The Washington times., 1914-04-14
NATIONAL

1t is given to few people to so play
funeral march that 1t adds the one
triumphant note needed to proclaim
the complete success of their own
career. And Yet when the curtain
fell on the last act of ''Tante" at the
National Theater last night. with
Ethel Barrymore swaying over the
grand piano laundering out the
sonorous minor chords, one afer the
other. each person in the audience left
the house convinced he had just wit
messed wonderful performance. He
had. And 1t was the kind Of a per-
formance that is seldom seen and
thoroughly understood in q theater.
Or course. 1t was a foregone con-
clusion that anyone who made the
effort to see Miss Barrymore would
De rewarded by a pleasant evening
an evening profitablv spent. But last
night was an unusual evening. even
Tor Barrymore performance.
1t would be enough, ordinarily. for
even an unusually gifted actress to
De successful in Interpreting an artiS-
TIC temperament to the satisfaction
OF an audience made up of individuals.
each OF whom had his own concep-
tlon or such a character.
AAS Al Aoulc SulIllcS.
But for a woman who is the mother
OF three perfectly human babies to at
tempt the job and get away with it, and
at the same time merge the erratic
state of mind Of the temperamental per-
son with the vagaries of a most severe
cold-that is real art. And that is pre-
cisely what Miss Berrymore did to
the perfection of the Barrymore reputa-
ton and the wonder and delight Of a
whole theater full Of people last night.
1t is probable that the first nights
performance won't be repeated again
this week. Miss Barrymore probably
will take something for the cold, which
will leave her free and fit to wrestle
with "Tante's" moods unhampered. 1t
will not be possible for her again to use
four fresh handkerchiefs with such art
that more than four-fifths Of the people
who see her do 1t will think they are
properties Of the piece she is playing.
1t is accomplishment enough for an
artist to make ."Tante'' possible on
the stage-but when one does a .'Tante'
that sniffles, a ''Tante'' with a red nose
and unrest.ained tear ducts and makes
of her a real. a wonderful. characterize
tion-that is nothing short of an ar
tistic triumph.
Perhaps it is entirely wrong to make
so unpleasant a thing as a cold play
SO important part in review Of a
drama. Perhaps. a regular, honest-to-
goodness critic wouldn't stoop to such
that caught our attention as soon as
we were done wondering at the great
ness Of Miss Barrymore's art and versa
tility.
Play Better Than Book.
II ia probably also enthusiasm of an
uncritical kind that leads this reviewer
to say "Tante," the play. is better than
'Tante." the book. Madame Mercedes
okraska, pianiste. selfish, in constant
tantrums over one thing or another,
self satisfied to an extreme. and at the
same time human. is very d:fhcult
character to put on the stage. c. Had
don Chambers has done much for Mrs.
Anne Douglas Sedgewick's novel, just
deal for c. Haddon Chambers play.
"Tante" is a term of affection applied
to Madame Okraska by her intimates-
and friends. It is the term of endear-
adopted. whose husband she estranged
from her, and who finally found her
out-and went back to the husband. And
Miss Barrymore realizes all the possi-
bilities Of the art-realiZes them even
when called upon to treat with such an
extraneous thing as a cold.
Supporting her In the part the authors
created was an unusually good COM
pany that included Charles Cherry. Mrs.
Whiffen, William Ingersoll, Eileen van
Biene. Haidee Wright, E. Henry Ed
wards. Frank Mccoy. Mabel Archdall,
and Frances Mccoy. But with all the
assistance these people were capable OF
giving her-and they were especially
canahle people, too-Niss Barrymore
was compelled TO wrestle with the most
important thing herself. She was the
only one in the company who had d
cold. GARDNER MAIN.