Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-02
BERT HHLARD GARRICK
3E PLA,YCOER'S
WEEKLY TALK
n he Csrton Plays Are SO
psjsr-Sidelishts on Thea.
srss and Photoplays
R1nruEs may come and go, but fol
~ 60 on forever.

Il Iuman foibles, that here is n theme
- readily can be anpllfed to fur
~ = playwright with the wherewithal
Ia many a plot. the most Killing of
q 04tlons and unmaskings that satisfy
n D human hankering for compensation
ne shape Of meanness fallen into dis
ote. Among the present day dram
A&lote Richard Claude Carton lays claim
- 0Igtinction In one particular for his
9puototent use Of foibles. He delights
a ~ tolbles, he dotes on them-and also
oeiit said ne Is their master
4 More than being consistent in his love
x . single theme. Richard Claude
Arton has been persistent. For thirty
XArs he has stuck to his trade. he
- wlthstood the Establishments OF
Degnes more deeply philosophical and
II the end for his trouble his name has
GDme to be inseparably linked with
qme0y OF a certain sort OF distinction
Asch had for its antecedent Sherdans
z onool for Scandal" But other dram
80 OF Cartons school have not laid
m to like persistency. Plnero began
- writer of sentimental farces. but
ker grew to be serious playwright;
dney orundy's work had the same
~ Of beginning, but later waxed
rious; Henry Arthur Jones was
n ncthsr playwright who for better or
orse outgrew his early tendencies.
* The Carton plays belong to the family
Epglish comedies which met the liking
tne west End" theatregoers in Lon.
Iney do not strive to teach. do
entrench themselves uDaI deeplaid
ots and never rely upon selfconscious
r'ousness. They satirlze amusingly,
exectiveiy-out never bitterly--the fol-
etee Of dashing society folk: rakish per-
ms are the heroes, and the heroines
TBIStentlv In
pom the edge of the social volcano. but
menow never seem to lose their eauilib-
Hum. The machinery of production is
ten artificial and extravagant but
cause or Cartons polished art, one
ses not carry away the impression of
Sttnciaiity or extravaganza The situ-
IONS are full of coincidence, but are so
dovetailed that they do not
ena In nutshell. the Carton play is
Mpr Intelligent
s%EI ERE in America the dramatist who
- writes plays in which to exploit his
iife is not great novelty Hart
Manners has been performing that
rvice for some time past for Mrs
na,rette Taylor Manners, and F.uuene
alter. although less prolific, has done
We same for Mrs. Charlotte Walker
s Naiter. But IN England Richard Claude
$Aftcn appears to be the great shining
petance Of such husbandly versatility.
virtually all the Carton plays have
1een Intended as mediums for the au-
ehor's wife. Katherine Compton, a tall
seo ana beautiful actress. daughter
g famous stage family and a great
4cndon favori,e. In England Miss
compton was Lady Algy in Lord and
y 10y Algy"; Mrs. Bulmer in wheels
itnin wheels; Lady Huntworth in
Ady Huntworth's Experiment: Count
4 - zechyadi In ''The Undercurrent"
re. Auberton In "A Clean Slate: Mrs,
Y spton in Rich Mrs. Repton": the
0uchess Of Bracehorough in "Mr. Hop
lnson. and she interpreted the prin-
8pl feminine roles In Public Opin-
q MT Preedy and the Countess :"
Eccentric Lord ccmberdene" and ..The
ear Leaders" OF all these plays her
Uugband was author
S4 He was born in London in 1853, the
!; Dn of famous English oculist and
f4o8en his career as an actor He
4enisved some fame in that field, but in
- determined to devote all his efforts
- play writing. His first play, Sun
ght and Shadow" was produced in
VIE brilliant dialogue Of "The OFF
q Chance" the r. C. Carton comedy now
zNtAying at the Broad Street Theatre.
H. for an expert handling which If
eksNg would bring about the dete-
39Oration of the delicate structure Of
S&e play, Happily. that expert handling
.S ne dialogue Ia forthcoming from a
~ which derives its chief strength
onr the grace and ease of Ethel Barry
ore. She plays Lady Cardonell with
q covering of piquancy that only for
F3af seconds 10 broken through by ex-
4 1rgeesions Of brief emotions. Only in
- esst act must 1t be raid that pur-
0oent OF her naturalness she has per-
fU5fted herself to become slightly too
z 4urried In her articulation. Later this
54leappears and she again Is her natu.
~ and winning self.
41T ISN'T often that the public is per-
mtffed to look on at an interfamily
- Tor high histrionic hcnors. John
< - Lionel. after working together in
oenees In Peter Ybbetson." are again
ettng separate paths. Following hard
& - his brothers success in Justice"
N 4oAs1 laid his claim upon popular ap-
eval by making such a success Of
}4he Copperhead." the Augustus Thomas
II DlAys In which he will appear here No
1uoor II at the Lyric Theatre. For
- moment Jack Barrymore passed into
y - background until this season. when
same into his own again as Tolstoy's
po-tn Redemption" In the midst of
~ friendly contest Jack and Lionel
- together long enough to share
onesU In Peter Ibbetson."
ul4E Barrymores are a restless family.
Maurice Barrymore. father of the
renept stage stars. was at once poet.
oluDDr and actor. Lionel Barrymore.
~ - his inheritance. has wandered
~ the stage to dabble In painting and
o11on pictures Jack Barrymore was a
Z SDr1oontgt OF metropolitan caliber and a
fDG3op-picture as well as a stage sue
<na Ethel Barrymore has shattered
~ ~ nod and all the bugaboo that a
0De aArssr must needs interfere with
o 4pttes Of motherhood, or vice-versa.
~ when Ito dumb forgetfulness a
pgey" that most persons seek out the
1eal show. They do not want to be
~ to or at; they only seek happy
- for their emotions and perhaps
- for their intelligence. Perhaps no
- show producer 10 more acutely
DoPe Of this inclination on the part
ere1 folk 10 take refuge In the show
~ comic opera category than 10
&&nn1 Ziegfold Jr whose 1919 cvcle