Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-30


II the theatre going public Of America has
the slightest instinct of self-preservation In
its present very much diluted blood II will
crowd Miss Grace George with audiences
and plaudlts. For she has done more than
give us delightful performance OF
Americas wlttiest comedy, The New York
Idea" She has just finished giving Broad
way. and incidentally the Road, an exhibi-
tion of the practlcabllity of the repertory
system as a life-saver to plays, public and
managers.
Doubtless very few OF the many who had
q good time at the Adelphi last night knew
or appreciated Miss Georges work in pre-.
senting Ave standard comedies this season,
but their enjoyment was just as keen for all
that.
Memories and comparisons were in order.
Memories of The New York Idea" when
Mrs. Fiske first acted II decade ago and
Of the English comedy, "A Pair OF silk
Stockings" which just preceded II at the
Adelphi. Comparisons of the acting of 10
years ago and today, and Of the play OF 10
days ago and now.
As for memories Mr.. Mitchell's play
for all the ephemerillty OF divorce---is stlll
fresh with live people and live lines. The
Judge who In prepared to "cross-questlon the
Creator; Cates-Darby, with his same old
usual question: VIII you have me II she
dont7"; Vida mo head no heart, all lam
guor and loose; Mrs. Karslake, the sport
ing woman who draws back at the last from
consecutive polyandry"; the Reverend
Matthew, whose clerical head easily mas
ters the intricacy of "She divorced him--in-
compatibility--Rhode Island. He divorced
her-desertion-Neva what a delicious
crew! Each chock full of Mr.. Mitchells
wit, and yet each just little bit his own
self for all that. The puzzle is. are char
acters or playwright the more delightful?
The memories OF "A Pair of SILK Stock
ings" are pleasant, because for once they
iii
Englishman at polite comedy, Cyril Har-
court put some delightful lines into his play,
but they are not superior in quality or
quantity TO Mr.. Mltchells. and Mr.. Mitch
ellis play has the supreme virtue of In
genious dramatic construction which pro-
duces real plot and weds the clever lines
to It,
AS for acting, comparisons, like most
odious things, are extremely useful and In
teresting to those who aren't their victims
They show plainly enough that Bruce Nc
Rae is a far more amusing comedian than
Mr. John Mason, who first played the SPORT
Ing husband; that Ernest Lawford excels
even the admirable George Arlss, because
Cates-Darby is the sporting Englishman at
bottom, not the polished peer that the older
actor presented; that Mary Nash is per-
sonally 80 anything but langud that her
impersonation seems nothing but a mass of
beside Miss Lees; and
finally, that though Mrs. Fiske Is the finest
and almost the only-naturalistic comedi-
enne of America, she is also the least heard
from, while Miss Georges charm continues
to blossom and finds, even hunts up, half
a dozen plays in a single year to sun it.
self in.
Yes, you miss the downright humorous
reality of. Mrs. Fiske, charming as Miss
George always is But you must admit the
admirable handling that the newer star
gave the scene of the orange blossoms and
all of the not too easy last act. And you
must never forget that, though Mrs Fiske
was once the pioneer OF Ibsen, Miss George
is now the actress-manager who has shown
the American theatre a way out of the
wilderness of Broadway and the Road
K NJ.