The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-20
Sour Mrs. McChesney" Her
First Such Chance in
Several Seasons.
AT THE LYCEUM

Ethel barrymore returned to the Ly-
ceum Theatre last night and faced an
audience OF numerous and enthusiastic
friends. Her latest apparition was Alto
gether different from thai which pre-
ceded 1t at the Empire Theatre last
spring. Miss Barrymore was not in the
least like the suffering Berthe Trconier
Of The Shadow" passing her life like
a modern st. Simon Stylites in a chair.
On the other hand she wac n brisk
business woman In Our Mrs. McChes.
ney.' n play BY George Hobart. The
names OF Miss Barrymore and Mr.. Ho-
bart do not at once assimilate In the
public mind But 1t must be borne In
mind that the playwright did no more
than nah the drama from Edna Fer
ber's book Roast Beef Medium"
Miss Barrymore was the successful
heroine OF the book. appearing In scenes
Va widely separated as the Obj of a
hotel in Sandusky, Ohio. the New York
headquarters Of the Featherloom Petit
coat Company and an apartment on
Riverside Drive. These three acts are
divided into Ave scenes and Miss Barry
more IL surrounded by a long list of the
characters who have been in the ages
of Edna Ferber's stories as they ap-
peared serially. The actress has not
been placed in an environment 80 en-
tirely humorous In years, and since Clyde
Fitch wrote for her Captain Jinks' she
has not had an American comedy.
star Delights Admirers.
Miss Barrymore was a delight TO her
admirers as she looked again her lovely
and youthful self. She acted with her
unfailing sense of humor and gave dis
tinction to all the scenes in which she
appeared. Her denotement Of pathos in
the scenes with her son was exquisitely
sensitive. 1t cannot be said that the
performance corresponds to the impress
sion as to what a business woman is and
to that degree II Is not. an impersona-
ton.
But Miss Barrymore was not the usual
female drummer but an uncommonly
successful woman in her field. SO IL
is probably true mat she must have been
AS much OF an exception to her type.
Whether she was repelling the advances
OF the too pushing admirers in her own
line OF business in the first act or deal
with her executive stan after she be-
came a partner in the Featherbloom
P%etticoat Company she was equally
charming. And she was taking part in
a most amusing and human play.
1t has rarely happened that she has
been seen as the central figure In a
drama which is composed for the most
1 Dt1N III tnt slhnk vi lht uEtkS dftu Shltl
trade. Had there been nothing else in
the three acts OF Our Airs. McChesney''
there would have been little TO admire,
But from the fat typewriter, amusingiy
portrayed by Gwendolin Piers. to the
youthful son. which Donald Gallaher
acted Will a skill which showed his
youthful talent has not faileI him in
maturer years, the characters abou,
Miss Barrymore were sketched with in
fallible effectiveness.
Interesting Group of Types.
There were the little showgirl. who
became the wife of this son, incarnated
irresistibly by kola FISHER. and the fat
commercial salesman. whom W. IA, st
John played to the life. " well as the
Western buyer, grotesquely represented
by Anita Rothe, and the thieving cashier
acted feelingly by Carree Clarke. to I'll
up the long list OF types. For this
dramatic version OF Roast Beef Me-
dium' is altogether q play OF com
merciai types, Just as was Potash q
Perlmutter,' which II much resembles
in its general style.
Miss Barrymore was pursued through
the play by the loving proprietor of the
E'eatherbloom P%etticoat Company, agree
ably acted by william Boyd, and she OF
course saved him from bankruptcy by
her success in what one OF the charac-
ters called craftsmanship and wher
she ultimately accepted him il was In
n novel scene In which she was prepar'
ing an apartment for her son and hif
young wife. 1t was only In the first
scen. OF the Anal act that the interest
Of the audience tagged. Then Miss
barrymore was on the stage but fol
only a few NUT But the brief
lapse did not interfere with the com
pkete success OF "Our Mrs. McChesney'
as an entertainment. n its most allur'
ing feature was Miss Barrymore, who !,
once more restored to her public In thu
Irresistible form that 1t learned TO loV'
her first.