Evening star., 1916-12-03


- as many genuine f1rst-time-
on-any- stage presentations as
formerly, it is still a favorite place
for early exploitation after the prelim-
mary rough edges have been smoothed
out by a few nights in Hartford. Scran-
ton or Atlantic City The National
Capital is permitted to behold the bud
Of genius half expanded and to in
dulge in prophecies as to whether the
full blossom will be an American
beauty or jimson weed.
1t was the actor rather than the au-
thor who dominated interest at both
the Beasco and the National. Marie
Nordstrom. in the pretty love farce at
the BelaSco, was called upon TO display
a-series of transitory shadings OF eX-
preston calling for so much technlcal
skill that interest in the story threat
ened to become lost in admiration or
her exceptional personal abilities In
the midst of whirlwind of eXtrava-
giant fun sense of intellectual re
performance is we'll worthy the atten-'
tion in serious mood of every student
OF histrionic expression Mr.. Snlth,
who wrote the play, good -humoredly
caricatureS a certain lack OF culture
that still fourishes in more or less
remote sections of this continent, and
the process of burlesque has evidently
been heightened in the course of the
stage presentation. In satire, though
skillful, he is scarcely a sheridan in
courage. He selects for his literary
lam mbasting only the conventional types
which have served traditionally as OBJ
jectS of humorous attack. The drama
tist today does not sail in as Sheridan
did and hold up to ridicule the types
of humanity which might be inter-
pfeted conspicuously absurd. Like
,Ie h n nd non
servative congregation, your dramatist
lambastes with caution and invites re-
sentiment from no source where re-
taliation would be possible. "Oh. Imo-
gen addresses it's ridicule to the
mawkish sentimentality of girlhood
and points its moral at the expense of
an idealistic old actor who has reared
his daughter in an atmosphere of ro-
mantle imagination. lima gination and
romance scarcely need rebuke.
They seem for the !nolnci,. obscure,
beyond the reach of cenSure. They
scarcely exist even in childhood when
the baby who has turned its prattle
Into coherent speech indulges all too
young in a sneer at Santa Claus 1t
requires much ingenuity. to trounce the
old men of straw about the stage. They
have served their turns as objects of
corrective violence often and again
IT. has become difficult to produce new
demonstrations of righteous wrath that
Will make the heartless police captain
the insidious tempter of virtue more
odtpus than they have already become,
ae general propositions. The same is
true of comedy The errant spouse of
farce and the dowager who fiaunts her
setf in ill-fttng elegancies of speech
and fnery are touched upon only as
abstract quantities in human nature.
Let US pause here for a momentary
spudder.
aHve today and directed his shafts of |
s4tfre at targets as easily recognized |
a&- were those he actually employed?
Itwould be a social riot. |
The fine acting of Otis Skinner con-
sAtutes an entertainment of sincere
worth. A beautiful p.ece of character
shade of temperament vitalized story
which was curiously IN contrast to the
f&r more poetic themes which have as
o rule been handled by this actor. In
the minds of many people Mr. Skinner
is unexcelled as delineator of human
types of the higher and more delicate
yet withal virile quality. The best of
ACTORS should have the best of plays.
Ifringenious preparation for a smas sh-
ing plot-punch constitutes good play
Mister Antonio" is assuredly fine
drama Yet it is hardly a good play for
Ny. Skinner who SO concentrates atten-
tion on the subleties of art in character
Interpretation that the climax which
places a revolver in the hands of an
idiot menacing the lives of all present
until a shot is fired harmlessly into
the air, is an abrupt contradiction of
the appreciative mood which has been
attained by methods of intellectual
dfrcernment and quiet sincerity Mister
ADtonio' as play Is broad melodrama.
TIE title role is presented with such
deft accuracy and such honesty of ap-
peal that the mechanism is forgotten
and the character study stands out in
Triumphant superiority to its surround
inEs. Sometimes the play is the thing
and sometimes the actor has to hold
the stage practically unassisted. That
Mister Antonio" stands forward in at
tention as one of the most interesting
cilaracterizations of the current season
Is perhaps more of credit to the play
erthan would have been an equal tri-
unph in a play more in accord with
the dignity of his previous productions.
PHILANDER JOHNSON.