Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-07
ARLISS'S VERSATILITY
SEEN IN TWO PLAYS
Sir James Nj. Barries "A Well.
Remembered Voice and "The
Mollusc" Please at the Broad

Plays like Sir James NJ Barre's a Well.
Remembered Voice" which dwell in the rare
fed and delicate ether Of imaginative fancy
lean heavily OH the manner of their treat
heht Tor effect upon u theatre audience.
Perhaps 1t was the excellent artistry cin-
pIoyed by George Arlss In the leading role
III this little playlet, as much as anything
else. which held the attention OF the large
crowd which attended its premier in this
country at the Broad last night. Again II
may have been the novelty of tile idea in
vowed and the out .of-the ordinary method
of handling II.
The work which is in one act was pre-
sented as an after piece to Hubert Henry
Davies's comedy, The Moliusc"
Whilo the underlying theme of the story III
the Barrie playlct is tender and beautiful
The piece is somewhat freakish in construc-
ton and often puzzng. even admitting that
II ls fancy The idea around which Sir James
has built his playlet. It would appear, is
the return from tho great beyond to his
father of his son, who had been killed in the
war Just ended, specially 10 impart the
message that the happiness of those VINO
have passed on depends upon the cheer
fulness and peaceful frame Of mind of those
WHO were near and dear TO them when they
were dwellers here
There seems to he tendency Of modern
writers 10 delve into the mysterious aud
avail themselves OF the opportunities at
dream phenomena. Barrie has not escaped
II, as "A Well-Rcmembered Voice iustra tes.
SIR James Is a postmaster in whimsy and
MS delicacy Of humor and his subtety. dent
onsratcd i'll many Of his other creations
which crop out in this little dramatic offer
hg, and keep one guessing as to the authors
honest impression OF Spiritualisn. At least,
lie gives US something new in the field of
returned spirits in the drama and the con-
ditions under which the dead Give or eSisI,
whichever way you like to have It,
The shade Of the departed soldier which
Sir James brings back to his fathers studio
isn't shade AT all, evidently but comes
bodily, capable Of being seen and felt by the
parent, but no one else. The father shakes
hands with him, or il. embraces him and
chats with him just as If the son was mortar
again. The boy S voice Gan actor produces It
from behind the scenes. The returned spirit
is not visible 10 the audience) is not in the
stpu!Chre tones we have been used to IN
spirits and spOoks. but just as natural a.
Wien used on earth. Neither has he lost his
sense of humor aud can crack "a joke or APP
precatc one as in life. In fact about the
only things he reveals of life on the other
side of the Veil" are the funny incidents he
has noticed and lie tells of the jolly former
comrades lie has met there.
Existence over tile border evidently. .C-
cord.ng to Barrie is not iauCh unlike lite
here. The dead even have password which
permits them 10 return after visiting their
living relatives Their know ledge Of earthly
affairs is not improved very much when the!
penetrate "the fog which separates human
from spiritual life. II il necessary to ask
many questions to keep in touch They cau-
not pass through or see through walls They
Use the door when entering 4 house or room.
All OF this is handled most decatey by Sir
James.
Barrie does not overlook the obvious qu,s-
ton that a father in such chumny association
with his dead son would ask. ls there any
a
religion and is communication between hu-
man being, and spirits through the seance,
such as is the profound belief OF the boys
mother possible,
But the boy leaves without answering, and
Sir James leaves the question, for the most
part, still open.
AS the voice Philip McryaIe was mos;
effective.
The playlet is unuistakably Barrie.
whimsy. pathos, kindly humor and tears
follow close or the heels Of laughter.
He deity minges the spirit world and
reality. lie is still the dramatist OF d"eams.
The AIollusc" has lost little Of its power
to delight since last seen here about nine
Years ago with Charles Wyudham in the
leading male role one Of the most inter-
cstng experiments the stage can present is
trying to reNitalizc an old play. In the
of The Mollusc" this is not difficult
tasl; for, as MIR. Arliss declared in cur
tain speech last night, the Davies work is a
during the next hundred years. 1t is n
pelucidy satisfactory little comedy, light
est OF the light types of stage entertainment.
In the part Of Tom kempt Mr.. Arss gave
a very good inpcrsonatiou. Ills work
sn.acked Of art. however, more than Of life.
lie has not entirely shaken off the Prime
Minister and Hamilton. THESE superb char
aCtcrizatious show through his present
work AS portraits they stand out more
than his role in Tile Moliusc.' As kcmpt,
however. he shines at times especially III
that epigramuatc manner which is his forte.
There was evidence Of the lines being new to
him and no doubt his performance Will be
smoother during the rest OF the week.
Viva Brkctt, as Mrs. Baxter, The Mol
lusc" shared honors with Mr.. Ariss. and
in the opinion Of many last night, made the
better showing. Her Characterization was
Il fine piece of acting. Others who Helped
make the evening delightful We're Mrs Ar
liss Mr. Merivae, olive Tell Harry Matt
land and George Wright, Ir.