New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-06
THE CHARACTERS
By Ralph Block

AFTER all, the 0ellslOus people nav e
are quite the most interesting things
about them. People without any de-
lusions at all are very trying, because
all the greatest things in life-art. sci
enee. religion-are great only in pro-
portion TO the extent 20 which they are
celusions; great, indeed, in the extent
20 which they open 20 Us windows on a
world that may not exist at all, but
which by their deluding power is sctu-
ally made real
Plato, wko was one Of the greatest
delusionists in the world, held that the
things Of the world were only more or
less incomplete copies or images OF the
eternal ideas Of men. IL is d fasclnat-
ing notion, commonplace enough 70
ph lOsophers by now, but not often
viewed with any sincerity on the stage.
Barbara" new play by Florence
Lincoln, which yesterday afternoon
brought Marie Doro from the films 20
what is called the legitimate stage, ~
the Plymouth Theatre, does not maze
d great deal of the ethical problem m
suggest il. Peter IbbetsOn" deals
powerfully with the delusion that one
may in moments throw of the shackles
Of a present reality and return 20
scenes that, being irreyocable, have
taken on new beauty. Barbara" not
so powerfully. but finely. IN many OF
its passages deals with the delusion Of
seeing and hearing children who nave
never been born. And there are mo
ments I'm the play when 4 delusion so
POSSESSED Of happiness seems a GOOD
deal more desirable than u normal state
without II.
Barbara is On English girl, caught
under the steam rolling propensitles OF
two guardian sunts, robbed OF as NAM
Of her dreams ss two incrusted Ola
women could destroy, and hnaiiy De-
trothed TO their nephew TO amalgamale
the family fortunes. But Barbara, SO
hedged in. finds her escape in dream
ing. and in an old home in the country
She prepares for her marriage by CIV
ING r. whimsical reality 10 the three
children she has planned 20 have. Sf9
prepares toys for them, gives them
names and in other ways tries 10 con-
pensate her soul for the dolls taken
from her in her childhood. Into this
strange and somewhat pathologic state
Of affairs comes the announcement or
the young man that he cares for some
one else. Barbara faints, and when
she wakes il is into q state OF confused
delusion. in which she sees and cares
for the children she had seemed before
only to see in fancy. The doctor who
loves her refuses 20 operate on the
sick mind, deciding to leave her IN
bappiness, however deluded, rather
than return her 10 a world that used
her so harshly. Another doctor does
operate, however. and to complete the
cure three children much Ike those
she had fancied are brought TO her for
adoption.
one of the finest of all the Kipling
stories, They" deals similarly with the
theme. but Kipling gave % u a delleacy
and a subtlety Of shading that bar
bara' seldom approaches, and then only
by its playing rather than IT'S writing.
II hat struck me most forcibly at the
Plymouth Theatre yesterday afternoon
was how badly Professor Baker, u
whose pleywriting course at Harvard
the author of the play ~ product,
must have taught Florence Lincoln 70
write a play. The theme Is full OF op-
portunities, but the presentation OF 10
is marked by good deal Of poor WORK
manship. The strange situation re.
ceives It's exposition al the hands OF
those old familiars Of deereplt stage,
the family servants, and II Is an eA-
position not only mechanical and ob-
vious, hut long and tiresome. The ten
dencv 20 4 slow tempo appears at sew
eral places in the play, sometimes az p
fouIt and sometimes the careru1
acting that is bestowed on lt-as an
advantage. Merely speaking IN a low
voice and moving about the stage "ltin
restraint is not always 4 marx OF hIRh
sr,ing admirable and unique as ~ Is
on broadway. but john Miltern makes
tho nbvsician who loves the lady real
and attractive figure. | do nov know
~ anv one who could do as well WIN
parbera as Marie Doro, whose own
0I,iet charm combines with the re-
s+raint. OF her acting 70 keep BARBARA
iron, nuv moments Of unbeliei d crlt-
cal audience might want to give heT'
She surmounts 3 good many dIneuI-
ties the role offers, and does IL VIII
ONT seeming 20 appraIse them as dlIh-
cult. For some others IN the cas- %
much NAV not be said. ROBERT Huusyh
rlsvs the dissgreeable part OF 'n-
truant lover with more ehphasls ma" =.
Tho mart requires, and never seems IN
tune with the rest or the play
UNI Tn one setting. merely room IN an
I'D ne bome has a ine and simple back
o.u a, - hut one could wish the fur
g iG-ro, we're more in keeping. Mr:
H19nti has tried to set the key OF
The piay for its audiences by diseI G,.h.s
tbe action on an open stage With , nghts
turning on from dim to iuIl. .S A.St to
heard vaguely from a distance aGos -
The effectiveness OF the methou, a.
though sometimes 1t seems uhiu'. ~
ssseglt the emotions with SOUNDS ina
NAV not at all relate to the pay,
ersl children take part am 49, az NUN
batehten the emotional eHeel'