New-York tribune., 1919-08-19
Drama
Brilliant Performance Given
by the Actors Equity at
Lexington
BY Heywood Broun

A notable event in the history Of the
American theatre occurred last night
when the Actors Equity Association
gave Its own show at the Lexington
Opera House. Emerson or somebody
has said that if man can make better
mousetraps than anybody else folk will
seek him out in spite of the rain OF
the subway strike. and every square
foot of standing room was sold in the
big theatre last night. 1t is true that
seldom, if ever. been brought to-
gether in one bill. Among those who
appeared were Marie Dressler, Ivy
Sawyer and Joseph Santlcy, Barney
Bernard, Charles Winninger, Eddie
Foy and the other Foys, Ethel Barry
more, Lionel Barrymore, Conway
Tearle, Doris Rankin, Florine Arnold
Charles Coghlan, Louise Macintosh
Van and Schenck, John Steele. Ed
Wynn, John Charles Thomas, Charles
Prince, Eddie Cantor, Frank Tinney
Pearl White, Brandon lyman and Has
sard Short.
The performance went without a
hitch. The actors succeeded admirab-
ly in every function which they under
took except ushering. We showed our
ticket stubs to eight leading ladies
before we managed to get shown to
the wrong seats. Once arrived, there
was no getting away from the fact
that the performance had an unusual
zest. Each actor put everything nc
had into his performance from soul
to shoulder blades. Marie Dressleer
perhaps, did the best with the
more attended to the soul. Camille
is old enough and soggy enough in
Gods truth, but with Miss Barry
more and Lionel Barrymore playing
the second act last night it seemed
almost inspired. Theirs was q gor-
geous performance and we thought
as we watched them that it is quite
futile for anybody to talk about clos
ing the trcatres, for any place where
actors of spirit gather becomes a
theatre. You can build a house with
bricks, but it takes Barrymores to
make a theatre.
in a cantor. 81 can't understand" he
said, "why I'm playing with so much
pep tonight I'm not getting paid a
nickel" But later he remarked on
how honored he felt to be receiving the
same salary as Ethel Barrymore.
If the performance last night con-
tanned no distinct novelties, it did
have about it a SAVIOR of the informally
which the theatre has lost to a large
degree in its highly complex organiza
ton. Notable in this respect was Miss
Marie Dressler, who appeared in an act
in which a large number of chorus
girls received public rehearsal from
Kuy Kendall in number of new dance
steps. Miss Dressler did not miss a
step. The act was decidedly amusing,
and we trust that when the cruel war
is over some turn of similar nature
will find its way into musical COM
edy. The house was enormously en-
thusiastic, and there was spirit of
team play and comradcship about the
whole affair which was inspiring
enough to set even case-hardened d
critics to applauding. We mean old
stagers, to whom the act of applauding
has hitherto seemed almost an ndeli-
cacy.
We have spoken unkindly of many an
actor in the past, and we hope sincere
~ that we may be able to do so again,
but we take peculiar pleasure in say
ing just now that the Equity show is
the best we have seen. 1t Will be re-
peated at the Lexington every evening
except Supnday, with Wednesday and
Saturday matinees.