The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-23
RUTH CHATTERTON
IN WIDOWS ROLE
She Masqueraces as Servant in
"Perkins" to Win a
Husband.
AN OLD STYLE COMEDY
Henry Miller Plays Part of the
Bluff WOOer From
Toronto.
'Perisins''-At the Henry Miller Theatre

The lovely decorations Of the Henry
Miller Theatre were magnfied last night
when Ruth Chatterton was for the first
time added to their abundance. Miss
Chatterton acted with Henry Miller in
Perkins" an English comedy, which
the playwright. Douglas Murray. had
called In London THE Man From To-
7, ronto."
The present title of the three act
drama is the name of the heroine and
aiso the name OF a maid; for again
Miss Chatterton has. In difference to the
wishes of her dranatist gone out In
service. But In following this course
she has also kept in the footsteps OF q
number Of highly popular young women
of the English treatre. Just at the min
| ute Kate HardodstI0 seems the best
known Of them. But the long line runs
down to Come out Of the Kitchen
which Is not remote.
Popular Legend Of stage.
Douglas Murray has selected for the
theme of his play little fairy ta,e dear
to the heart of the theatregoer Perkins
Is not a young lady, but a widow-a
very young widow, to be sure-who
| masque-ades as the ancillary assistant
| to her real self.
She wants to make the acquaintance
of a stranger from the colonies who will
, be her husband II she consents to accept
him and the fortune that goes with Him
as the result Of crochety old admirers
1 testament. He is allowed to visit her
quiet little home in Devons"lre. but she
4 is going to see what he looks like before
| 1t is too late to retreat. Wien he ar
rives with his ret.nue Mrs. Cdlthorpe--
| a terrible looking person. 'udging by the
photc'- rn;@h which her maid shows to the
stranger-has rome away and left only
| Perk ms to do the honors.
She does them so well that there
| is soon an offer Of marriage TO the
par'or maid in her own person. There
| Is inevitable anger on the part OF the
| stranger when his honest heart learns
! that he has been deceived. II looks
for a minnte-ony to the most unso-
phisticsted of course-as " the design
/ Ing widow had. gone too far and might
| lose the fortune which goes with the
man from Toronto. But he comes tip
| toeing back a hopeless victim to the
/ charms of Miss Chatterton, pretending
to be a servant There never has
| yet been hero who could resist them.
Treatment of the story.
II was not at al uncertain last night
| that Mr. Murray's treatment Of this
| ancient theme had been of kind "a
renew In the present instance its pop
| ularty For either in fiction or the
! theatre II Is on the authors manner
that the success Of such a renewal de-
| ponds.
| The play was taken at an exasper-
| 7tingly slow te1,ro which served &c
display to the audience the threadbart
| character of the text. written with nc
! effort at any kind of literary style
! Miss Cha tterton, whose fresh beauty
was as potent In Its charm as ever. act
ed for the first time since her preemi-
, renee a part not written to fit hel
tartistic peculiaritles.
The heroine OF perkins" is more
| over not altogether suited to her sub
dued and rather UNMARRIED style. 1t de
| nands-for the preservation of the be 4
values OF the playa more brilliant
perhaps even hard, mood of comedy II
the opening scenes.
Sentimental yielding to the hero's
| charms is not the best mood for rdi
! eating the change in the second act
And Miss Chatterton was undeniab bly,
unchanging In many scenes that woult
have been aided by variety and som'
! sparkle OF manner. But she is just nov
the beloved young actress of the Amer
lean public; and that public may ever
learn to love her as Perkins.
The Other Actors.
Henry Miller. looking remsrka bly,
| young and handsome, played with con
trastng bluffness the part of the intru
der from the wilds of Canada, ant
Frederick Lloyd was hOpelessy miscas
as the athletic youth in fiannels inevi
table in English comedy.
Frank Cooper did a conventions
guardian with his usual finish. Their,
was charming country Interior as (
! background for the three acts and tea
flowed abundantly Throughout the play
In the first act it was served twice
This may mean that English drama Il
| looking uD