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


| sketch artist OF British society With Leech
and Tenniel he ranked high among the ac-
| complished topical craftsmen OF the Lon
don Punch. His literary achievements were
| confined almost entirely to elaborated cap
tions for his delightful drawings An Illus
| traitor OF fluent technique. his art had aug
| mented the appeal of several fctonal
masterpieces notably the Henry Esnond"
| OF Thackeray. Apart from his pictures, Du
| Maurier, was regarded as AZ. engaging con.
versationalist, good fellow" polished
gentleman. He had intense appreciation or
music, particularly opera. He was chronic
theatregoer, an omnivorous reader. To his
charming household near Hampstead Heath
came the most prominent contemporary
| figures In "the seven arts"
Henry James was visitor one day. The
conversation turned on novelists. Du
Maurler lamented his inability TO write, at
the same time confessng that his imagina-
ton often suggested fertile material for
fiction. As an instance he outlined the
romance of "Trilby." You may use II II
you WISH he told the author of Daisy
Miller" James protested. The story was
not in his line.
why not try II yourself?" he urged Du
Maurier pleaded utter Incompetence but
when his guest had departed, encouragement
! from recognized authority proved unex-
pectedly stimulating To the novelist, how
ever the imaginative artist had not mar
rated his favorite tale. Beside tho "Trllby"
notes lay the Peter Ibbettson" packet.
Affectionately he conned the latter and
within few hours. after having timorously
introduced himself as poor scribe" the
opening chapters of a masterpiece had been
penned.
The published "Ibbettson," illustrated by
the author with rare sympathy. was
gratifying success, though hardly sensa-
tion. That came later when James's sug-
gestion was literally executed and "Trilby"
carried the fame of Du Maurier as a writer
! throughout the English-speaking world.
| The melodramat'c portions of the book.
| though comparatively little OF Its most
| compelling charms. lent themselves effect
! veIy to the stage. Paul Potter's drematiza-
tion was triumphantly acted In Britain
| by Beerbohm Tree and in America by
Wilton Lackaye and Virginia Harmed.
After an interval appeared The Mar
| tian,' n work replete. as its predecessors
| had been, with unbridled day dreaming but
| quite unprovocative of any craze" as
| "Trilby had been. Financially. the story
was accounted a failure. The circle of
| the authors admirers narrowed. Du Maur-
! Ter ceased to be "A popular topic. His
three extravagant stories. differing in ex-
| ternal incidents. but all precisely similar
| in atmosphere and tender appeal, retained
the affection of sensitive spirits of an
elder generation. The vast new reading
| public, avid for best sellers was gener-
| ally Indifferent to the stir provoked by
'"Trilby" and ignorant of the merits of
| any Of the triogy
DUT where the old allurement ala pre-.
ID vail It was as inextnguishable as It
was. usually. repressed Some twenty
years ago John ]. Raphael. witty Paris
! correspondent of the London Referee.
conceived the startling idea of adapting
Peter Ibbettson." probably the finest of
the three stories, for the stage. After
significant consultation with Du Maurler
! the difficult feat, save for a few finishing
| touches was performed The technical
handicaps in such a piece. largely depend,
ent on dream scenes and basing It's appear
| on ouickening the sense OF happy pathos"
| In the past, staggered the COMPREHENSION
| Of commerc' al managers
| The footlght "Ibbettson" was regretfully
laid aside. Possibly 1t would never have
| been heard Of had not Mr. Raphael en-
| countered Constance Collier at London
| dinner marty during the first year of the
war. He amazed her with the statement
! that a dramatized "Ibbettson" was not
mere fanciful IDEAL but a nearly accom-
! plished fact. A little editing completed the
I achievement.
| Obstacles to production. however were
still formidable. Every London impresario
| refused the piece. Finally. with assistance
| of some friends Miss Collier put 1t on for
"A single special performance at His Ma
| iesty's Theatre for the benefit of the Allied
| forces DdSe nOSpltdl l'lD, n
| select audience rapturously received tho
| play in which Peter was acted by owen
| Mares Colonel Ibbettson by Henry Ainley
| and Mary Duchess of Towers. by Miss Col.
lier herself No question of the artistry
of the presentation was admissible, but
| the financial solution Of the problem seemed
| no nearer than before.
| A few months later Miss Collier offered
| the play to David Belasco william Fav-
ersham. George Tyler and many ether
American managers. They admired its
| beauty but they couldn't see Il" from the
| box office angle. To Lee Shubert who
finally consented TO sponsor the production
| the indefatigable "Du Mauran" did not
even attempt to read the piece. She simply
| epitomized the tale. accenting its intangible
| loveliness. expatiating on its throbbng hu-
manity 70 which other auditors had been
| blind merely because fantastic machinery
| was employed II is highly likely that Mr.
| Shubert had never read the romance, and
was thus unhampered by preconceived
prejudices on the subject of a dramatiza-
| ton. Be that as It may. the recital moved
him. He consented TO "see the thing
| through"
| At THE rehearsals, involving the most
| "A exacting demands on the technique of
| modern lighting and stage direction Of the
most expert type. suddenly appeared n
band OF "Ibbettson" enthusiasts whose af-
| fection had been submerged for years AL
| most daily at the Republic Theatre could
be found Maude Adams with her cleo
| trician; John Drew. Billie Burke. William
| Faversham. Joseph Urban Edward Sheldon
the dramatist: Arthur Hopkins the i'm
| presario. Artistic co-operation Of the most
| deal rnaltv was d'sniaved NGthwith.
standing all this 'mothe-'nr" however
| much OF the deleicate mechanics OF the
niece WAS snn''ed nv clumsy stagehands on
the night OF the premiere
| But the potency of "unfettered dav dream
| and rose-colored rem'niscence "adorned bv
the fine h'str'onic achievements of Miss Col
Uer John barrymore TiCnel BARRYMORE and
| Wallis Clark. altoeether transcAnded the
fell influence Of defects that would have
wrecked an ordinary production. peter
Thhettson" neglected for twenty years-Mr
Raphael himself did not live 20 see his pIsy v
| preserted-completelv counter-attacked all
| its critics A second performance brought
tuperb technical polish and within a fort-
night an artistic success had become aIso
| a precious financial asset
The moral Of this chronicle Is staRe,a nd's
familiar slogan. You Never Can Tell. Sc
| perhaps the Du Maurier magic NAV even