Evening star., 1920-11-23
GARRICK-"Honors Are Even"

FL be true that "they always happen
completed his first cycle of real sue
cesses. and it is to be hoped that his
reserve powers are good for many. many
more of the same degree of excellence
''Honors Are Even" his comedy in three
acts, which had its premier at the Shu-
bert-Garrick Theater last night. is the
gem Of the season, and the reasons LOT
It are so many that it is unnecessary 10
state them all. A few will suffice.
Around a charming girl who has I'M a,
agination and good sense. coup'ea and Mi', II
the high art of womanS craft, ana d
manly young playwright who Is con
firmed bachelor, and. Of course mas
vivisected and analysed woman IN hIr
many moods SO often that ne thoroushis
understands the sex and, therefore: Is
proof against feminine wileS, Mr. Me
grue has woven a delightful dream story
a comedy of brilliant dialogue, nlucn
thought and real charm. WholesoLne
throughout in its noer, entneS .;e;e
from the meretricious, yet with an orlgi- --
nal spice of its own that enectualy
banishes tameness and the atmosphere
Of the modern comedy 1t IS SO spieh-
6idly designed to replace.
III establishes it's own atmospheie
at the outset with a set OF taplolo
scenes, which introduce the girl as
she is. and then the real play opens
with her combat with the man nt.
fancy has pictured. When the curtain
falls on the first act the aualei.et 10
Thoroughly aware of the fact that 1t is
ON it's way. but doesn't know where;
vet the company is so pleasant Una,
even the person who is o1sappoi,,.eu GU
at having failed to guess the enuins
at the outset is quite well content ~
continue the tourney, and really doesn't t
care how long it may prove. JUS
when the excitable imaglneS the jour
ney is going to be tame prise Is
injected and the plot-guesser starts
atresh So it is until the very close'
although the knowing ones may 1mag :
inc when the couple rs apparently
united in the second act that only
anti-cIimax can follow, but the play
rides on to triumphant success never
theless. in spite of handicaps at the
outset due to stage INSURGENCY tlae
seemed almost insurmountabIe.
An enthusiastic audience-and some
say. very distinguished audience
insisted upon seeing the autnor a1ter
having been highly delighted with MS
stage creations and their mimic me
hut Mr.. Megrue was just adamant.
The while the vigorous applause was
sounding he was alternating his at
tention between the real ra1nstorm
outside and a handsome floral piece
which had had been Ss sene yor aamirers to m,sr A0A
And right well she deserved it ana
all the lovely things that were said OF
her play portrait of Belinda Carter.
girl designed EARLY to assault ana re-
duce the walls of bachelorhood. regard
less of their strength. Early in the
play she disposed of a pleasant English
suitor, who informed her that it is a
tradition in his family for the first born
to marry beautiful woman. His com.
pliment missed it's mark and he retired
discounted but not crushed. Then she
disposed of the ..calf love- of an adoles-
cent suitor who had lived mans
Iife," and finally she postponed what
appears to be a near approach to real
man-but he is only a likable. gentle
manly kleptomaniac, as it ultimately
proves Her encounter with "the man,
admirably played by William Courtenay,
had best be. reserved for those who wish
to see the play.
Gordon tombstone. as the klepto-
maniac lover, gave a polish and charm
to his role that only the real actor may
create, while Frank Andrews was very
real and human father of 'the girl"
Horace Sinclair was the American idea
of the Englishman to the manor born,
and the others in the long cast con-
tributed we'll studied and effective at
mosphere to the play as a whole. espe-
cially Boots Wooster. as week ender.
who added a touch of pathos to the
minor Incidents; Ethel Strickland and
Mable Stanton.