Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-17

to the war for ridding the
M stage Of the so-called Dutch
oomedian Is distinctly in order. Patriotic
eonsiderations in the matter are of rather
secondary Importance. The spluttering
elowns who for several decades bad In
1oatsd our theatre had become intolerable
huisances Boredom was induced not SO
Eucla by individual offenses as By the ap-
railing .nonotony of tho whole procedure
Those notwithstanding 'funmakers" sell
dom sought to interpret character. They
chung obstnately to the dull rigtdity OF
formula that came 10 bear no relation what
ever to actual life. Teutonic types In the
old Edward Harrigan plays were frequently
amusing. They had satrical verify. The
acute author of Reilly anc the -Four Hun
dred,' 'Thc Leather I'atci." and 'Corde-
Has Aspirations" painted his person lges IN
primary colors. but b Dad realism was. his
goaL II was usually attained
In a later period, beginning at about 1882
the playwrights themselves were only as
family concerned with tone se-twisting ihani-
festntions The comedian of the moment
held to a given situation by line exceed
ingly slack. He interpolated his own
scenes In his own way. Anything 70 ge'
q laugh" was the salient plank In MS plat
form Whatever the dramatic ability OF
such writers as Harry b and Robert Smith.
Jobn I McNally, Glen McDonough and
George " Hobart may have been, 1t is clear
that they were very lightly regarded by
the star clown. Weber and Fields, sam
Bernard, Rogers Brothers, Gus ana Max,
and Louis Mann were generally histrionlc
free lances betLre the footlights. Topsy-
turvy English labial splutterings, idiotic IN
versions of simple thoughts delighted the
Kroundlings and consequently gladdened the
box office.
some of these performers were endowed
with considerable artistic gifts, notably Mr.
Fields, whose individuality sometimes rose
above the mass of convention with which
It was hedged But. generally speakins,
their comic methods were saddenlnsiy
stereotyped. This is proved by the hosts
Of imtators which arose throughout stage
land. The Rogers Brothers were paral-
leled in Kolb and Dill. Louis Mann In Dave
Lewis Sam Bernard in Jess Dandy. Mu-
sical comedy minus Dutch" comedian
was regarded with managerial suspicion.
The craze extended to the humber realms
of burlesque. No PARIS Folly company
was considered complete without its cruoe'
persistent "Dinkelspieler.'
Perhaps in time 'sad safety" would have
destroyed the pest, but armed strife Is
n much speeder operation. single season
has emancipated our mimic world. Some or
the results are decidedly strange. inc
dubious privilege of witnessing Jess Dandys
attempts to portray Frenchman was re-
Gently given to Philadelphians when the
hapless Grass Widow" was produced here
His performance was atrocious, but none
the less II provided some relief from the
outmoded routine.
TosEPH CAwTHoRN. in Rambler
d Rose" gives a better exhibit. He is
skillful comedian of ripe experience, ana
his gurgling Teuton!sms were never really
essential to his vehicles. Indeed. In certain
Of the imported English musical plays his
tactics were emph ltically out Of place. Mr.
Cawthorn's magnetism and originality were
worthy Of a more reasonable footlight fash
ion. It is unfortunate. however. that the
welcome reform did not come sooner. The
ghost Of "dinkelspiel" is hard to lay. Ves-
tiges Of Mr.. Cawthorns burlesque Teuton
accent still mar his droll contribution to
the FORESTS current offering. Another sea-
son should remove the curse altogether.
But even with the present handicap. MT
CaWthorn's comcalities are quite the most
diverting features of an innocuous but
rather commonplace musical farce. IL Is
overburdened with inadequate vocalism. to
which pretty Julia Sanderson regrettlb lbly
contributes, and shy of sprightly dancing, IN
which held her abilities ought conspicu-
ously to shine. In ordinary times the
niece would be catalogued as one OF many
musical shows which fail TO dwell riVidly
in the memory. In the present era II may
serve as a useful index 10 theatrical fash
ion. 1t marks the extingV shed vogue OF
the Teutonic fun formula. For this reiief,
much thanks"
tSY AM but q poor scribe" declares Peter
i Ibbettson. He reiterates the confes-
sion and then. guided by the fancy OF
George Palmella Du Maurier. proceeds to
pen one Of the most remarkable romances
Of the late nineteenth century. A stage
version of that singular work is soon to
visit this city. Peter Ibbettson," tho most
astonishing success of recent seasons will
have it's first performance here a week from
next Monday evening at the Lyric Theatre.