New Britain herald., 1927-10-28

Theater Reviews of
 Current Offerings
GILBERT MILLER
 Pres spufz ETHEL BARRYMORE

THE CONSTANT MIlI'
 \ Comedy by
 W. SOMERSET MAIGHAtI
 Characters Ds They AppearI
 Mts. ulNcr .-...-...,.. Alice John Bentley .....-..-.. Thomas A. Braldou @"tthu 'UlFnE ......-. tora W.thoIspopu Humra Iaw"ctt .... Jonuu-ltc Shrrw Il constance Middleton Q, EjIH Barrymore Marie-Loujs' Durham . Nrrrr Toasdale J"t" Middleton, F k. .. :. ........
 ...--.....-........-.. r. Aubrey Smith !i'FHa". Ief@al ...-.-.. Edward Lester M"ftinrr Iuthum ,.... Murray kinuru
 tby tine Herald I,ry.ew,rp
 S;ars may flicker and grow dim in the theatrical Armament but inc IarrEMorcs seem destined 10 shine brightly without interruption. Wh,r. a Barrymorc's name is cmbIuzonua outside thc playhcugc. there a worthwhile entertainment may b, seen.
 These observations are made in connection with the current aprrar- ance oi Ethel Barrymore in W. Som"r.ot Maueham's English com cdE. 'The Constant Wife" al Par sons thcator, Hartford, which wus #ienallizcd last night hy a rcccptio. 10 thiS actress which must have made her feel Sratihtd that her lockers had included Hartford Oh her itinerary. Many of the elder statesmen and their ladies. 0 whom the word BarryInor" is something more than q name, sat in tho audi enco and delighted in n" perform anco of this play which wus one of thv strongest maanots in the Now York theatrical WorI1 all last sca- son.
 Without question, Maugham has scored heavily with comedy that will appeal just as strongly on lh, road as it did in tho metropolis.
 Constance Middleton, wife Of John Middleton. r. J;. C. S, i4 the object of pity among her relatives and intimate friends hccausc or the phiiandorinS of her husband 10 whom sh" has bocn married for t5 years. They ache 10 tell hor that he is having an affair with her dearest friend. Mario-l ouiAo Dur ham, and are astoundcd whan shc informs fhrm that she has been con. 'cre1nt with the situation for som, time, Barnard kcrSal, who had been a candidate for her affections prior to her marriage. turns up au- CT many years spent in the Orient and tells her that his love has not Waned. He emphasizes the point that IL" does not wish 10 interrupt the happiness ot her marriage to Dr. Middleton. being uHaWurn that there has been any change in their domestic relations Apparently the MiddI"tous get along just as they al- ways did and only their own sman world knows that Constance has learned of her husbands affections for Marlc-L Louise. Sin accepts the philOsOphiCaNy and maE,, light of it, explaining that her hus- band has always been good to hyf. and has provided layishly for her comforts. Two years lutnr when she has SuCccodci in banking a comfortable sum of money through her own industry in the in- terior decorating business she an nOmr"s that she is about to have q six weeks holiday u Italy. Dr. Mid- Gletom who thinks she has forgot ten his errors in the past. remarks: 'It's too bad. dear, ] couldn't have arranged my holiday so l could ac- company you. II will be lonesome traNeling alone" What follows is the surprising turn in the story
 In her role as "rhe Constant Wife, Miss Barrymore achieves new luStrc. The calm and sclr-con- trol of the character are strkiucly dclineatcd. C. Aubrey smith brings 10 the role Of Dr. Middleton an in which blends into the picture perfectly, One could be- lie}c that he had hecn picked mp bodily in one Of those clubs for gentlemen in London and added to the cast Alice John is refreshing lS in" mother Of Constance and Martha. She is convinced that all yirtue died with Queen Victoria but thinks il best not 10 make too mlcu If q fuss about I'. Edward Lester exercises the proper amount of re