The Washington times., 1915-03-02
NATIONAL.

Some day. tho knowing warn you.
Shaw's perversitics will grow com
monplace, his sharp and singing
drives at conventions will begin to
lhatten, his whimsicalities will spend
| themselves. Perhaps. But far from II
in "Pygmalion." ''a'
Not since "The Doctors Dilemma"
not even In "Fahny's First Play" was
the cracking. bristling, piquant quail
ity of his wit SO direct and sure. Not
since then has he assembled in a
single play such a galaxy Of curious
characters from whose mouths to di-
rect the cross FIRE OF his raillery, and
not for some years has he had pro-
duction, In this city, which so ade-
quately met the demands of his pun
gent lines.
| Cecil Chesterton undertook to "in-
terpret g, Bernard to National
auqience In lecture recently. That
must have caused the Irishman to
chuckle. But Mr.. Chesterton's con-
tention that, next to bull fight, the
pubic dearly loves a debate, and that
shaw simply drAmatizes red hot de-
oates. found exemplincation in 'Tyg-
malion.' as 1t was presented at the
National Theater last evening.
| Ihe war OF words. a Gatitng gun
| iusi''ade or them. kept the audience
Keyed 70 a high pitch Of interest, and q
more hilarious sort OF mirth than is
usually accorded the Shavian form OF
cialist. fired the scientists arguments;
Eiiza Doolittle. ragmuffin. shot back
shaits as deliciously apropos as she was
delIcionsly dirty" Colonel Pickering
.srsd t,emsa ne Sromides Of the English gen
H'gg,ns summarized the conventional
philosophy OF the weIl-bred lady:
FREDDY EynsfordHill giegled in the
sen-satisfied amusement OF tho SNUG
for the novel: Mrs. Pearcc. iandlady'
sputtered the futile protests OF outraged
proprfety. and Alfred Doolittlc pro.
| nounced the delicious satire by which
shaw ridicules the arguments OF one
class py putting them verbatim in the
| mouth OF scion OF another class
Shaw hangs this biting satire and keer
irony on the story OF young man who
vaiiantIy undertakes the task Of pass
Ing or a ragged flower girl for a
duchess IN six months time. phonetics
ie the magic transformer he employs for
inc task. Your speech. he whimsically
premises. is the point on which the
world VIII judge you. And then. with a
! characteristic touch. tho young wonar
enters the stage OF London society wher
| somewhat ragged. and has those who
hear her initiating her lngual lapses /,
tho belief that this is new sort OF
small talk"
The scientist affords Shaw tho vehicle
for his beloved satire upon science
and out OF the mouth OF the scjentis,
come the arguments which prove ht
has overlooked the science Of whicl
Sha" himself Is a great exponent. tina,
OF human nature The rascaIly fathe,
Of the flower girl. self-styled one o.
! the 'undcservinG poor" sets forth tn,
arguments by which tho idle rich" JUS
tfy extraVagant pranks. to prove tha
he - giving emnloyment TO others witt
his Saturday night 'sprec'' on a ave
pound note
Philip Merivale vas the scientist
Henry Higgins. and his acting combined
delightful blend OF nonchalance witt
an exaggeration that accorded with hi,
lines
Mrs Patrick Campbell has developed
one OF the best roles OF her career, al
the more surprising because II is not a
all In her usual manner Edmund Cur
ney's flexible and mobile voice exactI,
symbolized the ccl-likc quality of Doc
mites morals, and Algernon Grcig sat
irizcd In action. rather than In words
the callo~ youth Of extreme sophisti
cation.
Settings OF unusual excellence provid
| ed an unexpectcd feature Of the Shaw
play. and the scenery OF "Pygmalion'
Is much more than ten square feet I,
argue upon. sometimes thought to b.
all that Is needed for Shaw play. Th,
rain storm at Covcnt Garden In whiri
' the play opens was particularly effec
tive. And wonder Of wonders for Sha "
the play calls for real, pulsating. vi
orating. taxicab. right before YOU
eyes. j. r. II.