New-York tribune., 1921-04-24
Ethel and John
Adorn Play, but
May Not Talk
Two Good Reasons for Not
interviewing the Two
Barrymores at Opening
of ssClair de Lune''
By EIarriette Undcrhill

springs. Tickets for "Clair de Lune'
arc expensive and difficult to obtain
so we could not understand why the
holders of them should go to the thea
ter and then fidget. If they wanted tc
bounce on the springs why didn't they
stay at home and display their pecu-
liar talents on their own chairs? II
would have been less expensive. Those
who didn't move about in their seats
opened candy and ratified the paper
whispered or coughed. AS Mr.. Mans
field once said, ooh, if they had had
but one neck that we might have
strangled them all with one mighty
twist" This determination on the
part of the audience to be as noisy as
possible made us lose lot of the best
lines, but those which we did catch
were delicious. No, we can't repeat
them; they are of such nature that
they only sound well when one is in
court costume. When they wore white
wigs and hoop skirts they used to call
spade spade.
1t seemed to be the truly smart
thing the night we saw "Clair de
Lune" to pretend that you didn't care
for it; that you were not impressed by
the fact that Ethel and John Barry
more were often on the stage at the
same time. Now, we have passed the
point where we pretend anything, and
we were frankly thrilled by the whole
thing. So, we believe, we're all the
others, only they wouldn't admit it
Breathes there man with soul so
dead that he wouldn't feel his evening
had been we'll spent when Ethel Barry
more came out in the first act in hcr
garden clothes? She wore a small
white hat, set coquettishly on a whits
coiffure, and adorned with a trailing
white plume; a white silk gown with
hoop skirts and enormous emeralds
around her neck. And then she lowered
her head, placed her left hand againsi
her cheek in the old, beloved attitude,
and said what she had to say as only
Ethel Barrymore ever has said it.
Once when Miss Barrymore was max
ing pictures we met her at the studio,
and she said for us to come and have
tea with her any time. We thought
that Wednesday night, after the per-
tormance, would be an awfully good
time for that cup of tea or something,
but hard-hearted manager said that
neither Miss Barrymore nor Mr.. Barry
more would see any one. Our state or
mind was much like that of Peg O. My
Heart when her aunt told her she
didn't approve of her suit. We wanted
to send word backstage and say, "But
Geraldine Farrar and Mary Garden and
Caruso and Frances Starr and Blanche
Bates and Gilda Varesi all loved being
interviewed by u.s." Of course, we
didn't do it. but is that suppressed
desire, and, if so, what may it lead to?
During the intermissions the people
strolled about and told each other what
they thought of the play. One charm
ing young actress, who shall be name
less, came and spoke to the people
next to u.s. "How do you like it?"
she inquired. eve sat with our fingers
crossed all during the first act, but
l was just talking to the manager and
he assures us that the second act is
great, so we're going to stay"
eve like it, but we don't care for the
sets. Jack Barrymore designed them
and they look like toy sets, you know,
rather as though they belonged in the
Young Visiters.'" After she had left
the man said: isn't she beautifully"
and the girl said: "Y-e-s, in a way"
And then the curtain went up on the
second act. This shows the bedroom
of the duchess and Miss Barrymore is
excluded, locked out, until the act is
nearly over. Then she arrives in
velvet peignoir, trimmed with
sable, and you forget everything else,
because she looks so beautiful. A |
wonderful scene follows in which the |
queen says the most atrocious things |
n the smartest way and the duchess
8 so overpowered by the tangerine
gown that she loses her wits entirely
md at the same time her reputation.
'ohn Barrymore is discoye red hiding
n her clothes closet and Prince
Charles refuses to marry her.
E. Lyall Swcte designed the settings
or the third act, which was in two
Genes. The first was on the deck of
boat where Dea, the blind girl, dies,
ooking exactly like Elaine. The sec
nd scene is in the antechamoer of the
queen, and in this Miss Barrymore
ears a pensive, pale orchid teagown
hat is just the proper garb for the
All of the ladies whom {
re have seen on the stage of late re-
'se to make their lovers and them
elves happy because they do not love
nem in the right way. How foolish
hey are! Why not give them trial
nd if they prove unfaithful then at
ast you may congratulate yourself
lat they are not hanging about the
ouse all the timec
But, as the curtain went down, Miss