New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-26
YEARS Of DISCRETION
Comedy by Frederick and Fanny
HattOn Seen at BelaSC0'S.
EFFIE SHANNON CHARMS
Play Has Interesting Theme,
but Is Worked Out To Be Only
Theatrically Effective.


woman Of fifty. Unfortunately the clever
authors OF Mr. BelascO's latest produc-
ton have not given more than glimpse
Of what those possibilities are. They
have made. however. play that is the
stIically very effective. especially I'm hs
first two acts.
| When the woman OF nfty-to he quite
accurate. she IL -eight-enters In the
first act and declares to an open-minded
friend that she IS going 10 steam out from
the doldrums OF middle age, a fresh note
OF interest is struck. Every one has for
some time been noticing the young wom-
an Of nfty-every one but the playwright
and ripple Of pleasure spread through
the house last night at the prospect or
discussing her
! Mrs. Farrell Howard came 10 New fork
from her Broohlne, Mass, home rather
dowdy with hair worn In Puritanic Knot
and with the back Of her dress unhooked
The last item goes against the grain 10
record II was one of Mr.. Belasco's ever
lasting details which got what 1t was ar
ranged fora laugh Mrs. Howard is o
wealthy widow and gentlewonan' &C
cording TO the lines Of the play. When
she rebels from the respectable and IN
effective seclusion Of middle age in her
| Boston suburb and comes 10 Now YORK
to seek youth. fashion and trouble. she
finds them all during her months visit at
the rcsplendent home Of Mrs. Margaret
| Brinton.
Three men fall violently. and sometimes
it seems dangerously. I'm love with her
She dresses exquisitely I'm tho latest
whims Of fashion, dyes and pOilshes her
grayish hair roughcs her cheeks and lps
and stays her figure within hairs
breadth 81 endurance. She firts. dances
and behaves as much like an enthusiastic
debutante as possible and finally, after
becoming the talk Of the town and scan
dalzing her superbachelor son. She mar
ries the dashing young cavalier Of fifty
Christopher Dallas. with whom she has
fallen seriously IN love.
Just after the Wedding however. some
thing terrible happens. She discovers she
is old and begins TO have morbid hank
ering for her knitting. More than that
she wants TO wash her face. 10 have heI
/ hair gray again and take on her Corsats.
She breads the honeymoon trip around
The world that both ~ them have planned
so eagerly She summons courage 90 toil
her bridegroom these sickeniuG details,
[ but instead Of his climbing the rose
strewn garden wall and boiling .o r"ioiu
his world of youth and iov he takes ont
{ his spectacics with "a sigh Of relief. adj
m.ts ne has rheumatism ana losses asst To-
the steamer tickets that many a man and
woman Of sixty iu The audience would be
glad to get
How much aMuseJ VIII the women Of
! forty-cight rer,abouts be over this COM
cGv' u IS hard TO tell. From the unmis-
taxable sounds ~ delight from every part
Of the house during the witty and spark
ling Period Of rebellion there Il no room
for DOUBT that the middlc-aged woman as
a social butterfly is a distinct popular
I success
II was mc,itabl, that there should boz
fall I'm the interest during the old home
stead scene in the Brookline garden in
the last act. Anyone can be- old and
.uturelcss even at twenty-five 10 takes
either courage or genius to he Young and
;ull Of jOv al any age. but when one can
he SO at nifty 1t is triumphant.
| The play. however. does not take itself
seriously. and. OF course. should not be-
PIT at the disadvantage 81 being dis
cussed seriously. 1t merely had golden
opportunity to make thoroughly worth
while point. and il j. hard not 20 feel
! impatient al the disregard ~ d.
The first two acts are thoroughly en-
tertaining They are Gnc and false and
spirited They play with love and dip
toward a strong maturity Of feeling ana
passion IS swift-nying blvd swoops ana
rises The lines sparkle
I'm all a-nutter," murmurs the widow
at the approach Of the first eager man
Lord love YOU. futter my way cries
the Irish statesman.
I'm a varietist," explains another
lover, when she asks him if he is msr-
ried.
If The lines sparkle, no le-a uocs Ellie
Shannon as the incompatible widow from
| Brcokline. The delightful actress 10 at
her best In this part requiring as
f. does considerable variety Size was
quite the right one from a country full
/ OF players 10 represent The Young woman
! Of fftv. She personally. Is aecless. a
IS her whimsical sense of comedy Bruce
McRae was a delight I'm the part Of the
lrishman. Lyn Harding bore himself with
a pleasing sincerity and vieor. Robert
! McNade as the varietist, put himself
over without a doubt. In the part Of
a respectfully gerrulOus butler f. NJ
Holland was just right. The con-
pany Is an exceptionally good one FOR
comedy-perhaps for anything. II has
! exactly the personnel t,tat could play In
repertory and gain a following here
As entertainment. the first two acts
of Years of Discretion. are capital AS
2 play the whole thing is tricky and not
right But the playing las great finish.
CAST or YEARS OF DISCRETION
Christopher DALLAS ............... Lyn Harding
| Michael oyle................... Bruce McRae
! John strong ...-...-.. ........ Herbert Kelley
| Amos Thomas ........... Robert McWade. &c.
Farrell Howard. jr............. Grant Mitchell
| Metz. ............. .-........... ~ VI. Holland
| Mrs Farrell Howard ........... Ellie Shannon
! Mrs Margaret RtintOn. Alice Putnam
| Anna Mcrkel. ................. Mabel Buuyea
| Lilly Newton ..-..... Ethel Petit
| Bessie Newton. ........... Grace EdmOndston
SOMEWHERE ELSE" SEEN