New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-29
THE CAST

Miss Barrymore returned 10 the Empire
several seasons. and was greeted with sf-
fectlonate warmth by an audience quite
as much interested in Miss Barrymore
herself as in what she might appear In.
although many had doubtless read the
novel from which c. Haddon Chambers
has made his play.
This novel was Anne Douglas Sedg-
wicks "Tante." a story OF a great pianist,
the traditional grande artistic" brought
up an hattery and adulation. always act
ing a part. and with a capacity for fool
ing other people only equalled 10y her ca
pacity to fool herself-a Satire picture OF
her egoisms and the amusement and
trouble she caused in her curious little
world.
\ play must stand on its own feet in
the theatre. OF course. and take It's
chances with the average audience who
cannot be expected TO know whether the
author got his material from book or
dug II out OF his own head. Merely by
way Of understanding what her adapter
and Miss Barrymore had to work from
however. II may be said that the pianist
Nine. Okraska. was the daughter OF a
Polish music master who ran away with
his pupil, a beautiful New Orleans Creole
She was a slumberng volcano, soft and
enchanting when at peace. but a creature
OF many and tempestuous moods. Miss
Sedgwck thus describes her early in the
story:
She was woman OF forty-eight Of
an ample though still beautiful figure.
Her flowing dress of white brocade made
no attempt 10 compress, to sustain or TO
alternate. No one could say that a
woman who stood as she did. with the
port OF a goddess-the small head, ma
jestically poised over such shoulders and
such breast-was getting fat; yet, no
one could deny that there was redun-
dancy. . She subjugated and she
appealed Her adorers were divided be-
tween the longing TO lie down under her
feet and to fold her protectingly I'm their
arms The whole audience was for
her one vast heart OF alteration. one fixed
face Of half-hypnotized tenderness"
There are many words I'm the ordinary
novel and plenty OF time. and before
Page 429 is reached the reader doubtless
knows Mime. Opraska and understands
her perfectly. There are few words on
the stage and no time TO stop and eX-
plain things-a difference between a book
and "a play based on book. which has
perhaps been often enough set forth-and
IL must be confessed that for two acts. at
least, of Mr.. Chambers's play the spec
tator has 10 take II for granted that
Nine. Opraska is such-and such a person,
rather than see her character expressed
in action on the stage.
He gathers that she is a pianist and a
parsonage. selfish and given to crocodile
smiles and tears but Of any background,
any solidity and warmth there is little or
nothing Nor did Miss Barrymore assist
very much in this part Of the story; in
deed, she rather did the other thing. with
her frequent way OF not acting the part SO
much as standing outside II, so to speak
and Joining with her audience in lightly
deprecating its quaint hypocrses and
smiling at It's humors In these two
early scenes the admirable unconscious
ness and thoroughgoing workmanlike
fashion in which Charles Cherry played
the part OF the matter-of-fact youns
English barrister, Gregory Jardine-s
very sympathetic part, to be sure-was
about the only solid thing the audience
had to hold to.
Toward the close Of the third act, how.
ever, where Tante. on finding thai
Gregory Jardine is getting the better OF
her, promptly and with perfect grace
drops fainting on the sofa. and a moment
later is told by her faithful but unde
ceived old watchdog. Mrs. Talcott, TO ge
up. and does get up-here Miss BARRYMORE
had her chance and accepted ii skilfully
She got into the part at last. and thu
scene between the two-the spoiled artist
half fooling herself with her own wiles