Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-16
Professor Of Foxli,
"L,NTBR MADAME" is a iivel

"LNNTBR MADAME" Is a lively
~ Gcomedy of situation and character.
1t has been staged with the success
which Its sure stage technique, its log
ical working out of incident and its
ready and natural dialogue deserve. In
a sprightly introduction, Mr.. Woolcott
lets us in back Of the scenes sufficiently
to learn how the chief parsonage was
drawn from life. whence assuredly all
chief and other persons should be drawn,
draft. so TO speak, on the expert
interpreter Of the title role. He tells
us more Of this lady's training and sue
cess, all Of which Is pleasant reading
and pertinent enough. We are grateful
to him for not telling us that in ENTER
Madame" enters at last the long-ex
pected indigenous American comedy
triumphant. ENTER Madame" Is con
spicuous in not being 80 heralded. d..
QUOTING somebody, who ! suppose
W really knew--else why quote him p
I once said: There are eleven original
or primitive situations in comedy and
no more" I received the next day, in
consequence Of this deliverance, a docu-
ment which more nearly resembled
challenge to mortal combat than any
InlnR else OuISlut vi HVtlOn. n llSI vi
the eleven original situations was de-
manded, and instanter. As I did not
propose then. and do not propose now,
to be bullicd, I refused to deliver the
goods. Maybe I know and maybe l
don't; at any rate ! shall never tell
the other ten /; but IL the eleventh--and
perhaps one or two others besides-be
not the triangle. then I am very much
mistaken. Somebody equally clever, IL
there be any such. or else II was my
friend, Professor William Lyon Phelps,
of Yale, once wrote that in the CON
cert-or was II the orchestra ?-of lifo
all the music--or was 1t all the jan
Cling ?--is not performed on the triangle.
And yet doubt not that in that i'm.
portant work. the Universal Primer OF
PIaymakinp. a considerable chapter will
be found devoted to triangulation., 1t
is the best way in which to map out
the ground for, starting with Adam and
Eve and Lilith, and continuing to An
tony and Cleopatra and Octavia, down
to the latest scenario of the latest gos-
samer film, men and women seem to
persist in grouping themselves in
threes.
0E,NTER MADAME" is grouped in
IL the eternal three. Now, when
you have three cards-ln IN most gunes
even although two only may be OF a
kind. 1t is important which shall bC
trumps. The triangle here is usual
enough. Gerald. an elderly. neglected,
philandering, husband, Madame being
much away: fair widow. recently
young, somewhat embonpoint, rather
humdrum. but in the way; Madame
Lisa Della Robbia, n great singer, who
returns, an artist to her finger tips.
temperamental, adorable. quite capable
of managing this or any situation. From
the first moment we know that madame
is the trump. But how will she take the
tricks? Even the method is not unprec-
edented. Things are allowed to drift
until the first decree in divorce is
granted Gerald-we are to suppose for
desertion, though that does not appear.
Madame, who is supposed always to do
the unexpected, on receiving the decree.
disappoints her encourage by not flying
into a passion. Instead she nrranges.
offhand, a nice little farewell dinner
for her husband that was and the lady,
Flora, who is to be her successor three
months hence. Madamc's and Gerald's
son, a grown young man, and his young
betrothed, are also of the party. With
these, her doctor. her chef, her secre-