Apparently no reliance is placed on the unassisted humour of the
dialogue. A funny remark must be clinched with a somersault, a repartee
be driven home by a resounding smack on the face. You might have thought
that on such an occasion there would be room for the figure of some
gallant soldier of the masculine sex. Yet there wasn't a vestige of
khaki in the whole show, and the only patriotic song assigned to a man's
voice had to be delivered by the comic villain.
However, the actors were too good to be defeated by the authors; and the
two couples--the _Babes_ (Mr. STANLEY LUPINO as _Horace_ and Mr. WILL
EVANS as _Flossie_) and the _Robbers_ (Messrs. EGBERT)--went far by
their personal drollery and unflagging spirits to make up for any defect
in the words. Each member of the two pairs played very loyally into the
other's hands. Mr. ALBERT EGBERT indeed played into his brother's feet
with equal devotion; and the good humour with which he accepted the
fiercest blows on face and person seemed to indicate an exceptionally
close fraternal understanding.
[Illustration: THE AGE OF INNOCENCE _Horace_ ... Mr. STANLEY LUPINO.
_Flossie_ ... Mr. WILL EVANS.]
Mr. HARRY CLAFF as the Wicked Uncle (with a note or two in the
operatic manner) belied his villainous nature by an unusually amiable
temperament; and Miss FLORENCE SMITHSON, with her dainty air, furnished
interludes of conventional song, during which we gave our ribs a rest.
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