Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-26

snt time
'swoman. the unoonduerabio. the lrrepres.
,lble. the indispensable" as Juliet Miller.
Ers,whlls Susan, oloc,rionlst from ohio.
wife and then widow Of Barnaby Drcnry.
40 aptiy puts It--oh Mrs Flske. aren't
chrIs,nases terrible enough for critics. with
twlce two shows daily" that you must add
the deilclously difficult labor OF describing
opce again your magnificent art7
And yet n different art, different not alone
from the level reaches OF mediocrlty in the
theatres about you. but different each time
from what you have given us before. The
name fIlrt OF the hand across the eyes tho
same swift lnnuendo in the voice. the same
hard unturnable drive at the very meat
a each situation; and yet something fresh.
romething in hand and voice that makes a
new dramatic creation.
This time the author has helped by sup
plylnR YOU na lecturer on such advanced
matters Ito the inhabitants OF Relnhartz
station, Pal as female voting" and that
yexed problem of propagation, "energetics."
with a fno supply OF phrases and attitudes
ot about the vintage of the amazing coz
tunes which your Susan seems to have
drawn from her theatrical past In Cedar
Center In. And, since the stage Is the stage
and your comic earnestness Is all your own,
those wel-worn phrases and attitudes OF
the woman who thinks every one OF her sex
sound In mind and body, Hhould have the
fiEht 10 one child, "and no questions asked" )"
arc tho very breath OF novelty.
hen the background OF Pennsylvania
Dutch. you must admit. Is something OF n
ioil. The utter lack OF even animal cheer
fulness. let alone kindness or spirituality
in such men at Barnaby Dreary. sets on
your fine temper quite as we'll his wom-
ans-place- the -washtub point OF view sets
on your own triumphant demonstration (ofr
The stage and on) OF the high qualities OF
feminism. And one OF these OF course. In
any actress is your ability to play up TO
the ironic absurdities OF such a heroine
Susan Just as much as to her fine moments
and clear spirit.
So you give just the right touch OF pride
10 the long vowels OF 'menayge" and
eelyte" and handle with all the casual em-
phasis OF urban uplifters illusions to your
municipal theatre out in Iowa and the
Hcommunity center which you will found
III the heart OF benlghted Dutch Pennsylva-
MA when you have married a terrible old
child-beating miser and placed yourself on
the inside of the earthworlis' You carry
ihis family with high hand indeed When
you suggest to the son who Is risSing a
tonsil with his dinner knife, Let me choose
the weapons" your infection is as sure as
lily portraits with THE Rock OF Ages" The
Three Graces." landscape and one OF those
things said to be still life, though they look
. long time dead.
Then your art rises beyond the authors,
past the comedy OF odd things and odd
people. to tho "comedie humaine.' to the
pltIful realities of our love and our hate
and our sorrow. You who have settled
upon finding daughter as well as work
BY your marriage, meet the poor little brow
beaten, mind-mangled Barnabetta and learn
her fear even OF you, and without a word
you call us to sorrow with you.
We forget the authors routine naivete
Just as quickly in the marvellous way in
which you handle that old old seeond-act
climax when you snatch away his whip be-
fore Barnaby can strike his daughter. Like
tho best things In this little play and all the
things In your own acting. II Is the essence
of that fine rare element. the tragl-comic.
And now. to all that you have done upon
the American stage and here In "ErstwhIle
SUSAN" you add - elocuton. Is II not
enough that you should fascinste, thrill, di-
vert, move, by gesture. intonation ex-
preston and by some subtle something that
eoes behind them all? Why must you add
that thing OF which your critics have prated
70 you SO ceaselessly-the crisp, measured,
lntelllgible. oh, elaborately ineligible
word7 Just 10 prove how deliciously anus
Ing it-Rnd all their past pratings-really
arel X. NJ