AMERICAN FARCE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19173, 2 December 1927, Page 10

AMERICAN FARCE.

"THE CRADLE SNATCHERS" SMART PLAY AT THEATRE ROYAL. If the audience at the Theatre Koyal last night did not thoroughly enjoy "The Cradle Snatchers," then they were hard to please. But their laughter and applause could mean only one thing, and that was that they appreciated fully every line and every action of this very "fresh from America" farce. The main piece of machinery used in the production of the bulk humour of the piece may be old and well tried, but last night's performance showed clearly that it has stood the searching test of time, and has come through as fresh as ever. Roar after roar of laughter took the house from scene to scene and action to action. Each succeeding situation, some pure comedy, others with an exciting touch, was followed by the whole-hearted appreciation of the audience, showing that fun-seekers were having their wants attended to generously. As already remarked, the plot is not entirely new. It holds up to view a conspiracy of three suspicious wives to bring their respective frivolous husbands to their senses by doing a little philandering themselves. The three girls managed

this with the assistance of a bright

college lad each, hired for the job, with a lot to drink and some spot cash for their assistance. As it must always be in the book, on the stage, and very probably in real life, the feminine wit and intuition —it would be ungallant .to say cunning—rose high above the awkward and clumsy intrigue of man. In

finesse the so-called weaker sex are in the ascendant, and in "The Cradle Snatchers," this truth is displayed with delightful humour. Throughout the farce thero are unusual novelties, very lively scenes, and snappy dialogue, and thero is a great deal of all before the orchestra's final number follows upon the punishment of the wicked men, and tho noisy exuberance of their wives. In many parts fte comedy left a considerable amount to the imagination, and the inferences drawn by the audience, notably in what happened offstage, were quito their own concern. Whether they gave their complete sanction or whether they did not, there was no mistake as to their complete enjoyment of the piece.

Prom the point of view of pure comedy, "The Cradle Snatckers" may be reviewed as a decided "laugh" from curtain to curtain, and no doubt there were many members of tho audience who thought it came to an end far too quickly. Modern days need modern plays, and there cannot bo the slightest complaint in regard to the treatment of the "book" of this production. The east of characters, of course, made the show. Without such an excellent company to interpret the characters, the plot would suffer somewhat. The cast includes Miss Olive Sloane in the lead, and Misses Bertha Belmore, and Jessamine Nowcoml" % and these three ladies are the main cause of all the action. They are the three wives who combined to outdo their husbands at the gentle are of deceiving. Each part was played cleverly'and delicately and with exuberance, but a measure of restraint. The latter quality was decidedly necessary, as any clumsiness might easily have brought complete disaster. These ladies took the roles of Mesdames Martin, Drake, and Ladd, respectively, and signs of a thorough stage training shone in each piece of action and each spoken line. Now for the erring husbands. These were Messrs Arthur Cornell, Sidney Stirling, and Herbert Belmor^—-in the comedy roles of Howard Drake, | Roy Ladd, and George Martin. Fine portrayals were given by all three. The three college men, employed by the wives as assistants in their plotting, were presented by Messrs Fred Conynghani, John Halloran, and Maury Tuckerman. Ready to "try anything once," they made their parts convincing and very interesting. Another member of the company who played a small part skilfully was Miss Lucille Lisle. Misses Claire St. Claire, Elma Gibbs, and Mollie Fisher had charge of the husbands during the latter's excursions into philandering, and made the flapperist roles attractive. Subsidiary parts were also well taken. The frocking absorbed some attention, of the men as well as the ladies of the audience.

The farce will be repeated to-night, and a successful season seems certain.