The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1934-05-15
Lean sndMayfieId
In Gay arce
At BeIasco

Thoroughly charming, its every
moment replete with entertain
ment is big Hearted Herbert"
this weeks attraction at the Shu-
bert-Belasco Theater, which this
commentator must regretfully an
nounce, is the last of an all too
short season at the famous La
fayette Square house.
Adapted from a story by Sophie
Kerr by the author in collabora-
ton with Anna Steese Richardson
and program-described simply as
a comedy, it oversteps the border
line of that nomenclature into the
realm of farce-and what q most
delicious farce it is!
There are three acts-all laid in
the combination living and dining
room of the Kalnesses, in a small
mid-western city. KalneSS, por-
trayed by Cecil Lean, is prosper
Gus manufacturer who arose from
humble beginning and never per-
mits anyone, least of all the mem
bers of his family, to forget it. A
daughter and two sons with ideas
of their own of revolving against
the tyranny of the thoroughly ego
tistical and iraScible father are
held in check by the submissive
mother who, nevertheless, has
ideas of her own.
When the daughter returns
from a short holiday spent at a
resort with her wealthy aunt who
thoroughly detests and is mutually
detested by Kalness, and an
nounces her engagement to An
drew Goodrich, scion of a tradi-
tional Boston blue-blood family
and a dinner is arranged by her
mother in keeping with the situa-
ton, Kalness not only insults them
but succeeds in driving them from
the house, to the modification of
all parties concerned. He is just
a plain, blunt self-made man and
will have none of them. His
daughter must marry in her own
station and his elder son must
help him in the factory and be
happy that he doesn't have to
go to bed hungry as his father did
which he takes delight in re-
telling because there wasn't
enough corn-meal mush to go
around"
The dinner party a failure,
when Kalness telephones the next
day that he is bringing his best
customer and his wife to dinner
who are Just plain people like
|himself" family arranges re-
volt; the wife attires herself in
her-hubbard, searches the
attic for discarded furniture,
serves Irish stew and apple pie,
and the guests leave early! Kali
ness, apoplectic for the time, sees
the point, surrenderS, and happy
conclusion is effected.
Cecil Lean has a difficult part,
even for a comedy, pitched al
ways at a high tempo, and han
dies it in masterful fashion, de-
spite it's exactions. Miss Mayfield,
! who is Mrs. Lean in private life,
is dealt with much more kindly
in the role assigned to her as the
aunt who pierces the sham of the
manufacturers pretensions, and
with her cynical drawl makes one
regret that her appearances are
comparatively brief.
Next to Lean, honors go to
Ethel Wilson as the wife, both, as
her natural self and in her char
acterization. King Calder, who
will be remembered in 'Three and
One," first offering of the Wee
and Lowenthal season here two
months ago, is thoroughly salts
factory as sutton to the hand of
the daughter, delightfully."- por-
trayed by Josephine Duval. Fred
die STANCE and Alexander Stew
art, pleasingly portray the sons.
Others in the cast are Marie
Hunt, Seth Arnold, Herbert Duffy,
Mrs. William Faversham. Damn
Malloy and Aileen Poe.