Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-02
1.-THE BRAT" REVEALS
CHARMING NEW STAR
Maude Fulton Is Also Author of
Delightful Comedy Opening
Lyrics Season
A DICKENS-LIKE THEME

Fulton. STAGED BY oliver Moroseo and Frank
Lyric Theatre.
Mrs. ssI Pei Forester ruth lot loHhs soac Ti9Say SaniE
Angela Smythe, debutante. Helen stewart
snon snS 1e TeW TeeW az artist Gertrude Maitland
Macmillan Forester. Mrs Forresters elder qO''
Eleven Forester. his brother. Edmund Lowe
Aargot. a maid aid................. Dessie Andra
Tlme-The present Place-New York city.
Act L1-Drawing room OF tne Forresters'
Act 1.-THE novellst's study An afternoon
Act IIIEDrawlng room as in Act /. Mid
Alght OF the same day.
tNnall audiences are seldom so pleasantly
Entertained as that lucky group of play
gNcrs that did not fill the Lyric Theatre
IaVt night. Quite apart from what the in.
lustrious psess agent may do, good attrac-
uons often have subtle, intangible ways of
announcing their presence. A theatre
wise public generally heeds these indefn-
able indications and acts accordingly. Once
In while however a wrong scent is fol-
lowed and the real clue is missed. Footlight
FANS who disbelieve this should attend 1.-THE
Brat" They will then learn that new
star, heretofore unknown as an actress, can
assume the leading role in play of her own
making and provide thoroughly delightful
evening. They will learn that even the
best dope sheets" are not infallible Here's
hoping that Philadelphians will realize this
astonishing fact In time to support Maude
Fulton's artistic triumph with solid finan-
cial success.
In extenuation of a familiar public atti.
tude 1t may be alleged that Miss Eaton
has been previously exploited in this city
only as graceful dancer incidental to
vaudeville or musical farce No rthori-
tative proof OF her abilities as play
wright was available. Broadway, II is
TRUE, Is said to have liked THE Brat" but
distrust of Manhattan as a theatrical oracle
is now very prevalent Some of the offer
ings billed there live on the Overflow" of
nearby hits Furthermore the practice of
forcing runs in order 70 keep a playhouse
open Is by this time fairly we'll known.
Those who stayed away from "The Brat"
last night may seek TO console themselves
with such reflections. CEler the circum-
stances they furnish uDoat the oLly COM
fort obtainable.
Miss Fulton's little plzy a. unpretentious
and in that very qualify Ees ore OF its
chief charms. 1t display 8 Eeither profun-
dity nor mistaken or1eELaqS to reach that
state. The thematic sl4DStGSce Is ancient,
but so deliciously 6Tesyed with shrewd
character touches, witt breezy, credible coll
loquoy with taste Gnd sense of light
comedy that movAs the senshilities with
out ever intrench'Cg on the dangerous
ground of sentimertIlity, tina. Cne welcomes
in old motivation nB an old friend. A wise
Frenchman has reduced the number of stage
plots TO thirty-si3. IT is the engaging man
ipulatlon of standardized subject matter
that proclaims the worthy dramatist That
Miss Fulton is entitled to this distinction
is revealed in the winning fashion in which
ahe has rewritten the ever-Captivating tale
OK Dick Swivellbr and the Marchiones5,
In this instance the latter parsonage ap-
pears under the guise of a street waf, a
quondam member of the New York Hippo
drome chorus who is a typically Dckens.an
blend of artlessness and worldly wisdom
She is hungry, too, and the famous supper
In "Old Curiosity Shop" is re-enacted in an
admirable scene in which pert Mani titan
slang, faithfully reproduced, replaces the
Classic cockney OF the wistful London
alavey. Delectable Dick is Initiated in the
two bibulous but magnetic member of a
New York household whose head novelist
on the track of types" takes the little
dancer into his home and thus uninten-
uonally starts the wheels of romance that
revolve toward inevitable love passages be-
tween the alleged ne'er-do-well and the
winsome heroine In the course of this de-
Velopment amusing and appealing contrasts
are furnished between modern "Rialto" Bo-
hemianism at its shabbiest, at once wise
and ignorant, timid and fearless and always
frank, and the artifcialty' of sham be-
nevolence and icy responsibility. 1t would
have been easy to make such picture false
and saccharine, after the fashion of Polly
anna" plays, in which goodness and pow
erty always go peacefully hand in hand
But the author has avoided such pitfalls.
There are occasional technical weaknesses
in her work, but its spirit is ever fresh,
k1 IN and artistically sound.
Miss Fulton's portrait of the title part
~ spontaneous and vivid. She has mag
netism, fine feeling for character values,
laudlble appreciation of the artistry of
restraint and a personality that must make
for footlight success Expert John Findlay
In one Of his traditional servant parts, Ed
mund Lowe as the modern Swiveller !;
Frank Kingdom in a familiar ecclesiastical
iolea and Percival 4. Moore as the speci-
I.qn-hunting novelist contribute ably to a
wjll-rounded performance II. r. c.