Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-04-01
"HAPPINESS" ACCENTS
MISS TAYLOR'S GIFTS
Star Gives Beautiful Characteri.
cation in Husbands Play
at the Broad

Laurette Taylor has advanced far in the
power OF creating and projecting a charac-
terization. in communication of emotion and
in the technical art of acting since the days
when she first starred here in an airy moth
ing called, If memory serves, The Maid in
waiting" Her chief attributes in those
days were her good looks, her naively simple
acting her queer little vocal quirks and her
laugh, which was annoying mannerlsm
to sensitive nerves, But she had one tangible
asset which she has since capitalized into
the going concern OF her stardom--person-
ality. She has advanced further beyond
the charming impsusibities of the title
role of Peg o. My Heart" with its roman
teal and ingenue-ish restrictions on her in
herent capacity for genuine Characterization.
AS Jenny, the dressmakers errand girl
In Happiness" the little comedy drama by
her playwright husband, J. Hartley Manners,
she stages at the Broad a very definite
exhibit of her histronc evolution from
pretty little player. rather hammered with
1ntrlguingly infectious charms. to an
tress OF adroit and versatile technical skill
of spontaneity of impression that conceals
methods in effects and of essential inner
spirit quckening the outward substance of
her Characterization Her good looks she
sun has and her personality; her vocal
quirks have been toned down till they are
ttuJuSlcu 10 the role she is playing, and her
Iaugh Is infrequent and modified and all the
more charming when 1t rings lmpidly and
sweetly in appropriate places.
Miss Tayior's Jenny is a very natural
person. She excites laughter, but sheerly
from the incongruity of the situations in
winch her aspiration for career with a
shop OF her own place her; It is the laughter
summoned by real comedy and not by farce,
the laughter of sympathy when hearts are
touched.
Mr. Manners's play is a slight affair It
purls along like a brook cascading into
spray over stones, sparkling in the sunlight
and humming homely little tune of felicity
all It's own as 1t flows aimlessly to some des-
tnation or other. 1t Is as pure and sweet as
the waters of the brook and as inconse-
quehtlal as far as any depth Of vitality or
nreddth or value goes. Episodic in FORM It's
three phases and epiogue are strung on a
very thln thread of plot. The dialogue is
pright, however, and always good humored.
ana the note of the titular optimism Is
struck in varying tones in the several situa-
tlons. Some day Mr.. Manners will weary
OF serving as the theatrical habit maker of
feminine star-tt guaranteed-and will
"ti'e a play for his wife as pulsing and sig
nliicant as THE House Next Door" in
which his drama shared honors with the
nhe acting OF the star, j. Il. Dodson. Just
now he seems content to appear on n by-
pothetlcal program Stars gowns by
Madame Epinard stars role by J. Hartley
Manners. Miss Taylor is worthy of a real
play Mr. Manners has proved he can write
a real play. Speed the day.
An appealingly human character study
SO much Of a character that there was no
sense or study-of an Irish lad was the Of
tering by j. NJ Kerrigan, well remembered
from his appearances here with the Irish
flayers Lynn Fontanne was highly anus
ing, but a bit exaggerated. in her ro1e of a
hibbertygibbet of gadabout society woman.
and very admirable enactments OF an en-
nuied social butterfly, who finds a mission
III welfare work. and blase clubman, who
turns successfully to business, were con-
tributed by Beatrice Terry and Percy
AmeS. N'