The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-28
"The Old Card"


4 n of stage life that exist it is per-
fectly safe 10 place Roland Pertwee's The
Old Card. And this is not at all because
it is an adequately constructed novel as
novels are supposed to go. Indeed it is a
very bad novel if we are to apply the tests
of Prof. Saintsbury and Mr.. Wilson Fol
let. There is no more construction to it
than there is to a jellyfshA 1t draws in
here and it bulges out there and, best Of
all, the author has written preface in
which he assures the prospective reviewers
that he knows all about it, fully intended
it SO TO be, and doesn't care hang, any
way.
The Old Card is a series of sketches and
events that might almost be termed short
stories strung together and related by
single personality. Eliphalet Cardomay,
the provincial actor of the old school, who
Is the one, undisguised hero Of the narra-
tive, is a creation that becomes a fully
rounded characterization by the time the
end of the book is reached. He is the
simple, charming, courtly actor of the
days of old, when the player took his art
much as a good Christian takes his re-
ligion. Eliphalet is not good actor as we
understand the art Of the stage to-day.
The reader will gather that he was wont
to rant and tear passion to tatters with
the best of them. He undoubtedly over
emphasized and posed and strutted. Also
we know that he wore his hair long He
is type that has vanished, but he was a
type TO be loved.
Roland Pertwee manages to inject a
gentle humor into his depletion Of this
quaint old personality that never holds
Eliphalet up 10 ridicule. Rather does the
reader feel warm affection for the
player steadily growing as the episodes
are unrolled. He is SO pathetically sin
cere in his undertaking determination to
remain faithful to the old ideals. Chang
ing usages and manners do not change
him, and as his clientele inevitably falls
away from him until even his hackers
must needs forsake the sinking ship he
remains still the same, follower of dead
and gone players, his vision obscured in
the rolling mists Of outmoded tradition.
The series of incidents that unfold the
character Of Eliphalet show that he never
was, or could have been, a great actor. He
possessed mellow, pleasing voice and
certain temperament adapted to the shall
low heroies Of mid Victorian drama. But
that was all. The rest was a determine
ton, an overwhelming desire, will O. the
wisp.
As the reader follows Eliphalet through
the few last years Of his stage career,
years that bring him face to face with his
faithless, divorced wife and give him her
daughter for his own, the realization
comes that an extremely skilful delineator
of character is to be found in Roland
Pertwee. He has completed breathing
parsonage that will afford many pleasant
hour to those who enjoy good fiction. There
is no straining for effect in the novel
Naturally there is villain, certain gen.
tleman~ named May, who might have
stepped directly out of Tom Taylor
drama. But he does not count for much.
III one were to search for a more over
shadowing villain it would perhaps be wei
to regard the ubiquitous cinemas that oc-
casionally cast their ominous clouds across
Che lofty expenses of the old actors mind.
THE OLD CARD. BY ROLAND PERTwsE.
Boni & Liveright.