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Show I "The Man On the Box" O.K. I Max Figman "Makes Gooi" Company I Above Average and Play Superfine. BBBBfl fl "The Man on tlio Hon" is a tflorlous- H ly kooiI comedy It kept the audience H at tlic Thatolici upera house Tuesday H I night Inconstant merriment, ltslm- H morons situations, bright dialogue and H sparkling wit are Mniplv Irresistible, H and from beginning to cud the Inter- H estot the audience never Iiirs In fol- H lowing the fortunes of Hie oung army 1 lieutenant who masquerades In the H livery of a groom until he wins the H heart of his fair young umplon'r and M becomes her brldcuroom. H "The Man on the Itox'Ms a dr.imatl- M gallon of the book of the .same name, M by Harold Mefiiatli. The stage vcr- m .sion was prepared hy (J race Livingston M l''urulss. TJii! book Is followed tpiltc B closely hO fur as the plot of the play Is B concerned, but much of the dialogue Is M new ami an Impiovement over ttie nook M The dramatl.or has done her work M ) well and has produced a comedy re- m ' plctc with farcical situations and also M l some strong dramaliu scenes a fl The "man on the box" Is Lieutenant fl Robert Warbiirtou, lately resigned M from the army In a spirit of deviltry M he has put on the livery of a lackey M and has hired out to Kli.abeth Amies- M ley, daughter of a retired olllcer. Max H Figman, who heads thu cast, is a very H clever comedian and makes the most M of his opportunities In the role of the H make-believe groom. The audience H was convulsed most of the time. Ills H quick transition from the gentleman H to the groom, and vice versa, as occa- H sloti rciiulred or as he happened to for- B get himself, were capitally done. Very B naturally, the groom is placed In some HHJ embarrassing situations, such as when HHJ members of his own family call at the HHJ house and when his fair employer gives HHJ a dinner to some mutual friends lie- HHJ . causo of these circumstances Mr. Kig H I j man Is called upon to reallv play two ' characters. Ilo glides fromono to tlio HHJ ' other with amusing skill, and somc- HHJ " times he just stumbles from one to the HHJ I ,1 other with most ludicrous results. One HHJ moment he is the respectful, apologet ic servant, with his "Yes, miss," and the next when her back Is turned he Is holding his sides to keep from laughing at the Joke he Is having, and through It all tno audience laughs too. Mr Figman acts the parts excellently, excellent-ly, but he should be a little more careful care-ful with his enunciation, as sometimes the points are lost by his Indistinctness. Indistinct-ness. He Is such a master of facial expression, however, that his looks almost convey the necessary meaning. Mr. Figman Is supported by a thoroughly thor-oughly capable company. Helen Holmes makes a very captivating Kll.abcth Anneslcy Just the kind of a'glrl that those who have read the book would expect to find In the llcsh. In the more serious scenes she Is especially es-pecially good The polished and attractive at-tractive manner of the distinguished foreigner in American society, the Count KarlolT, Is given smoothly and with grace by John C. Brow noil. The staging of the play Is wonderfully wonder-fully well done, especially the last two acts, which are laid In the library of Colonel (icorgc Anneslcy at Chciry Chase The old Southern room is reproduced re-produced so perfectly that there Is all but the odor of the magnolias blowing In through the wide-open, hospitable doors, and brings a choke of homesickness homesick-ness to the Southerner. The old-fashioned sword which tlio founder of his family in this country carried In the revolutionary war, Is crossed over tlio great fireplace with the swords of those who fought in the wars with Mexico, the Indian uprisings, and the great civil conlllct. The books arc the old-fashioned volumes, the classics which It was once the fashion to read; oven the chandelier, fashioned from spreading antlers, Is a trophy which dome gallant young sportsman son of the family gavo as his contribution to the lares and penates of tho old-fashioned Southern home. The audience was but falr-sl.ed, but made up In warmth for absence of members. |
