Evening star., 1924-12-16
National - Mrs. Partridge
- 8, pres.Sr4s-a -

E}spare the rod ,andtspoil the parent
the reverse of che old. -adage.; THAI
MAY or may not. he, the meaning
sought to be conveyed. by the outhots
BIZ Mrs. Partridge Presents" Blanche
oates new comndy.. Which, opened 81
HE National Theater last night, but
Plat is the inaDHevs3 36as4t regfstered.-
q There are times during the three
acts when one would gladly apply a
verbal rod-it noras other were handy
-4-to the mother who sought to fash
tan the lives of Ser two children as
Fhe desired, " hputH'regard to the
Wishes of her son and daughter. All
bf which indicates that Miss Bates
ltas to struggle agatpst the handicap
Of an uRsympatheticss part 1t is
strange to see Miss Bates in such a
part, for she has been an, Idol
days of THE Girf@ of the Golden
West" 81. =, ,-a4. ..s-'.s =
Miss Bates herEelf is charming in
the new play Her todch is sure: She
makes the mother stand out as the
really strong character of the. play.
She is a personality. With her usual
vim she throws herself into the part
She is an attractive matron. Men
wish to marry her. '@ s.iE+' +'.Ai 49,
l.With all her charm. however, 1t Is
Impossible for Miss Bates to make
she is interesting, dominating, even
loving. but as irritating as a spoiled
Child who insists, pponas smearine
white paint on. the, furniture just be-
fore the guest, sits down. -.
iFThe authors, Mary Kennedy and
Ruth Hawthorne have sought sto
supply Mrs. Partridge with an ex-
Guse for her determination to make
of her daughter an actress and OF
Rfer son an artist. But 1t is scarcely
convincing. 1t seems that her in-laws
tried to stifie all her natural desires
In the early years of her married life
She determines that her daughter
shall have a profession and career
that will make her independent, and
Der determinationT spills over onto heI
bay also. The profession she picks out
for him is painting, just because she
herself had a leaning toward the
stage and the studio before she was
married. AS. matter of fact, wher
ste skipped off with her two babie:
and left the home of her husbands
parents, she herself entered upon Z
much more practical and prosaic bust
ness. dressmaL, ing O business which
she built up until she became nation.
Aify famous.
4 And so Mrs. Partridge PRESENTS
or would present If she could-hel
daughter Delight as an actress anG
her son Philip as a. knight of the
brush and palette. Her daughter fall:
In love and would become. mer'
wife, while her son wishes TO aaop
tivil engineering. For three acts th'
Struggle between mother and childreI
continues. with the mother fighting :
losing battle.
iygMrs. Partridge, Presents" fur
tishes clean comedy, clever lines anc
q lesson to parents to give thei,
children a chance to think and ac
occasionally for themselves. afte
they have passed the infant stag
aud are becoming. men and women
lit is reasonable to suppose tha
nearly every mother, In varying de
Erees, experiences as her children
grow up, the sensati tion of the her
Who Matched out e. e.duckungs Blu
Ihost of them have sense enough no
to try to make their children stall
Fhen they want to paddle-a sense
which Mrs. Partridge lacked.
The new comedy furnishes a capi
tai character sketchr-Katherine Ev
erett. played by Miss Ruth Gordon
catherine is romantic. II the top o
her head were lifted, feathers woulS
fly out, she says, Miss Gordon make
the most of the part and won tn,
hearty appfova1-of the audience
t.Guthrie McClintio the producer, haI
Surrounded Miss Bates with an ex
Eellent company. Sylvia Field as De
Hight, the daughter, is charming. ant
Eliot Cabot as .the:young7 lover act:
Eith sureness and ability. y