Anyone who was at the St. James on Monday night must have felt that the term "prize play" is a trifle misleading. For while "Mamma's Affair", which won for Miss Butler the Morosco prize for 1919, is an interesting and often clever little piece, it can scarcely be termed anything very exceptional. Certainly it is free from the taint of being "highbrow" which is so often associated with the name of Harvard, and a well-filled house received with apparent enjoyment the oft repeated walling of "mamma", who is a "sentimental hypochrondiac". The first act is slow, the second good, the third excellent. If we admit that a prize play may have acts of such unequal strength, undoubtedly this is the proper sequence in which to place them.

Beginning with the second act, then, the play becomes distinctly amusing. The steps by which mother-ridden Eve Orrin, under the guidance of Dr. Brent Janson, gradually gains her independence--while at the same time the Doctor loses his--are skilfully and logically depicted. There is, further, a fair sprinkling of witty lines, and some good character touches. The prevalent American tendency to farce wherever possible was perhaps unduly manifest, however, and prevented Miss Roach as "Mamma" and Mr. Bosworth as "Henry Marchant"--Eve's flance by "arrangement" from putting much individuality into into their respective parts. The role, of "Eve", on the other hand, as taken by Miss Powers, and that of "Dr. Janson" (Mr. Gilbert) were full of life and sparkle, nor for good comedy character can one do much better than Miss Roberts' portrayal of "Mrs. Bundy". Finally, the many friends of Jessamine Newcomb will welcome her brief return to Boston as "guest artist" in the part of "Mrs. Marchant", Henry's mother.