Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-29
THE MATINEE HERO"
VERY CONFECTIONERY
Leo Ditrichstein as a Chocolate
Caramel Actor in Play Of
Bonbon School

ray SOcrs with sweet tooth for thcatri-
"al confectionery will not find the three acts
OF 'Ih" Matinee lIcro.' hciously show
WInddwed at the Broad. in the least cloy e.
ing Leo DitrichStpn. the star himself
analyAcs the roL he plays as that of n
rho"oIat" caramel actor" and the play,
which Mr.. Ditrichst"in concoctcd in collabor
alton with a.. r.. Thomas. is toothsomc
specimen of the bonbon school of drama
Possibly it is fair to add that il is of the
hrt"r sweet variety. since tho protagonist of
the play on occasion expresses regret at the
destiny that has submerged him in sacrha
rinitl.
But "Thc Matinee Hero" is a plea sing
tllf". even though neither filling nor dra e.
n0ti"ally nourishing. Occasionally one gets
Il revealing hint of player folks diStastr for
fulfilling an intcrminablr round Of parts for
Inc sort tn" public likes Occasionally
t""' one feels sense Of satire on the aver
hg" utilities of the contemporary stage run
nIng seriously and significantly under the
Nuriar" of conventional playcraft and pleas
ant entertainment. Incidentally the public
- damned III til" dialogue for its appetite for
sweets. but shouldn' q share of the responsi-
biity be borne by the manufacturers and
sales fore" of III" GoodS-the producers,
parwrIghtS and players?
TIL" matinee idol after sixteen seasons aS
"
StlrringS of ambition to do something better.
even AT the cost of deserving his adorable and
hdoring school girl clientele. 1t develops
that r0nSunlmatiOu of his aspiration means
another dCScrtOn-that of his Wife who has
pettcd and pamrPrcd him throughout his
honcyed career. She has been business man
ag"l As well as mother. mentor as well as
VII" to him. and when. most natural thing
IN the world for an aspiring actor. he wants
to d" "llamlct.'' he is disrourcrted to find
himself very firmly attached to what in an
"Id-taShl"n"d mother would be- called apron
strings. But. of course. the wifi" does not
wear an apron in this we'll gowucd play. but
some modiSh creations. However. she is not
:" Young or 50 modSh kindred soul
VIII" Sympathi2cs with HIS histrionir aims.
This Young person is none other than n
'vamp. whose Clrvcrncss in conccaling her
sinister character is exceeded only by her
devotion 10 Shakespeare. that is. the immortal
bard. studied head to head with the matinee
idol in convenient bungalow. The dis
trcSsed wife. the commercial manager and
the playwright friend-with boubon comedy.
warranted tasty but not too sticky. already
chocolate coatcd-try to discourage the rO
mantle ShakCSpparCan cmpriSo and especially
try to discourage the lady with past. Both
"ndcavorS are futile until the past suddenly
turns to the present through the medium Of
sob sister sent to interview the matinee
idol. She knows the gloomy record of the
Namp. and even that charmcr has to separate
her baSlisk eyes from her intended victim
when confronted with Il cIippinG-doubtles
from sensational nrwSpapcr-narrating her
trial and illuminated with what must have
been very good likeness. since the hero
recognizes her at once. The interviewer
sends it by special delivery. and it arrives
just in time. for the wife, burdened with
very small satchcl is ready out of her
love for his happiness, to take herself off
aud leave him to Hamlet and the vamp. So
he runs to mamma to mother her big boy.
This. however. is not the climax. He