The Washington herald., 1915-10-12
"Cock o. the Walk" Is a
Delightful English Comedy
Otis Skinner Paints His New
Stage Picture with a De-
Eghtful WhimsicaGty, Sense
of Humor, and an Occa-
sional Touch of Pathos
Which Gives 1t a Place
Among His Most Note
worthy Characterizations.
By JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

The tone of the production of Henry
Arthur Jones' new comedy, in whicn
Otis skinner returned to us last night at
the New National Theater. justified the
unique tribute which the program paid
the memory of Charles Frohman. through
its simple announcement of his presenta-
ton of the play, Tor it demonstrates IN
every particular art above commercialism
in the theater for which the late Mr..
Frohman persistenty stood sponsor
rea aching his high ideal i'll point OF con-
struction. Interpretation and mounting.
Charles Frohman presents Otis Skim
ner in the comedy Of character and Situ-
ton. Cock o. the Walk i'm four acts.
by Henry Arthur Jones'. asserts the pro-
gram, and one feels as the play pro-
crosses no inclination to quarrel with the
announcement. so completely is the piece
earmarked by the Frohman spirit. All
through the exquisitely balanced per
furmance last night ] was so impressed
with the feeling that somewhere out IN
that land which the producer termed
The Beautiful Adventure" he must feel
an intense pride that his work sn"A!t.
continue in the theater just as he "oLiu
have continued it. that I have felt I'M
pelled to convey the impression 10 you
even before ! told yoI how delShttli Is
the comedy which the English play
wright has written for the exploitation
of Mr.. Skinner's Incompatible shts'
The Cock O. the Walk is one An
tony Bellchamber. an actor chap of the
Rritisb realm who has escaped the silly
vanities of his professional associates
through an absorption in his art which
leaves small room for aught else bo-
hemian. in spirit bibulous in habits
poetic in temperament: fantastic. 1ovlai.
and iocular, he so dominates the four del
icately satirical acts of the piece as 10
make one unmindful Of the s.ishtnesS OF
the story that Is told.
Bellchamher comes to the managerial
rooms of the Berkeley Theatcr in Lon
don. for the purpose of persuadlnS MS
sometime friend. Sir Augustus ConEerS'
manager-actor. to give him a part in a
new production. an effort in which he is
unsuccessful. until Conyers commits a
slight indisrretion. involving Johanna
Bride. romantic girl who is enjoying
her first experience in hero worShlpln%
Conycrs invites the girl to have din
ner with him at the River Lawn Hotel.
Sunbury where he rCt!rcS every sum
day to reh"arse Hamlet, which he mas
in prcpara ton for the Shakcspearean
celebration planned for the birthday OF
the i''uStrious bard. The actor secretly
invites the girls father and mother TO
ION him upon 1ne Same oICdSlOI. I'Ilhh
ing thereby to turn the matinee devotee
over to her parents and teach her a
lesson. Fond parents fail to put in an
appearance. and after most strenuous
time OF eluding her friend. Clara Fleck-
ner (who is also worShiper OF Con-
yer's), Johanna arrives for the dinner.
alone. Her loveliness quite overWhelms
the actor who has known her only
through her gushing notes heretofore
and there follows scene which is wit
messed by Bellchamber. the Jealous
Clara, and a waitress. who has dramatic
ambitions.
When Clara reports the afair to
Johanna's tyrancal father such rum
pus i raised that the right reverence
support Of several bishops in Conyer :
Shakespcarean celebration is threatened
to be withdrawn, until Bellchamber bar
gains with Cunyers to clear his name
of suspicion by appearing as witness
before the scandalized gentlemen If. IN
return for his services, Conyer will alter
his plans. substituting "Othelo Tor
Hamlet" in the Forthcoming event. al
lowing Bellchamber to play the title role.
The fourth act of the comedy finds us
with the triumphal Bellchamber IN his
dressing room at the Berkeley Theater
Cock O the Walk in more than name
",
friended awakcns from her unhealthy
dream and gives her heart TO deserr-
ing chap.
In his new stage creation Otis Skinner
paints a picture which will undoubtedly
take its place among his most note
worthy characterizatiOnS. Into his Wis
ualization of the bibulous actor II"
weaves all the characteristics typical of
the real Oh"mian-tcmperamen Scner-
uSity. and that rare sympathy which is
AN earmark of great nature-painting
his portrait with a delicate whimsicalitT
and keen sense of humor which rounds
it into a splendid portrayal
In his mana agerial magnates of the
British metropolis Mr.. Jones has en-
bodied the idiOsyncracies commonly
acquired by tn" type of actor and
manager in London. who is lionized
by the peeraGe. furnishing in these
characterize tions. as we'll in those
Of the four bishops interested in the
unfit of the stage. a continuous sa-
tiricai vein that kept last evenings 5
large audience quietly chuckling
throuc'Iout the performance.
Portraying these characters Vernon
Steei gives an excellent performance
as Sir August Conyer, the matinee
idol. while the other three managers
as played by Walter F. Scott. Walter
Gibbs and Frederick NJ. Conklin are
entirely satisfying.
The bishops are splendidly pic
tured by KeHH on Nusgrave. John
Rogers. Harry Dodd and John Gibbs.
while Reginald Barlow gives suf-