Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-27

by John y Ii"nascment. McssrJ. shyhert
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with the key of so-caiicd unrcailt. George
~, uulrcr unlocked the secrets OF tho
tsart In three rOTances d'nerinE IL Is true
IN superficial Inarhtncr. bui aI"iol ldeh-
tlcal in poignant lovelness ahd searching
onreal Broadly gpeating. the FIloG| cnu-
s,,,,,t,s Il single contribution TO literary art
rhrouvhoit peter lbbetsDn." "FrilhE' and
,The NiaItiau" the same ci1o;ion;I chord
T., dou,iuan; Echoing humanity lie sings
"the days that are 10 more not hopeieSs
a, Tennysun Il. but ih tender reheinbrahcc
and in Il touching mood of Wisuul JOY born
=, "uule,icrcd dny.dr.am and ruse-colUr"L
.a,,lris,cur." Th, future may he "A riddle.
,ho present a cruel fa"t. hut the past Is
ynldru, TO il, siren ,'lil tiIo most uuinIagi-
native Of lnart,ud nlay rot be cold.
Realistic methods must necessarily he
fatal TO IT," Sthn"'atinn of this Un'v"rsI.
emotion. The three tales, which Stir II,
cnploy fantasy to unveil truth trnt Is ali
the more Vita b. its very intang.bility. Il
could be bounded in nutshell and count
mysclf Il King of infinite space declare.
Hamlet. He was never closer to humanity
Than ia that trlnScendcntal vein and
Slpkespearc himself was scldOm - tender
AZ in painting his most mystical hero.
In "Trilby" aud Tile Marian the fame
fll structure is tss closely related to their
,nna 'pahle ard haunting cilnrul than ia the
first OF the unique series. The Witchcry OF
,hc past is suggested rather by iudirectiou.
Il is tracr"Ole in passages wherein the
author himself seemingly sets the stage
from his own remembrance, unrclat .d 10
Syergali's hypm"tism OF, Barty JoaselI ;
"call Of the North"
In peter Ibbctsou." however. the theme
and its peryaSive atmosphere arc one. For
this reason tile story inquest tUnably marks
the highest point Of Du Maurier'5 literary
achievement. The happy pathos, or pathetic
lapn!ress of the vanished dayS--WOrdS are
weak labels I'm this connect tluil--.csalts the
original luNuranL inspiration aud invests
the whole artistic product with an intense
sincerity that altogether tranSccnuS nerC
deficiencies in craftsmanship br MauriCr
Of course pretended To DE no more than /.
4 novice la fiction. In Peter Ihb.tsuu" hr
oil Al il. /.
ties were 80 profound that the puro personal
appeal of his worl, iS irresistible. 1t is not
indeed, tine events, concrete or fantastic
Of this singular hcro's career which move
the reader as it t. their direct bearing ul
his own moods, their application - thC
most intimate chambers of his owr soul
No autobiography is as fascinating as one :.
own. Part of the emotion induced h.
Peter lbtctsun' is as*urCdly cgo!stic. j
Is hard 10 name Il story which So uu
ashamedly franks personal day ureamiul
and the essentially human predilcctiOn foi
romantically interpreting ones own life.
Tho transfer to the stage of Du Maurier,
story. without the preservation intact oi
It's peculiar charm, ut once cvancsccnt and
life-gving. would inevitably have beel
y futile. The dramatized "Trilby' survived
chiefly by reason Of its melod"amati'
Nrility, for Paul Potter had apparently beer
incapable of transferring chc tale'3 atmoS
such tactics John \. f.aphael. vino nad
n the present exquisite adaptation, therefore
wisely refused TO consider too. closely eithc
conventional stage technique or to r"tnturc,
the original material by a closer knitting q
loosely strung incidents. To impart tn
poetic spirit and hcart-nIoNius content q
n the romance before tho footlightj was frs
Of all his design. His triumph in this ell
N dsavor Is almost aS astounding MS va
pu Mauricr'S success in tale telling aftc
years. devoted to clever ilustration and dc
hghtful social cartoons.
Simply, clearly and vividiy set forth o
the stage is the great climax of Peters ey
ternal lfe his bitterly provoked slay ing @
the sensual slanderer and gross materiais
Colonel lbbetson. Wit, tho rarest dell
cacy is then revealed indescribably loyel
chapters OF reminiscence rcyitalizod by th
art OF dreaming true" These visions
are presented quito without the usually dis
concerting. apparent stage articles. Til
most expert mechanism, the most adroi
handling Of lighting and technical trcker
are. OF course. involved. but the sense Q
y. Illusion Is well nigh perfect.
This recovery of tho unsullled happincs
OF departed days WAS the chief instrumen
IN converting last nights large audience Q
the Lyric Theatre into a moiat-eyed as
sembagc. fully unapologetic for it's tear
The close relationship of joy and pain LA
seldom been more strikingly expressed. Onl
IA 'he outward happenings OF Peters dui
existence are hard and cruel. His dreal
Ilte Is tenderly unshadowed. but the haI
IA p'er the past evoked the more exquisite
its spathos
=, The concluding scenes of the play. q
'hose or the book, exhibit certain veal
ness. When Du Maurier's unbridled fame
.eads nm beyond the past and present int
u,e future. his mysticism takes on qualit
vi crudity and betrays Il lack of discrin
mating taste. The final dream manifesto
uo's or Peters Duchess exert nothing lin
he appeal OF fragile little Mmsey in Il
fasfaHt French garden of youthful +,
,nahce' MIR. RaDhael's version Is SO r,
.pecttul that he has erdeavored 10 crow
he spirit of the tales extravaequt cu
'iuNon into his last act. The flaw, how
yer Only family clouds the signal artistr
" an ohering Of eDoch-making beauty.
me merits OF the play aud its interpr
Mt'on are happiIy indissoluile. \ triun
cHste OF ACCOMPLISHED actors enter wit
me heHnest syrlpathy into the spirit
u~ theine Constance Collier Is Il
D"'ness OF Du Maurier's drawings inca
mute Histronicslly she lacks as usus
certain fneness. but never i'm the pa
nas her equipment been SO advantageous
reres'ed
Jack Barrymore's Peter. vsuaIly beyor
'ruc'sm and from the acting stardpo