New-York tribune., 1921-10-11
The New Play
B. Percy Hammond
Miss Helen HAYES Is the
Best News Of Mr.. Tar
kingdoms Comedy,
The Wren

This = Nr. Harrington in his most
lrgenuous mood. telling good deal. if
not al, tina, happened ono summers day
vp at Cap'a Glass place or the New
lnsisud coast. You know Mr.. Tark
:nrton s. mis- best in "Clarcnce," and at
rs worst in The Country Cousin" O.
Mister Antonio? Well. The Wren"
IS scmewherc between the two, though
It IS a occurrence, if one may be per
mittcd 20 sey so. 20 his earlier and
more artless period. 1t is trine thin,
bit slow. rather casual in its CON
struction. and ovcrhalancsd. now and
,ten. 5y rich down-east types, which,
'S'ough amusing. take up considerable
time.
The Dad news having been told, let
us hasten to giadder tidings. These
have 70 Go with the presence in the
t.tle role of Miss Helen Hayes, the
smallest OF the stars and among the abb
est. Another glance al the play ybillshows
no that Miss Hayes is not star, nor
oven = featured member OF the cast
r.. despite that she has allthe charm
',- Supplements with which TO be one,
40 several others not usually consid-
cred necessary to prodigious emncnce
upon the stage AS the Wren she is
motherly little person, who runs the
summer boarding house owned by her
aged father (Mr George Fawcett), a
racy old mariner invalidcd to a wheel
chair. In her lowly encourage there
are a rural housekeeper Miss Marion
AbotO and an equally rural man Of all
work Mr.. Sam Rced).
x x
Mrs. Frazee, Of New York Miss
Pauline Armitage), having sought con-
Yalescencc at the Olds' place, encoun-
ters there an irresolute artist, Roddy
Mr.. Leslie Noward), whose good looks
and pleasing habits with women beguilc
her. She also beguiles this painter.
heing musician. by rendering mellow
improVisations upon the pianoforte at
eventidc and by the amorous music of
Tristan und Isolde Their Irritation
is interrupted bv Mr. Frazce (Mr. John
Floodl, who enters unexpectedly and
begins campaign Of the nagging
sneers and abused complainings of the
Jealous, middle-aged husband of a
handsome, adventurous wife.
= X Il
Miss Hayes a the Wren observes
tho situation with quietly troubled
emotions, and wonders how she can set
i' Alright. For instance. as Mrs. Fra
zcc plays to Roddy in the twilight, the
Wren organizes an opposition concert
with the hired man, and sings q popu-
lar ballad to his accompanment upon
ne guitar. She calls into action all
her little maternal wiles to attract the
painter away from the siren and back
'o his landscapes, and in so doing be-
comes sentimentally involved herself.
For IN order 20 deceive the husband
'ho artist feigns an admiration for the
N rem and so endows her with woman
5 feeling for him The Frazees have a
rcw; tho lady plans to abscond with
Roddy, and that INDECENT firt, being a
good deal Of bounder, doesn't know
what to DO At the conclusion, the
frazees having been disposed Of the
painter goes out TO paint the scenery
and the Wren follows him. Through
tae old Cap'n's binoculars they are to
eo seen going through the meadows
-hand-in-hand as the curtain falls
Which may not be your idea of happy
eading even If it is Mr.. Tarkington's $
Mss liayes's impersonation will be
found able, think, because it con
taius an appealing youthful maturity
mo- aFectations, an understanding OF
The roles wisdom and eagerness and
tae power TO reproduce them. The
other characters, especially Mr.