The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-13
BY Zayia Glover.

stars have flashed across the rheatri-
cal sky this season. No unknown
figure OF commanding presence or
power has uod the boards
to win in a brief hour or two a
country reputation No actor
or actress has leaped from the ranks
into stardom for any work that mer-
ited great distinction.
Instead, the center OF the stage has
been reserved for the figures who
have posed there for many year.
the theatrical seasons greatest i'm
pressions. Nor liz the list Of out
standing successes or remarkable
creations very long at that. Moreover.
this is a season when the actor has
achieved more noteworthy triumphs OF
lhistorionic art than the actress.
SO far as the local theatrical sea-
ison is concerned. one can note on the
fingers of one hand the women who
have done exceptional work. And 1t
wouldn't take many more fingers to
include the men. To be sure. there
! have been many fine bits OF work BY
many A star who has sctntilated mere
this season, but the impernations that
| have fixed themselves deeply in the
minds OF the spectator do not re
uuire mueh space to be told Of
! or the women, Frances Starr in
Tiger! Tiger easily retains the
f, forefront place she has won under
the artistic direction Of David BEL
ase<. In n very different character in
| a play that to many spectator mas
had "a raneiiant note in scenes thar
without the most subtle art could be
ieasily projected across the border line
lof propriety, Miss Starr again d's =
plays the finesse, the dissertation ana
1.-The suggestion that mark the finished
tactress.
! Miss Starr has called her work IN
! Tiger, Tiger" the most difficult in
her career. She impersonates a char
acter with which the audience is out
lnf svnpathy. She says she nightly
feels across the footligh,s this wave
I OF instrumentation. but she strives on
against IL until At The end she forces
from, the front" The hearty acknowt-
Judgement that she has done wondertul
york, though she has not won the "o-
iactors 10 a regard for the character
Itself.
Alice Brady. the talented daughter
! Of william A Brady. has also carved
a new fame for herself in the theatri-
cal success column. Al one TIME SOM
| IF her friends feared that Miss Brady
| devotion to the screen might deprive
i-bsm of a sight of her ability on the
/ stage Others even feared that the
| r,Athods Of movie acting would I'M
pair her finish in the spoken drama
But size has agreeably disappointed
them all In Forever After --cated
/ the sweetest play OF the season~-Mlss
rradv shows all her former finish
anrna, and power She also displays
ia mellowea art heart-touchinss
method. a smoothness and scope IN
interpretation Of character that be-
sneaks greater achievements IN the
| days to come
| Nine Kafich WAC always star OF
| the, foremost magnitude, but THIS sea
son's efforts in THE Riddle Woman
actress OF rare intelligence, intense
realism and absorbing power.
lane Cows work in THE Crowded
Hour entities her to honorable men
ton. But for her moving and iHtein =
gent presentation of the heroine the
ip4av would fan 80 the commonplace
i Miss sowl has an ancanny ahili'y IN
handling like great actress scenes
of sustained suspense.
one car re as nrodisa' In the use
Of ad1ectives in treating Of the men
ns If the women successes OF the cur
rent season In the front rank stands
Richard Benefits dual role achieve
n4ert in THE Unknown Purple, Hay-
ing passed his 4oeth performance in
ira p}sv he can we'll afford 10 clsim
credit for the success Of this present.
day thriller.
i YetsMr. Bennett has always figured
in long runs He appeared long ago
for sn0 nights in "rhe White Heather
and then for soa nights in White
Horse Tavern" Then he went through
The Lion and the Mouse" for $50
times. What a tiresome JOB that mus'
have become,
More recently he appeared for cot
performances with Maude Adams In
I what Every Woman Knows" Their
ne made the Deep Purple" noteworth.
With nearly 200 performances and
'pamaged Goods" famous with nearly
500 perfornshees
John Barrymore's appearance In The
leading role in Tolstois redemption
is another OF the seasons unusua
achievements His thoughtful. moving
Intense portrayal is the crownin;
work thus far in his crowded series o
charscterizations.
> Leo Ditrichstein. "the greatest stag
/ lover Of them all" has won new artts
/ tic success in The Marquis de rrioIA-
r ror atmosphere. for power. for In
tensfty. tor fnish few can claim eu
| perfority And he Is drawing th'
crowds in dreves even though TIL
MARQUIS In sombre and tragic.
Comedy has It's victories, too, Tn
| indefatigahie George NJ Coha'
, brought "A Prince There Was" to lif
: land popularity by vigorous injection
: of his strong personality sharp wi
: and unfailing supply of ginger"