The evening world., 1915-01-26

TN France wife cannot AFFORD to
be an invalid. At any rate. th's
is what Dar!o Niccodemi ara
Michael Morton take the liberty OF
saying In THE Shadow" seen last
night at the Empire Theatre.
SO far as its universal meaning or
appeal Is concerned. the play may be
easily dismissed in an opening sen-
tence. Paris chooses It's citizens az
cording to season, but playwrights
seize upon Paris whenever II happens
TO suit their fancy. In this instance
the sins OF the playwrights have been
visited upon the niece Of the actor
who made the best Of The Prodisal
Husband" This time II was that star
eyed goddess OF the stage, Ethel Barry
more, who first and last commanded
interest and held her audience in an
emotional grip which gained its
strength from simple, earnest acting
DO you remember the paralyzed,
speechless mother in Eola's "Theresc
,i,souin"? Well. here was a daughter
of that sordd tragedy as Miss Barry
more sat emotionless in her chair
until the doctor closed the doors and
she revealed the miracle Of her recov-
cry by drawing her hands from be-
meath the rug.
The authors must be given credit
Tor a dramatic moment. Their great
debt to the actress, however. was ap-
parent in every move and every
glance and every touch that Miss
barrymore gave to this scene. The
play was forgotten In the actress, who
made 1t seem as real as pain, as pa
tient as suffering. | felt then. as
havc felt before, that II remains foI
Ether Barrymore to strike the big
true feminine note of our stage
Born to the stage. she is steadily COM
ing into her birthright. She fur
rfshed further proof OF this by being
wildly human in THE Shadow"
As for the work OF the authors, tht
play Is largely a discussion. 1t takes
up q subject and talks about II after
the fashion set ny the French, wht
never find time too short for argument
In this land Of the brave we woult
be more likely to go after 1t hammer
and tongs. The wife who has beer
an invalid for six years discovers
when she regains the use OF her limbs
and pays an unexpected visit to hel
husbands studio that he has rcgu'
lated his life to suit himself and he.
come the father of u child by hel
dearest friend. In the end the VIII,
talks to him as a friend and you ar,
left to ask yourself the puzzlini
question: What will these three pco
l., Die be able 10 make of their lives
The curtain comes down on you
and indeterminate. To reach con
!. clusion you would have to move L
France-and you're not thinking o
T. doing that Just now. are you?
g. For Immediate interest, as I have
said, Il was necessary to fall bucI
upon the acting Of Miss Barrymore
who made the wife an interesting ant
appealing character study. She strucl
the maternal note with poignanc!
and depth OF feeling after discovering
the infant in the studio, but ever
more noteworthy was her hard. bit
ter. almost savage attitude towart
the husband and the other woman
Here was a new Ethel Barrymore, ant
Il must be said that the authors CAV,
her more than one opportunity to EN-
phasize phase Of her acting tina
came as a revelation.
Bruce McRae was given little :,
say for himself as the husband
Grace Elliston had at least health Il
fher favor as the woman who tool
tho wife's place. Then there wa
Ernest Lawford as the friend Of tn
family who In always at hand in
play of French life. Interest centres
In Miss Barrymore, and she sustaine,
1t by the sincerity OF her acting.
the play lives she may congratulate
herself upon achieving a miracle
even greater than that performed b.