Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-24
CYRIL MAUDE SCORES
IN 1.-THE SAVING GRACE"
e.. Haddon Chambers's Exquisite
Character Comedy Splendidly
Acted at the Broad

Just how much of the beauty. charm and
deiight last nights audience at the Broad
round in THE Saving Grace" presented there
Ior the hrst time In this city, was due to c.
Haddon Chambers's play, and how much to
the excellent Characterization contributed by
cyril Maude in the leading role and the
splendid acting OF Laura Hope Crews and the
other members of the cast may be a matter
for discussion.
There Is one conclusion, however. which
must have been reached by the majority of
those fortunate enough to have been present,
and that is Mr.. Chambers's lines and Mr..
Maude and his aggregation Of players made
a most happy combination indeed.
Mr.. Chambers has written a fresh, ex-
quisite character-comedy, typically English.
The work measures up to the quality of some
OF his earlier efforts, He gave the stage The
Tyranny of Tears" a clever comedy of man
ners. and that character romance of
distinguished charm, "Passers BY" In this,
his latest play, the author has blended the
polgnancy and actually of the former with
the humanity and underCurrent of kindness of
the latter. AS in most English comedies
there is noticeable in THE Saving Grace a
tendency to talk for talks sake, a hating Of
the action for the purpose Of getting off some
brilliant phrases or biting satire, but some
how one seems 10 enjoy it, perhaps because
it is done, in this instance. so Cleverly.
'"The Saving Grace" is a war play, but
there are comparatively few references to the
great conflict. 1t is evident Mr.. m
endeavored to avoid any emphasis Of the war
theme and yet, withal. there Is a feeling OF
the tenseness Of the autumn of 1914, the time
when the action takes places. The hero is
a big-hearted former officer of the Boer war
who has been in disgrace for fifteen years
previous to the beginning OF the war just
ended, having run away with his coloneIs
wife. His inability to rejoin the English
army cuts him deeply.
The character Of the former officer assumed
by Mr.. Maude Is most complex. Some idea
OF the completely of the part and the de-
mands made upon the actor may he CLEANED
from the facts that the fellow is at once an
admlxture Of a shrewd man of the world
and n visionary. silly-ass sort of chap a man
of strong, unquest!onable patriotism and a
financial ~trlckstcr willing to be connected
with shady business transactions in order to
keep up appearances: he combines an inbred
modesty with an amusing vanity: he is a
good-natured bluSterer, a ~satlrist and a cynic
in his affections and yet n husband of adorinG
fidelity. in other words, he appears to be
made up Of a series Of contradictions. "The
Saving Grace" Is the pluck shown by him
and his wife In never admitting defeat and
never forgetting to be kind and cheerful. even
in face OF adversely, which brings success in
the end.
Mr.. Maude's impersonation of Blinn Cor
bett is a delineation which, in many respects,
is artistically superior to his famous
Grumpy and Is likely to press that char
acterization hard for popular favor. There
Is no mere mechanics of speech and gesture
in what Mr.. Maude does. He infuses the
breath of life into whatever he essays to per-
sonify. His deft touches make Corbett the
likable. although INSCRIPTIONS, rascal he Is.
1t Is another enduring portrait for Mr..
Maude's gallery and serves more strongly to
emphasize this actors talent.
Miss Crews does wonderfully with the part
of the sympathetic wife whose blind devo-
ton to her lovable old-duffer OF a husband
forms one of the chief factors in the story.
Betty Murray was splendid in a part In
which Is centered the love interest. Edward
Douglas performed we'll in a character OF
silly lover whom the author intends should
win the sympathy of his audience. Other
very capable work was shown by Annie
Hughes. Stanley Harrison and Charlotte
Granville.
1t was one OF the Broad's brilliant first
night crowds that was on hand to welcome
Mr.. Maude and Miss Crews. The former was
forced to make a speech after the second
act. Stepping out OF character for a few
moments. Mr.. Maude proved quite as enter
tanning as himself az he is in his characterize
lions. He joked about his 'shyness' and his
name, and told several humorous stories to
illustrate his points.