Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-17
ADJUSTMENTS
New National.

An excellent cast presented . new
play by J. NJ. Barrie, comedy In
three acts, entitled Dear Brutus."
The large and appreciative audience
responded to the lure of three con-
spicuous names in the annals of the
theater. that Of Barrie being linked
man. The aforementioned name has
been Interestingly and admirably pre-
served as symbol OF dramatlc
worthiness. Charles Frohman made
Barrie an American as well as
British figure in the world OF letters
Gillette has been associated with the
best expressions of virile romance
as we'll as whole-hearted and genuine
comedy. -,
There is usually bit of a moral
to a Barrie play, even tnougn u ,b 20
end of the fable after the manner of
AIDE or Aesop. This time the re-
sponsibility of the individual for his
own mortal career is emphasized IN
the fantastical narration of how
GROUP. of unlucky persons founa
and followed out pretty much the
same course they had selected back
in the realms Of reality.
Mr.. Barrie has very Thoroughly
disciplined his public. There have been
people from time to time who did not
enjoy a. Barrie play. Most of them,
however, found it sticking in recol,
lection and provoking an inward
smile which lured them back to the
same performance to see what II was
all about. In many cases you gave up
trying to discover its purpose ano
smile again. Two distinct processes
are utilized by Mr.. Barrie in compel
ling interest One, as in Peter Fan, Is
to set up a scheme of nonsense ana
treat it with elaborate seriousness =;
The other, employed in Dear brutus,
is to gather some thoughts OF ssG
beauty and render them charming
even to casual attention by the grace
Of delicate frivolity in which they are
expressed The striking thought TINS
time is that Of paternal love ana ~ 40
expressed in terms OF such peauss
that it stands out In the play, ene
gem in an intricate setting whose
tracings the imagination may or may
not care to follow. Not to like Dat
RE play is a dangerous matter usu-
ally calculated merely to put you 70
the trouble of reversing your opilion.
1t may be assumed that the autnor
of an original play must reveal ms
own self somewhere in the personages
of the drama. In the little contro.
versy set up for stage recitation IL
would be impossible for human ma
ture to dismiss the temptation to Sc
lect a spokesman competent 70 Pro
claim to the public personal atIi-
tude Of mind. ,,
The character in Dear Brutus
which seems to typify Barrie's au.
dacious playfulness Of idea Is that
of Lob, acted by J. H. Brewer. IN
fashion that makes him seem q veri-
table incarnation of Puck selectine
a new midsummer nights dream 70
remind us all what fools we mortais
be-" A wonderful bit OF acting Is
done by Helen Hayes. who plays the
dream daughter of the disappointed
and unhappy artist. Mr.. Gillette as
the artist displayed the poise and
quality which make him always a
favorite. The characters are. all wen
portrayed and familiar names salute
the eye with grateful remembrance
as well as with present ehciency.
The mood Of the performance is that
of gentle and charming fantasy. Inc
presenting company is one or SO
much polish and distinction that IT
may be accounted practically an all
star cast. And auditors who fan to
find themselves in responsible accord
NAV as well resign themselves TO
retrospective modesty as they quote
the text on which the play Is built:
The fault, dear Brutus, is not In our stars,
Rnt in ourselves.