The curtain rose on Candle
Light" nearly a half an hour late,
the intermissions were excessively
long for one set play, and yet
the exit march came at the Gus
tomary hour. That suggests one
Of the real faults-it tries to
stretch dramatic material that Is a
little thin when the frivols are
spread over three acts.