Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-12
New National.

The welcome accorded to Otis Skin
| ner last night at the New National
| would have entirely justified Anthony
Bellchamber in considering himself
| Cock O. the Walk" For Mr.. Skinner
new character fits him with the snug
ness of the traditional glove. There
| is the bombastic vanity of probes
sionar' of London who has failed and
doesn't know it-a phase of character
which would be ridiculous except that
| it is pathetic; there Is this jaunty dis
| regard of self-respect which makes
him a persistent invader of the man
| demand a pact" which means for him
| the satisfying of hunger both for
a mbition and bread; there are the ups
and downs of irresponsible impulses
which lead Bellchamber to crib
| meal, save foolish girl from the re-
suits of an escapade of her own
staging and, in the next breath. pro-
| tect from scandal friend. who has
treated him shabbily, in return for a
chance to play "Othello"-each situa-
ton so seasoned with convenient wine
| bottles and f1owings of Shakespearean
quotations as to give to Bellchamber
an air, somehow. of being book Of
not always choice quotations bound.
say, in human skin, and given a soul
by Skinner.
| The first glimpse reveals the cause of
the actors failure, and so humcrously
and pathetically accounts for his OPP
timism of conceit and the self-pity
which leads him to reproach others for
faults that are entirely his own, that
| there is no need for Sir Augustus Con-
yers, manager and actor. to pantomine
the fact that Bellchamber has been
Idrinking. He shows it in every
spruce attempt to hide it-and which
| is far more realistic than his attempts
to simulate intoxication later on when,
surprisingly sober. and having at
tanned his ambition to play "OtheRo."
he pretends intoxication before taking
the grandiose stride to the stage be-
yond.
The story concerns the trials of a
matinee idol beset by foolish girls. Sir
| the alteration of Johanna Bride so far
as to invite her to a Sunday evening
dinner at the River Lawn Hotel, having
also secretly invited her parents. who,
| however, do not come. Jealous little
| Clara Fleckner. discovering her friend
| to be alone with the actor, whom she
also adores. makes the usual use of her
material and in consequence endangers
the success of the Shakespearean birth
| day celebration, which had been in
| dorsed by the church. A quartet Of
| lord bishops and as many theatrical
| managers interested in the celebration
| and urged by Johannes irate father
| meet at the Berkeley Theater to con-
been guilty in his conduct with the
| girl. And it is then that Bellchamber
lies with such splendid oratorical calls
on Shakespeare as to save his friend.
| shield the girl and get in payment his
chance to play "Othello."
Vernon Steel. as Sir Augustus. was
aristocratically conceited and at least
wholesomely grateful to his bibulous
old friend sand each lord bishop was a
study: the tat old prelate, who was so
deaf that he did the only wise thing by
falling placfdly asleep; the busy bishop.
| who had to hurry to get to a meeting
of orphan idiots; the austere one, who
| felt that a theater was no place for the
cloth to be, and the wholesome and
friendly bishop. who was also SEN
sfble man. made up group that might
have been created by DicKens-a COM
pliment which belongs alike to Henry
Arthur Jones and to Kenyon Musgrove,
John Rogers. Harry Dodd and John
Gibbs, who portrayed the roles Janet
Dunbar. as the gushinsly innocent girl
who lost hef head over the matinee idol
| before hers heart found Jack" was
played with sweet. naturalness, and the