Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-18

most amiable possible frame OIL
mind Their merits have been
Justly recognized and dilated upon. Inc
charm of Miss Marlowe's voice ana tenn
peramental warmth have been duly toio
and extolled; Mr.. Sothern's scholarly arr
has aroused wonted admiration; MT. HOP
kinson' has been welcomed as a farclcai
novelty ana j. NJ Barrie's humor mas peeh
described as quaint and subtle, IN AZ
cordance with the due and ancient TOT
malities which have prevailed In the ols-
cussion of his work ever since MS "orh
became important enough to discuss. Com
pliments come so easily to people VINO nave
attained to the eminence of Sothern and
Miss Marlowe In serious drama, of Ethel
BARRYMORE in the lighter moods and OF
Dallas Wexford in downright farce that
there is no novelty in anything except the
adverse view So let us cavil bit.
1t is scarcely an indication of taste or
refinement that the apish antics OF MI.
Wexford as the pathetic Mr. Hopklnson
should have become the center or so mucn
concern 1t has been said that Mr.. We'll
ford bestows his own personality on the
part Heaven Forbid Such a statement Is
on the face of it a case for the LIBEL courts
The play is another example of that Eng
nsh humor which depends on the shatter-
ing of social and official formalities. There
are deserts of dialogue, with Mr.. Hopkin-
son with the one oasis of mirth. And the
mirth is of a rather heartless sort, which
ridicuIes an utter fool instead of extending
the pity he really deserves. There is much
that is clever and amusing in ''Mr. Hopkin-
son." but not enough to make a whole
play 1t is neither a sincere picture of
al eNiSt EurlpSUlIp.
and depends entirely the personal con-
tortions of single unhappy man.
Mr. Barrie's alice Sit-by -the-Fife' is a
critical rather than a dramatic production.
Mr.. arrie has never been strong as a
dramatist, the quaint and subtle humor
which his admirers have always been able
to discover in his work being sufficient to
take the place OF plct interest. AS a satr-
ist he has fallen into the general shadow |
which the briliancy of George B. Shaw |
has sent abroad. His present play, while |
entirely characteristic in its drollery and |
seemingly unconscious humor, is not happy |
In it's selection of topic. Mutual suspi- |
ciOns between mother and daughter, such |
as form the foundation of the story, are
not. however unfoUnded they may be. con-
genial topics for a jestful pen. The legit-
the conventionalities of playwriting with a
ferocity which would be possible only with
an author who is out of sympathy with
the craft. Yet the hackneyed plots he
holds up to ridicule are wholesome and APP
pealing compared with the one he has
evolved his own account. If critic
were to assail the modern drama in direct
and simple discourse with anything ap-
preaching the merciless severity which
masks under the Barrie cloak of ingenious
simplicity there would probably be a move
ment set on foot to have him excluded
from the theaters. Miss Barrymore has a
role of dangerous maturity for one whose
charm depends much more on person.
ality than on studious technique Yet the
'indefnable charm that is Miss Barry
more's birthright was as much in evidence
as the quaint, subtle humor without which
Mr. Barrie is never found abroad mani
tested their combined potency and pleased
in defiance of analysis
The new plays in which Mr.. Sothern and
Miss Marlowe are appearing are even more
notable as ponderous spectacles rather than
as literary creations. Fortunately, the pop !
ular ear is not very finely attuned to
rhetoric effects or there would be more
resentment felt for the lapses from stilted
diction in the trite colloquailisms which
mar almost every production which as
sumes literary Importance.
Mr.. Sothern deserves credit for resisting
two temptations which must have present.
ed themselves. The Jeanne dare" play
closes with very affecting scene between
the heroine and the devoted duke The
chance for meodramatic finish was dis
regarded. The picture of Jeanne tied to a
stake with the flames gradually devouring
her-an enect which dozens of fabricators |
of illusions could have furnished at trifiing
expense was absent. 1t must be said of
Mr.. Sothern that his results are invariably
attained by legitimate methods. Even In
John the Baptist the play in .ch Su-
derman provides a wealth of detail from
his own imagination to exc out the Scrip
tural narrative. the ordinary spectacular
producer might have found opportunity for
startling elaboration. The great incident
OF the story is. of course. the bringing In
OF the prophets head on a charger, but
owing to the laws against homicide which |
protect actors equally with other members
OF society 1t cannot be shown with abso-
Iute realism. There is neat and time
honored illusion, worked with mirrors |
which produces an effect of decapitation
that could have been employed with ter
rifle results. But 1t would not have been
art
The Sothern-Marlowe season in this CITY
was well patronized. and this fact is en-
for the production with which :
these names have of later seasons been ,
associated have invariably been sincere,
The difficulty in Distinguishing between
art and affectation. between philosophy and
sheer mysticism, has not always been
overcome. But 1t is as difficult to make
such a separation of wheat from chair
In the library as it is on the stage, or. for
that matter. in every day existence The
higher ideals that Mr.. Sothern has devel-
oped has involved some sacrifice of defer
ence to the popular appetite for climax
and situation such was manifested SO |
artisticaay in IF Were King" and THE
Proud Prince" But his purpose is always
scholarly. genuine and absolute in its de-
mand for respectful attention.
THE Sunkan Bell" had only one evening |
allotted to it. AS a fairy story many peo-