New-York tribune., 1920-10-03

IA those well-forgotten plays of
VF his irresponsible youth, had to
A make an entrance carrying
bouquet OF. violets and to present
them moment later, to a lady love.
But even in the EXTREMIST youth of
M. Barrymore he was not without
that particular kind of self-conscious-
ness which goes for sense of humor,
So to make sure that the audience
would not laugh at his emotions, he
capered in and presented his bouquet
as a Joke.
His author and his leading lady were
a little startled, but it gave great
satisfaction to his audience. We think
George NJ. Cohan must have seen and
sized Up the performance. He has
been gradually easing off on his first
great passion in the theater-for
speed, if it killed him-and has sub
ottuted fondness for making jokes
Of his authors emotions. Like the
canny young Barrymore, he has es-
capped being laughed at except by In
vitation
Mr.. Cohan's method had hole In 1t,
however, He discovered In "The
Tavern" that he could extend the in
vitation and not get the laugh. That
was because his invitation was in
code, and nobody brought out the code
primer till the end of the play.
"The Tavern" Is probably much
funnier the second time you see 1t,
though its first night audience was
certainly not In the dark about It's
ultimate purpose of being funny. 1t
had been intimated beforehand that
the Cohan touch would be all there, .
But the Cohan touch turned out to be
family pat. It was meaningful to
those who had grown up with 1t and
Who knew beforehand just what 1t was
going to signify. But a strange man
listening to what the baby said, for
example, ought not to be blamed for
nss'tating between isn't that too badl"
and Isn't he a wonder!"
Nowadays when q melodrams leaves
nome 1t Is as much In the dark about
10 luture as q country girl going to
new York to support mother and the
Aids. 1t may find itself melodrama
Still, and 1t may find itself reluctant
comedy. But 1t is most likely to find
Hselr satire on melodrama" This
may be hard on the melodrama and its
parents, but It Is no mean strain on its
audiences.
IL isn't fair to say that audiences
ought to know something funny when
'hey see It, By that reckoning half
Tue serious plays of the year would
nave ovations as comedies. "The Blue
''ane could have been launched as
ls''ne on melodrama, and have figured
"e'ween all the magazine covers for
years to como as the healthiest attack
'ne theater had ever sustained. But
Eudiences can't do these things for
themselves.
iney have manners, for one thing,
LUZ another an almost pathetic
(aeerness to believe. 1t takes a pretty
~~lo stroke to make them even snicker
u"'ess they have unmistakable evidence
"aI 1t is expected Of them.
inc Tavern" started out with a
s'Ofy and a treatment that were neither
se''er nor worse than dozens-hun
Nfecs, maybe-of plays that have been
"''ousiy presented. Mr.. Cohan may
nave meant to be subtle. But when
'ae Whole point Of "melodramatic sa-
"'e Is that 1t is Just plain melodrama
s'us enough plain burlesque to let
'aem laugh when they feel like 1t, sub
IVY Is no game to play.
me tavern on a stormy night, with
lamps outside and romantic intrigues
,a''oe' and great doings with the door
ss"een, was not very interesting and
wv very uninterestng. and not very
Inhy' Even with the advance notice
:. .aas 's was all thoroughly Cohanized,
my sning seemed as bare as bone.
sae nrst act had Just one distinction.
vss long. The play had two.
sas second Of them did finally como