Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-01-23
ARLTSS RE-CREATES
BARRIE PROFESSOR
Admirable Acting Marks Re-
vival of Sir James's Essay
in the Early Manner
THIN, BUT HOW CHARMING!
A Fine Cast Aids the Talented Star
in His Characterful
Playing

Professor GoodwIiiie. ......,... George Arllss
Doctor yeIioyfiocs; 'GraPht StsTart tTar
Miss Agnes GoodwIllie .......... Mrs. .Ariis5
t;Io pnIt,e. ''''',..'. ....,.',.. MntEerN, Maude
Sir ,,i Gg9Ese g9 Gliding Edgar, Kent
The ,DowaFer Lady Gliding. 'O's Ethel Dane
PStIuers PStnu .'''.'.'...........' Reginald Denny
4s! THE ,RfofeSsqr !, study in in london 4.' IVY wy
George ,Gqld!ns a Tgiloc6mains, in scotland
mains.
"sir Barrie" (as the film coonists in
Los Angeles might say has written n new
play in which stalwart policeman figures
as fairy prince in che eyes of a little
girl one wonders II he knew when he
wrote II, just how applicable to him the
fantastic notion was For Bar lie is both
the policeman and the fairy prince of the
modern theatre. He frightens off the
mediocrities of paywrighting with the in
spred simmer Of his badge of office He
enchants and enchains us who come to
listen and to see with those very same
qualities Of humor and humantty-su
lndehnable, brimmed with whimsies grace
fu', and, one must repeat, Charming
Yes, even in his moods that do not touch
Peter for haunting poetry nor "Leonora'
Tor delicate lingering of character and In
cident, Barrie is still Barrie. From what
other dramatist would one tolerate a piece
that begins with long aside. progresses
through n trifing. though not trivial,
sequence of loosely linked episodes, and per-
mits bad cigars given some one by his sister
to be made the basis of a joke? Does
one tolerate from Mr.. Shaw. for instance,
one set of persons hiding from another and
unnotced. hearing the talk on the other
side Of n field? Does one allow Mr. Barker
to stretch out improbable tale of an
nt-minded scientist and his love-nspr-
II. f,,N I'D
rejoice in the result? These are dispensa-
tions which Barrie does not ask us to dis
pense no takes them boldly and makes
them his own with hundred dainty
touches n score of fetching speeches. q
bit of, drollery about a lady's hat, or the
difference between n single man and \
bachelor. We are trapped in the net of his
spirit, and rejoice in the glad necessity of
our mirth.
This comedy which Mr. Arlss and a
better -than-usual company are playing at
the Broad is as the star said in his little
impromptu speech last night, not the great
est play that Barrie has written. But all
who see It may we'll concur in Barrie's
own opinion that it is amusing, 1t is some
times naive. The machinery of that scene
in the field Is as obvious as toy child
makes for hmself-and as intriguing. The
Professor is as unlikely as the Judge in
"I.eonora"-and as unspeakaby attractive.
as that of "The Comedy of Errors" and
vastly more precious
AS we have said, 1t is extremely we'll
acted Even those who were going to the
Broad in the early hundreds, and who hold
dear the memories of the late Il. S. Willard,
admitted that much. Mr. Arliss is a charm
ing Goodwillie 1t is not n moonstruck man
that he makes of the professor The fine
tints and occasional broad brush strokes of
his talent turn the electrician into a por-
trait of comic appeal, without too much
high light on the lovelorn part of the pic
ture. The gentle voice, the cleverly studied
gesture. the abstraction in furrowed face
and bent form combine in the dreamy whole
of the creature. And for this quiet, careful
impersonation there is excellent company in
the brisk and not too sweet Lucy of Miss
Maude in the bustling Eftie of Miss Pear
son; in the doctors of Messrs, Stewart and
EIdred. and the less important but fully as
spirited sketches by the rest of the cast. It
is a rousng good revival of n play by n
genius To miss it is to miss pearl albeit
a small one) on the rosary of romance,
b. d.