Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-01-10
GARRICK-"Enter Madame.


Enter Madame" the delightful
comedy of racial temperamentality
and characterizations. which won for
its star and co-author. Gilda Varesi,
"a place among the, select few who
Contributed something of real worth
to the American stage the past year,
made it's Washington advent at the
9Shubert-Garrick Theater last night.
80 rare is its entertainment and so
ssplendidly heralded as it was, one
lswould naturally suppose that the the
later would be crowded to its capacity.
sBut it was not. thus apparently fur
finishing further Justification for the
panderers of jax1 and indeiicacy IN
4 the continuance of a course that many
believe is sadly impeaching the in.
Sttegrity of the American theater. 1t
Us safe to predict. however, that seats
will be at q premium before the close
.of the week.
: The idea which dominates the plot
Eof Enter Madame" is not new, but
=edy and rare in character studies that
are finely portrayed by q competent
cast. from Henry Stephenson down to
the humblest and least important in
the story.
In the role suggested by the title.
that Of Nine. Lisa Della Robbia, .
temperamental Italian prima donna,
POLITICALLY whimsical in her notions.
who believes she Is testifying In her
glorious song her love for. even her
alteration of, her husband, Gerald
Fitzgerald, a good-natured, home-lov-
ling Irishman, who has tired of being
transported all over the world as the
husband of the madame Gilda Va
resi- reaches the usually unattainable
peak of delicious high comedy, and
through variant moods discloses
an emotional greatness whose most
Impressive feature is it's repression
and its human naturalness. Her ar
tistry is not of the type common to
the stage of today, and because 1t Is
not 1t fascinates and wins. admira-
lion with it's uncommon charm.
/. AT the opening of the play. her
husband had determined to take mat
madame and to find the comfort of
his own fireside. in fiat and homely
slippers, by annexing an attentive
widow, also Of charm and keenness
of wit. who has dear boyed" him
to the exquisite happiness of a mar
tyr willing to be rescued from his
plight. All is arranged, but the for
smality Of divorce and the settle
tments. for Gerald is not wanting in
money of his own. Indeed his routine
marital joy. according to his own
statement, has consisted in adjusting
madame's debts and shortages at
least twice q year.
In whirlwind Of similarly temper
mental attaches, for her encourage
includes q miniature madame in the
maid; an effusive and voluble chef,
whose alteration with the Japanese
rich gems of comedy In the play; a
physician. also italian and probably
more musical than medical. and an
English secretary. PLACID. stold and
Her meeting with her son. John
Fitzgerald, first uncovers the real
woman in her. And. after BRAIN
storm in which pretty nearly every
feet. madame recognizes Gerald. her
husband. Gerald proceeds with dis
patch to the object Of his plans. but
wavers. AS q matter OF fact ne
blonde widow. who has been minis
tering to his wounded pride, but he
does love the tempermental madame
and manifests 1t Enthusiastically when
she comedies with his plans and in
forms him that she has found q poet
OF ' course. Gerald strenuously OBJ
jects to supporting "a damned poet"
Blu. madame fellows s up her sn adva an.
blonde widow. with her son and his
fancee. to q farewell" supper. for
after all she has determined to fly
again to the call Of q South American
contract. At the close Of the supper
and the madame, one of the most ex-
quisite bits Of high comedy OF the
stage in recent years, hastens the
plot to a close.
1t Is impossible to give the space
to description Of everything that
makes the play and its gifted star
one of the rarest Of theatrical treats.
No one, it is believed, will regret the
time taken to learning the full story
by an evening at the Garrick.
: So, too, space Limitation forbids an
analysis of the delicious characteri-
Eations provided by Henry Stephen
widow; Miss Micheiette Burani, the
Incompatible maid; Miss Minnie
Milne. the secretary: William q.
Mailman, the chef; George Motto, the
Japanese steward of Gerald: John
Bonn, Gerald's son; Miss Cleona
Quiet, his hancee. and Francis M.
Verdi, madame's personal physician.
They are all excellent, each in his
way, and all contribute to the charm
of a thoroughly delightful play.