The Wilbur has given shelter to Petticoat Influence, a comedy by Neil Grant. With the rise of the curtain the play gives every evidence of being a sophisticated comedy of the English drawing-room genre, but before long it may be seen that the author's grasp has caught up with his reach and the play regrettably wanders far a field into the less stimulating realm of force. The perennial vivacity of Helen Hayes does much to propel a vehicle that in spots lacks lubrication, and Henry Stephenson gives the wheels of comedy many a timely flick of the finger.

The plot is chiefly concerned with the machinations of young Mrs. Chalfont to procure the Governorship of the Island of Ardor for her husband, who is obviously the man for the job, but who is by nature too modest and retiring to fight for it.

In the involved process of diplomatic backmail Mrs. Chalfont herself becomes deeply enmeshed. Upon learning of his wife's Haison the senile statesman assumes that her partner in crime is his pretty petitioner's spouse, and that Mrs. Chalfont holds himself, despite his many winters, in no low esteem. And so he insists that all four get divorces and he and Chalfont exchange wives How he is made aware of his egregious flatulence, how he gives the post to the deserving man, and his blanket apology to all concerned in his best House of Lords manner makes an amusing third act

Taken all in all Petticoat Influence does not fail to be diverting However, its most serious blemish is that the author has avoided subtlety would seem from the degree of success attained, by design.