Evening star., 1924-04-06

w present generation, the
theater properly, though
mildly, points its moral by contlnu-
Gus references to glories OF the
past. Perhaps they are not inten-
tional illusions to standards set
when the stage was more closely
identified with literary expression
but these reversions to villainy in
carnate and the right triumphant
through processes of poetic justice
inevitably invite comparison.
x x :; =
The shade OF Dickens still hoverS
about the mimic scene. And SO does
that of Thackeray; for no true and
intelligent admirer OF Mrs. Fiske can
think OF her without remembering
Becky Sharp, even while she follows
the trend OF the times into groupings
among cynical PHILOSOPHERS.
:: y <
1t has always been usual to repre-
sent the stage as having deterio-
rated: and the stage itself is more
industrious than any other force in
imprcssing this idea. II now frankly
admits itself at its best when dealing
with physical expression Its sue
cesses on artistic lines are viewed
as phenomena quite apart from
established system And so they
are, for they are usually made pos
sible by some enthusiast whose faith
III self is strong, whose abilities are
great and whose luck is exceptional.
= = :: ::
The theater reflects the world
about it. and as it leaves behind one
standard of excellence. asserts a new
one. Never was -theater more rich
in mechanical resources than the
present one And in their absence,
it may be doubted whether all the
poetic fervor and declamatory graces
OF tradition would find an audience
content. Yet the impulse OF time
honoring art survives. Player and
public will not cease to love their
Dickens, their Thackeray and their
Shakespeare. With each appear
ance OF Mrs. FiSke comes the gentle
rumor that she is again to portray
the heroine OF Vanity Fair" story
whose accuracy of human analysis
renders it perpetually modern.
x I: !: 4
Every week brings assurance that
there is fine acting in abundance,
and Mrs. Fiske always does her
share of it. She is a delightful
revelation of spontaneous intel
lectualism. and no play can be so
Slight that she will not find way
10 give it, by her own efforts, sig
nihcance and charm. If Mrs. Fiske
finds little in the character for her
to play. the matter is easily adjust
ed; the character will have TO play
Mrs. Fiske. "Helena's Boys" tells
anew the sad story, which in a few
years has become so old, OF parents
who refuse to obey their children.
= x :: !;
Many is the time Dickens has been
adapted to the footlights. His
biographers credit him with per-
sonal interest in the theater and
talents for acting reserved for a
close and friendly circle. His dra-
matte sense is profound. even
though his pen did not hold itself to
the restrictions of dramatic form.
Margaret Ang1in's new romantic
melodrama by Paul Kester, taken
from incidents in the novel BLEAK
House" by Charles Dickens, is rather
more keSter than Dickens. 1t is
play for the sake of storytelling
rather than character study, and the
Dickens types, despite the abundant
drollcries of dialect and wardrobe,
are left inconSpicuous, save i'll the
single admirable instance of Tulking
horn, played by Mr.. Ivan. The
Great Lady Dedlock" is violent
shaking OF the skeleton i'll a family
closet, a procedure so common IN
genuine event that it may be doubt
ed whether an audience can be
reused to its gravity i'll a purely
fictional situation.
The dual role IS a severe test of
acting powers. The player devotes
every energy to a program of self
rivalry. In the role of Hortense,
tho French maid, Miss Anglin dis
played more art and closer express
sion of detail than the part of Lady
Dedlock permitted. Yet it was to
the heroine of grief that sympathy
turned most naturally and strongly.
+ X
Dickens characterization has been
congenial enterprise for many
artists. In the films Jacky Coogan
succeeded in contradicting tradition
by making the title role Of OLIVER
Twist" the star role. In the many
stage versions the honors have
gone elsewhere. Martin
Harvey played Sydney Carton in
The Only Way" with a success
which proved, as did the Tale of