"GOOD GRACIOUS, ANNABELLE"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 87, 5 January 1918, Page 9

"GOOD GRACIOUS, ANNABELLE"

A WHIMSICAL COMEDY "Good Gracious, jhmahelle," a comedy in thivo by Clare Kuinmer. Cast:— George Wimbledon ... Mr. Graham Browne John Jtawfiim Mr. ian Maclarou Harry Murchison Mr. Tal Ordell William Gosling Mr. Thomas Sidney Wilbur .rennings .; Mr. Frank Allanby Alfred Wcatberby Mr. Roger Barry James Ludgato Mr. Sidney Sterling Wickham Mr. Leslie Victor Titeomb Mr. Victor Tatuall Alec Master Len Nugent Kthel Deano Miss Owen Burroughs Gwendolen Morley ... Miss Naucyo Stewart Lottie Mrs. Geo. Lauri Auiittbcllo Leigh Miss Marie Tempest The Mario Tempest season at tho Opera House is proving one o[ unalloyed delights. Not tho least of theso is "Good Gracious, Annabelle," tho oddly whimsical comedy by Claro Kummer, the meteorically successful American playwright, who gained for herself a place in tho thoatrical sun only a year ago by producing the comedy which tickled the largo audience last evening ;o continuously and relentlessly, and ii-. ; :i .sinco repeated her success in the i.oniedy "A Successful Calamity." Iter humour runs in strange. places; it is odd, freakish, eccentric to a degree, but it is real humour that keeps one in a state of pleased expectancy,' and never disappoints. Her crazy superstructure of the maddest, most inconsequential, yet oddly fresh and unmalicious humour is erected upon tho wildest and most impossible thesis, but thero it is, and you must accept it—and laugh. If Puck were a spirit immortal, it must have visited New York and taken possession of Claro Kummer. To desoribo the plot of such a riotous fancy wero wastetul ridiculous excess. Ouo can only givo a sketchy outlino of tlie vagaries of Anuabello to reflect the shadow—the substance is in the quaint dialogue, tho jig-saw reparteo, and tho bizarre collection of characters that give lifo to it. Annabelle is a gay, debouair, pleasure-loving, expensive little woman, who in somo wild fracas over the ownership of a' mine, has been grabbed by something behind a big beard, who rushes her to his cave, marries her, and lots her wander away to. tho gay East, where she finds that the allowance made her by her cave man, though ample, is not all that she can manage

to dispos'o of. Finding herself' in a tight corner, with a bevy of gay young artists and poets dependent on her purse, she suddenly engages herself as cook to tho alcoholic Croesus, George AVimbledon, to whom, strange to say, sho has pawned somo mining scrip, tho possession of which gives him the control of a great copper mine. Annabelle is unconsicous of tho power her two shares givo to AVimbledon, but finds on taking up her position ,of cook—and getting menial positions in tho samo place lor her impeean'ous . frionds—that AVimbledon, who is a chronio taster, is overjoyed at his possession, and.rathor tickled to £r'd bis . new cook such an attractive litele person

as is Annabelle. Ho is, however, extremely wrath whon ho finds that his butler has invited John Ilawson, another mining rungnato from tho West, ' to somo fishing on his estate, as Rawson is tho man ho is fighting for tho mine, hut a misunderstanding as to - who is who permitß Rawson to stay on as tho supposed new captain of Wini- ' bledon's yacht. Bawson is really the , bearded cavo man, who has discovered Annabelle to be his wife of long ago, . and is enormously attracted by hor. Annabollo becomes acquainted with the importanco of tho scrip she has parted , with, and steals it from Wimbledon, an act that is seen by ltawson, who • owns dp to being tho thiof, is accepted by Wimbledon- as necessary to his busi- . ncss (being a thief)', and finally woos • and wins his own wifo. ' • ■ That, in briof, is tho outline of, the ' plot, but it no moro conveys tho luunnier idea than gingerbeer gives the fiayour of champagne Tho fun is all in how thoso things happen, the pi-opos 1 - tcrous situations, tho brilliant f<oleiy, tho drollery of tho language. Miss Tempest, with her bubbling o humour, hor crisp touch, winning personality, fairly revelled in the wry m--0 consequentialities of Annabelle. With 1 oxquisito art slio was able to carry the r ludicrous game on, and give it purpose • as perhaps none other could. Her com- ' cdv in tho scone where she engages 6 herself and friends to bo tho household ; retinue of someono she know hot was • doliciously cranky Mid lauglitor-cornpell- ; i„g and the by-play in her effort to raise s wind," was excellent fooling Mr '. Graham Browno as tho alcoholio • Wimbledon added another precious : portrait to the gallery of clever char- ,; actors he is giving ns. Ins grM -. actor has tho rare faculty of impress- • incr ono that he is not acting at all, t winch is tho highest credential to his '. powers of self-effacement. His stu- > died walk (as though ho were per- : petnally trying to walk a chalk-line;, 1 his staccato abruptness, his smoogi- , ness" in liquor, were well studied - effects, but never did they cloud the " impression that behind it all was a big man. Another sound [performance : was tho John Bawson or Mr. .Lan > Maclaren. who lent tho Montana miner- ' millionaire just that dramatio weight [ needed in vital places. Mr. Sidney Sterling in respectable side-whiskers, = dropped Iris ■■■aspirates and identity : cleverly in tho role of Ludgate, the i butler, and Messrs. Tal'Ordell, 'lhon.as > Sidney, and Frank Allanby were ac> '• commodated with characters that mat- • tercd. Anfcng the ladies, Mrs. Geo. : Lauri stood out in bold relief as Lottie, . tlio tippling cook's cook, and Misses Nancyo Stewart and Gwen Burroughs were happily cast as the flapper | ' friends of dear Anuabelle. ihc comI «ly was charmingly staged, livery • scene had the touch of modernity ihe ; hotel loungo was a quaint »*"'»'»* ' cold; tho servants' hall at Wimble-- . don's was a dainty apartment backed ■ bv a transparency that glowed rosily, ■ and tho "futurist" arches of thp last ' act were an indication of tho daring '. thongiit that is bursting the gates ot ■ stago scenic traditions. . "Good Gracious, Annabelle, mil be I playo again to-night, and also on '. Monday night.