The Scotch Players (4).

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“My Wife from London” 19 Mins.; Five (Parlor). “My Wife from London” is Scotch, played by Scots. Like other plays and playlets from that country or that country’s authors, it has irresistible humor, in dialog, expression and emphasis. The Scotch writer, while not as wildly anxious for continuous laughs as the English or American comedy penman, making a bull’s eye when he does aim. It may be said to be a fault that he doesn’t aim often enough, but this is offset in part at least by the continuity of the story told, even in a sketch. Walter Roy wrote “My Wife from London,” perhaps as good a title as any. The playlet is very entertaining, or would be those accustomed to refined vaudeville and to those who prefer that sort rather than slapstick. It’s hard to say whether the Fifth Avenue crowd Tuesday evening liked it better than they did a Swede comedian. Some of the best matter in the Scotch turn got but half of what it deserved, while the Swede when he opened his mouth, giving a long howl, for no reason and no possible object (excepting he hadn’t had anything else written in for him to do) received the loudest laughter of the night from those in front. Comedy is comedy to those who like it. It’s also a matter of education by those who sell it through the box office. Some keep the box office busy and some do not. Mr. Roy plays the principal role in the Scotch skit, although Peggy McCreed is featured. She’s a good-looking blonde girl, plump and living up to the usual Scotch billing of “bonny,” although she is English in this case, in character and in fact. The story is of an elderly couple, always quarreling. Their son left for London a few years before. The girl is their ward. The son married her before going away. He returns after having become successful on the London musical hall stage as a Scotch comedian. The mother is glad to have her boy back, regardless, but the father is stern. He wants to know what he has done, and is horrified at his boy turning into a “play actor.” The father asks the son how much he gets a week for making a fool of himself. “Thirty pounds,” replies the boy. “For thirty pounds we can afford to be disgraced a little,” answers the pater. The piece is nicely played. It is restful in a sense and there are surprise laughs obtained without effort. It is well written effort and should be able to make itself worth booking on big time, although it is not a big comedy number, though capable of improvement, especially the finish, which might end in another quarrel scene. Mr. Roy makes up well as the father and does equal well in his playing.

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