Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-13

"CEVEN Keys to Baldpate'' lines
- George NJ. Cohan up beside Granville
Barker Nobody knows which will be
more surprised If they ever discover the
JuNtaposition; but there they are-Broad-
way and Kinsway Little johnny Jones"
that was. has come into THE Voysey
Inheritance"
How? Well, about half dozen years
ago London was convulsed in argument
over whether plays We're plays or Just
dramatic entertainments" when they
came from the pens of Shaw and Barker.
BY this time everybody, including the OPP
position, has forgotten that Barker de-
fined play as something that could be
made interesting in a theatre by human
agency. But the stage has come round
to proving it for him.
The farce at the Garricli is no more n
play In the Aristotelian sense than it is
the tragedy 1t threatens to become after
MaNs pistol shot. 1t is a play within a
play; and a comedla dell ante inside
of that. The main body of the action is
divided into two scenes instead of the
three or four acts that are nvariable
nowadays. Finally il busts into exceed
ingly small parts that first axiom of VIII
liam Archer, Professor Baker ct al.-thou
shalt not keep the audience in the dark.
The whole success of the piece depends
on the fact that about five minutes from
the end you find out that not a thing in
tile play is the way you thought it was
And you find it out twice.
4ss
Blessings on Gilbert and Sullivan and
blessings on the repertory idea for bring
ing seven different versions OF De Wolf |
Hopper in two weeks. That sentiment I
would be entirely impossible in the case of I
most of our comedians, Some of them /.
you don't want to see twice i'm "A year: |
most of them you simply can't see twice |
there's only one edition to all their ap-
pearauces Frank Moulan Is Frank Mou-
Ian; Tom McNaughtOn is Tom McNaugh-
ton. But De Wolf Hopper is also the
various kinds of people that Gilbert and
Sullivan invented.
So far Philadelphia has only had four
OF them to considerable dlstraught flag
pole koko, triangular Dick Deadeye, the
judge in Trial by Jury"
and the constable OF THE Pirates of
penzance," so oppressed with duty There
Is Hopper in all four, but there is some-
thing else in each, and that is impersona-
ton.
IN many ways Dick Deadeye, class,
foremast hand and foe to SEN
.iment. is the best of the lot. There
sn't so much fun in him, estimated by
HI gallon; for he has comparatively few
ines. But as to quality! It is a fas-
sinating make-up' the sCraggly beard the
visited mouth, the cOcked-up eyes, the
!
valk-and the voice. Nowhere in all
he seven parts has Mr.. Hopper such a |
hanee for that tone OF vibrant misan-
hropy which is his brightest asset. II
aakes life worth living.
'fMilestones." Arnold Bennett and Ed
Yard Knoblauch's play, which Is 10 be
back 10 Philadelphia next
feek, furnishes us with three different
avs of proposing. The first comes i'm
so, when young John Rhead Is breaking '
18th his ship-building partners because {
aey won't take TO making iron ships \
4hen the break has come. John Is left
lone with the daughter. Rose. OF his I
asered partner
Rose.-I love to see you when you are 4
afhusiaatic l don't think l could bear e
see you beaten.
John.-Wen, then. help me. When you
.ok al me with that trustful look OF
ours l can do anything-an No !
oman's eyes ever had the same effect
4 me. It's only because you believe in
*. (rhen a great light breaks over him.
ad he sinks on one knee) No that isn't
Ie only reason 1t isn't the chief reason.
he chief reason Is that I'm in love with n
lu-there, you have IT, \
Elose.-0hl
John Curious. I've known YOU an \
s life. but 1 wasn't aware OF an that
) meant TO me until these dinlculties
gan. You're essential to me. You can't L