The New York herald., 1922-02-21
Irene Bordoni a
Rising Star in
The French DolP
Gives Capital Performance in
One Of the Brilliant Pro-
ductions of the Year.

There is a thrill at discoS ering virtu-
ally new talent in the theater greater
even than that of finding q $40 bill in
~~an old vest pocket A thrl'l over such
a unique event was experienced at the
Lyceum Theater last night by those who
watched Miss Irene Bordoni blossom
more enchantingly than the rose sne
suggested by her costume in the last
act of 'The French Doll"
The philosophers watching her rise as
star must have felt like the oft cited
astronomer viewing some new planet
swim into his ken, or like Balboa pay
irg his first call on the Pacific. But
instead of remaining silent upon a peak
IN Darien they burst into delighted APP
plause on the edge of their seats. H.
Ray Goetz has made in this one of the
most brilliant productions of the year.
Those who have been following MISS
Fordonis career from her advent here
from France experienced something Ike
a shock and looked at their programs
twice to see il this was the same actress,
Gould this be the young woman VINO
used TO sing songs and waggle a
shoulder in a chic fashion, but with
enough rolling of the eyes to sink a
ship? She had been Calls enough IN
most excessive musical comedy fashion,
and her method had seemed too artificial
for anything but such field. largely
because she sang and acted principally
with her eyebrows Even in las You
Were" she had seemed little more than
a comely figure for animating gowns
and making them expressive.
Yet 1t was the same actress, changed
almost as mraculously as though David
Belasco had been telling few plain
truths about acting to her. Miss Bordoni
is French, so those who were anxious
for her future might have realized that
With the natural penchant of the Latin for
acting she would come through all right.
And she came through principally be-
cause she was as human as any player
can hope to be on the stage without
being accused of simply acting him
self
That f1irt OF the eye wasn't used ex-
cept when it was needed to button to-
gether the action. Her archness was
Kept on the leash constantly. Yet in
practically her initial straight piece she
was as winsomely varied as the high
comedy demanded, from the moment
when she first entered after buying
costly gown that drove her impoverished
French family to shredding their hair.
She was melting. she was beautifully
acts. when she was facing the choice
between wealth and love. she was
poignantly sincere without ever suggest
ing that she was putting calculated
bleat in her voice.
1t was one of the best controlled per-
formances OF the season, with superb
Inodulation of humor and pathos despite
an occasional hysterical giggle from a
few spectators who still seemed to think
..x41 1.1
comedy at any moment. She sang cou-
pie of songs charmingly though her pro-
file was more exquisite than her voice.
With silvery gowns to wear. no wonder
she glowed till the footliShts seemed
unnecessary.
OF course. Miss Bordoni was abetted
by a most adroit adaptation by A. E.
Thomas, who preserved the Gallo at
mospherc of the original by Paul Ar
mont and Marcel Gerbidon by a sort Of
literary varnish. fIe intensified IT by
removing the impecunious family Of the
Baron MasuIier- to New York, and then
throwing into relief against it an un-
cotth suitor for Georobte's hand who had
hooked fortune with fish.
His story OF the family who had brought
up their lovely daughter as the mar
ria geable bait to retrieve their fortunes
their future they called her-was
not entirely new, but 1t was garnished
50 with original turns one would never
guess it was last years material made
over to look like new.
He may have given a French maiden
too romantic view of marriage, but
she seemed plausible in discovering she
had a. heart above fish. The structure
is developed very logically to a finish
that maintains the suspense to the end,
though the last two acts. when the
MuSulicrs follow their wealthy objective
10 Palm Beach, might be cut down-say,
BY a few thousand Mon Dieus.''
Second honors were divided between
Thurston Hall. as the fish king, and Ed
Guard Durand, who played the father
irresistibly like a French firecracker.
Miss Adrienne D'Ambricourt and Eugene
Borden completed family that snapped
with delightful explosiveness. while VIII
Dcming. Miss Edna Hibbard, Miss Laura
Lussicr and Don Burroughs were others
iu splendid cast whose every move