The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-15
ABE POTASH SEEN
IN POLITICAL ROLE.
Barney Bernard's Splendid
Acting Wins Applause of
Bijou Audience.
OLD SKILL rs DISPLAYED
Mathilde Cottrelly Is Much
Changed Rosie-Mawruss
Not in Play.
OLD SKILL Is DISPLAYED
.'Hi. Honor, Abe potash.--At the BIjou

The immortal Abe Potash reappeared
in a new incarnation at the Bijou Thea
ire last night. He is out of suits and
cloaks, no longer climbing for the sort
OF society possible TO him, nor is he COM
plicated with the vamps and other in
tricacies of moving pictures He was in
the whirl of politics. Most important of
all, he is on his own. having dissolved
partnership with the more aggressive
MGioruss
Montague Glass, with Jules Eckert
Goodman. has again supplied the new
scene of his creations latest activity.
There was nothing in the new play last
night 1t must be said, to esface memories
OF the original appearance of the two
heroes of the clothing trade. 1t was
there they breathed their natural ether
and there they were most characteristic
and 1T their best.
In their social struggles the old tang
of the milieu was gone. Less artistic
was their plunge into the business of the
cinema, since they were taken out of
their natural environment and made
humorous by the contrasts OF an exist
ence strange to them.
Potash as n Politician.
Last night Abe was introduced to the
political life of Damascus. A small
town Mayor, 1t may well be understood
how remote was the beloved hero from
the environment in which he could artis-
tically thrive. AS II to add to his diff
Guilty in drawing a natural breath in
L. dad HNT oil
the stencils of paltry political drama,
Corrupt politicians threatened at the
cost of financial ruin to compel him to
do their will.
His hayward son-yes, he had a way
ward son, too-tampered with the books
Of the tax office and like a modern Vir-
oinius, Abe, as chief magistrate, COM
mtted his son to prison just as he had
tried his wife for speeding in her fllvver.
All the accessories of country melo-
drama were at hand. from those design
ing officeholders bent on his ruin to the
reform young lawyer and the president
of the Woman's Civic Club, who was
none else than the Irma Potash of yes
teryear, now graduate of womans
college.
But all this appalling theatric para
phernalia dragged from some storehouse
dim the genius of Mr.. Bernard. He
has made Potash a wonderful character
ization. Study and finish have been
powerless to lessen the spontaneity OF
this achievement; and no end of map
propriate circumstance can abate its rich
humanity and its truth to the type that
the actor has selected.
As Brilliant as Ever.
To place the character OF Potash in
the surroundings the authors devised
last night might well, In the case of a
less perfect performance, have been
fatal But the actor shone as brilliant
ly as ever. 1t would of course be idle
to claim that three Is the same amount
of pleasure to be derived from seeing
him in a play which can only be pos
sible through his genius. not then
placed at his best. But his humor, his
kindness. his good tempered irasci-
bility-they were as irresistible as ever
In His Honor, Abe Potash"
His talents are most enjoyable when
they are exercised as it were In the
medium of his art. He did not fail when
he was struggling so quietly and nat
urally with the knowledge OF his sons
guilt, No actor with such finished
artistic method could altogether fail in
any conceivable situation, that his au-
thors might devise. But he was dearest
to the hearts of his admirers when he
was sounding the gamut of emotions
that have hitherto been in the experience
of Abe.
Mathilde Cottrelly was again at his
side. an extravagant, considerably
changed Rosie, who seemed at times
rather cocltsure. as II the fun of the role
! was sure fire. The small town types
gathered about the transplanted Abe
were all capably enough represented.
Mr.. Bernrd was received hv his friends
| with the most vociferous ..roval He
! had only to open - .uouth - indeed,
. only to begin to oi,,h Ito throw them
into gales of laughter. He deserved all
| their applause by his acting and even
the additional honor of being compelled
to make q speech