Evening star., 1917-02-27
ADJUSTMENTS
New National.

The performance of "Pendennis" a the
New National Theater last night intro
duces John Drew for the first time In
years in a role worthy of the distinc-
tion he enjoys as an actor. From season
to season he has appeared in roles each
of which fitted him like the proverbial
glove. And, like the proverbial glove
each role has been discarded without
hesitation. Even the market for dra-
matte old clothes developed by the
movies has found little to interest 1t in
the material which Drew has donned
with so much grace and discarded with
so little compunction.
John Drew audience is distinctive
as a John Drew play, but differs In re-
manning in evidence from year TO year
Last nights ssemblaGe was a tribute
TO the talents of the present as well as
to the genius of the past. A thorough
appreciation of the delightful tran
scription from cherished niche IN the
library to the glare of the footilghts
marked the auditorial spirit. 1t was
an audience of people who have not sur
rendered to the allurements of song ana
melodrama so completely as to lose their
faith in the theater as means or ex-
pressing truthful ANALYSIS OF human
character. The best thinker claimed en-
thusiastic Endorsement no less thah
that accorded the best seller.
Difference to the accepted formulas
for playmaking makes it seem lar cry
from Thackeray to the footlights. the
great novelist himself does not hes1-
tate to assert his scant equipment In
punches" and thrills and to refer
the reader who demands trapdoors and
secret passages to the vender of penny
dreadfuls
When Langdon Mitchell. who pre-
pared this acting edition of "Penden-
MIS-" did similar work with VANITY
Fair" the undertaking was regarded
with doubt by lovers of Thackeray and
by admirers of Mrs. Fisk, whose pres
entation of Becky Sharp will live in
the annals of the EngHsh-speaklng
stage. The triumph of the Vanity
Fair version was complete, and fingers
80 warmly in regard that sense of
reluctance must assert itself as to- ac-
Cepting the "Pendennis" play as work
of equal merit and significance so
eminent an achievement was the ear
lier production that it constitutes
standard which the authors themselves
might easily be forgiven for not attain
ing a second time. The theater's Pen
dennis" must wait for comparison with
the theater's Becky Sharp until it has
had equal advantage and recollection
can feel the mellowing influence of
years Yet last nights responsive
demonstration left no doubt that Pen
dennis is most gratifying stage Gre
alton.
"Pendennis'' seems part of Vanity
Fair" 1t is in close intellectual co-ordi-
nation with the Becky Sharp story: an eX-
preston from another angle of the protest
against society's mercenary domination of
soul and sentiment. 1t Is slashing in
dictment, but the protest of a generous
and kind nature against conditions which
generosity and kindness must resent.
restraint in fervor is imposed by the in
tellcctuality which oerceives tfe in
evitable and is content to mitigate what
1t cannot hope to cure. 1t is not the
futile valance of a Don Quixote- The
novelist bravely, Yet with diScernment,
takes up the weapon at hand and seeks
to outsneer snob5ishness itself.
A series of fascinating character pic
lures are grouped about Mr.. Drew, whose
representation of the title role is one of
sympathetic and magnetic serenity 1t
is the role most dignified and worthy of
his talents that he has had in all his
career. The audible laugh asserted itself
without restraint when that klnd-heartec
literary relative of Mrs. Malaprop. the
Duchess of Claverirg, tangled the English
language into ludicrous extravagances.
The part was played by Alison Skipworth
and was wonderfully well done. The
duchess daughter, Blanche, twitters with
melodious insincerity through the scenes
and as played by Helen Menken gives tn
role an interest of personality which re-
lieves the slightly sinister mental and
moral quality. To go through the cast,
pointing out the delightfully."- human por-
frayals which abound and which give the
performance its greatest charm. would be
a lengthy undertaking, for seldom is a
company brought together more COM
petently in harmony with the atmosphere
of the period under discussion. The cos
tuning is necessarily an clement of quaint
appeal, and combined with the interpre-
tive skill of the players enables the audi
tor to turn back and live with Thackcray
himself the times of which he wrote.