The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-03-22
Leo DitrichStein
in 'Toto,' a Play of
Violent Contrasts
Abrupt Shifts in Comedy Give
Star Chance to Show
His Versatility.

Toto" n which Leo D.trichstein
once more came back 10 those who en-
JOY finished acting at the Bijou Thea
tire last night Is comedy of violent
contrasts-as violent az the manner In
which the Paris Of which II treats stood
me raVages OF war as against the bore
dom OF peace. There Is a witty middle
ageo philanderer who, for all his Paris
IAN sophisticaton. loves his grown
daughter with ar affection as pure az
Ills accent probably Is In the country
+ his estranged wife leading life so
sanity the angels seem likely TO get
Ger Il she doesn't watch out
Then there Is Louise. the daughter of
he odd pair, who generally Is consid-
cred perfectly innocent and sincere. al
though In one act she smokes a cigarette
and discusses racy Partisan life with the
utmost composure as part of her four
months stay with her father. and In the
next act. while spending the other eight
months with her mother. sets hymn to
music which, as sung by Miss Phoebe
Foster last night. may yet be stolen by
some jazz composer. She listens un-
abashed to occasional frank discussions
of matters which are not regarded IN
this country as meet for the ears Of g.
longer maintained that the tllle knows
nothing about them. And she processes
to love both her antipodal parents with
equal devotion, though she must possess
some special combination to manage the
Job.
The story. by Maurice Hennequin and
Felix Duquesnal, shifts from the amor
GUS glitter OF Paris to the strict STUN
ness OF Nine. dc Tillois's pietistic home.
near BIois. where are revealed various
sanctimonious persons whose characters
are al constant variance with their
words. chief among them hypocritical
lawyer who schemes to marry Louise to
his nephew, a sort of biped whited
sepllchre In short, the comedy. after
starting II the fashion of THE Great
Lover" ends up IN the style Of that mid
Victorian classic, He Fell in Love
With His Wife"
Probably because OF .hese abrupt
shifts the comedy frequently seems
artific.aiiy brittle, though II receives It's
original impetus from the vow OF An
to,ne de Ti,,ots's daughter never to
marry until she has reconciled her father
and mother-which Is generally con-
sidered good for honest heart throbs OF
the deepest dye. To enable her 20 fui-
All her vow and 10 marry his good
friend Robert dc Rtuaro, her father
processes to abdicate his gay sovereignty
as King Toto OF the boulevards." go
home 70 his wife and a5ase his soul In
piety. Boiled beef ard horse radish. BIT
II hardly seems likely that SO seasored
a hand as the Ccn,te would be caught
writing letters meanwhile 10 his light
o. love IL Paris and revealing that this
was but a temporary pretenSe OF re-
form. nor does IL seem that woman so
strong wi.led In dour religlosity as his
wife would likewise be plastic 10
every counsellor and finally succurub 10
her husbands compliments about her
natural complexion.
However, ali's well that ends we'll
when Mr.. Ditrichstein Is around. His
acting Is a sheer delight. usually rising
above the lines. which Achmed Abdullai
In adapting has sprinkled with such
subtle Gallicisms as referring 10 ballet
girls as chickens"
But Mr.. Ditrichstein has taken care 10
jacket himself with a part that fits with
tailor made smoothness. no matter
whether the rest OF the characters seen
ready made. No matter what the play,
one can settle back with the Supremacy
comfortable feeling as soon as ne steps
on the stage that lines are to be spoken
with consummate rapier thrust 10 sat
isfy the most sinicky. just as one can
breathe with relief on seeing the name
"Belasco" on programme.
His gesture - Scautiful when h
shakes hands sympatheticaily with the
Baron TO whose wife ne has been
making love, on learning that the
Baroness has eloped with 100000 francs
loaned by Toto" When he bulldozes
the schemng lawyer and the latter pro-
tests that he Is an old man, Mr.. Dit-ich-
stein makes the perfect retort per-
fectly: 80 am /. but / don't brag about
It." He is suave and forceful always
10 the appropriate degree. and one would
rather hear the twanR of his voice than
that Of the best guitar.
Miss Phoebe Foster as the daughter.
looked extremely prepossessing. but
frequently bit off her words rapidly as
though in an elocution class. Miss
Frances Underwood rose 70 her emo
tionsl occasions undestandlngiy. and
Beach Cooke did a good bit as the posing
nephew. but the remainder OF the cast
hardly was worthy OF Parts.