The Washington herald., 1906-11-18
ETHEL BARRYMORE;
CHATS OF HER PLAY
By MARIE B. SCHRADER.

Ethel Barrymore has been demonstrat-
ing her originality Of thought in her ap-
proval OF plays. Il would be rather
difficult matter, wouldn't it, to force a
star TO appear in a part which happened
70 be extremely distasteful to her? There
are so many managers and the tastes Of
theatrical luminaries are so individual
that naturally a great deal Of credit or
discredlt must be given the star when
his play is considered. The manager Sc
lects the vehicle which is TO present his
attraction in the best light possible. We're
this medium to encounter the disapproval
OF the person who must do it full justice,
the solution would not be difficult: either
the play would be passed by or the man
ager would be compelled to seek another
star. Everything depends upon the mag
nitude and power Of the Iuminary Some
stars have the reputation of being poor
judges of dramas. while others are
praised for their discretion. Ethel Bar
rymore has always been considered a
young woman of intelligence as well as
Of beauty and charm. She reads a great
deal and studies the best composers. She
is ambitious to succeed and the range
or the few plays in which she has ap-
peared shows that she has no intention
Of placing herself in the groove of one
line parts into which one of the near
members Of her family has fallen. From
Capt. Jinks,' IN which she was the
young and vivacious, to say nothing Of
attractiveiy insiduous. Nine. Trentoni, to
the matured. but youthful mother in
'Alice-Sit-by-the-F demonstrates her
appreciation Of the lights and shades in
acting, Miss Barrymore Is woman Of
unusual personality, and were she SO In
ciined might for the rest OF life trade
on the strength OF that alone; but she is
truly artistic, and is not willing to do
SO. An interesting discussion ensued IN
New York, when it was first learned that
she intended playing Alice, the role as
sumed by Mss Ellen Terry, in London.
4-veryone complained that 1t would be
sacrilcdge to see Miss Barrymore con-
ceal her youth and vivacity beneath for
" years The young star paid not the
slightest heed to the warnings Of her ad-
miTeTs and has made them admit that her
Alice is a charming success in every way
and that she loses nothing by making
herself older, when nearly every one else
is doing the other thing.
II was in Miss Barrymore's dressing
room at the theater that we had a chat
on things theatrical. The hour was eight
and still the most important member of
the company had not appeared Can
he be ill?' I asked Of her maid. Miss
Barrymore herself answered the uues-
ton. She swept into the room in a flow
skirt Of
10 match. and gray furs. 4 large picture
hat, with sweeping feathers adorned her
stately head. She has grown much I'm
dignity since the days of her first star
ring tour, when she was just an impul-
sive girl, who seemed to be on holiday.
AS I looked at her. somehow I felt that
she really knew and understood now the
speech which Alice makes about her
own daughter when she describes the !
dark stream which separates girlhood |
from womanhood. She is no longer the /
slightly hollOw-chested young woman she /
used 10 be. for she has rounded out so 1
that there are no angles.
Am I fI?" she said. 7 never felt /
better IN my life. Ever since the oper-
alton for appendicitis, which I underwent 1
IN Boston, ! seem 70 have improved Won /
derfully In health. I never have those
fainung spells, which formerly seized /
me at unexpected moments. I only seem
to be late this evening, for the reason /
that the curtain never goes up until $50 /
clock, since the play IS very short
I love Alice. She is adorable. Don't /
you love her? She is so natural from
start TO finish Her motherly instincts 1
are so wonderful and yet they are only /
real, but they touch one 50 keenly. Alice'S /
character Is beautiful She wants to do /
what is right and she does It. I think
she disproves the idea some persons pos
sess that TO be interesting a woman must /
De bad. Alice is good. She never had a 4
bad thought. except the ones her play /
struck daughter manufactured for her I i
adore Barrie He is so clever, so brilliant, |
so painlessly satiricaL Isn't Peter Pan
charming? Peter wouldn't grow up, YOU |
Know. Alice's children are so different /
They consider themselves wiser than /
their parents. Barrie's sense of humor is /
delicious Whether you read his plays 4
or see them acted, they are equally sat I
isfying. I believe that my latest play is 4
somewhat over the heads Of the average /
audience for the simple reason that Bar
RE never would condescend to write for /
The amusement Of unthinking people. To /
truly appreciate his cleveTness you must /
use your brain and there are so many
persons who insist that they don't want 1
TO think when they go to the theater. All \
such would better stay away from a Bar
RE play"
What VIII be your production Of next
season"
That is undecided Alice is making
such a success and love her so that It
would be a shame to lay her away in
lavender, now wouldn't it? When she be-
cnrnas Iasa rnr,1lar L sEnLL -.-.t..1-I..