Evening star., 1928-03-25

revival material it was in
evitaple that she StoopS 70
Conquer" should be busted of
and brought to light anew. It is
q play that must depend minutely
not only on acting competence,
but on the adaptability Of the per-
Sonality TO each role delineated.
When so attractive a juvenile
player Is Glenn Hunter is cast as
Tony Lumpkin there can be no
objection to the intelligence of the
Interpretation unless it were on
the score Of greater refinement
than is artiStically justified. What
the attention really reSentS is see
ing what in effect amounts 20 a
Tony Lunlpkin trying apparently
20 imperSonate a Glenn Hunter.
One OF the pleasant experiences
Of this engagement was the aSsur-
snce0f complete recovery by Mrs.
Leslie Carter from a state of tenn
peramental depression which led
her % proclaim Just after leaving
the cast Of Shanghai Gesture"
that she had hidden farewell for
ever 10 her public She reckoned
without her press agent-for
George Tyler is one of the few
producers who has exploited the
theater with most attention to its
literary aspect.
The idea among producers that
this once daShing interpreter Of
the flaming youth" as well as
flaming hair heroineS Of her
day was ready for flreside and
knitting needles was foreshad-
owed when she played opposite to
John Drew in The Circle" de-
picting the little eccentricities
that time brings about, as the old
and the new study each other
from divergent angles. Her ap-
pearance as Mrs Hardcastle was
one Of the elements Of interest
that made the play seem worthy,
even In the latest realms Of Jazz,
TO hold the respect due TO so emf
nent a playwright as Goldsmith.
II the entire cast had been up 70
the Carter standard, Of course,
with Lyn Harding contributing
long training In the most eminent
schools Of experience, there could
scarcely have arisen q threat here
and there Of reyiying that old
schoolday yawn which constitutes
the great peril Of a classic revival
In spite Of the melody that
makes his verses SO alluring, and
the neatness with which he turns
some philoSophie phrase, Gold
snith Is too sincere q thinker 70
be fully On terms with the general
theater public Of the r4e5ent day.
In the midst of novel he did not
hesitate " introduce something
he had On his mind which related
very little 70 the plot, but very
decidedly 70 controversial discus
sion o. political economy. His
poem, THE Deserted Village" de-
spite its quaint beauties, has
brought reproof within recent
years from eminent students Of
social and commercial economics
II Is a far cry--or better say q
far laugh-from the Goldsmith
comedy 70 "Able's Irish Rose 81
Despite its humber qualities the
rose" psrtakeS of q method that
distinguishes standard literary
comedies; an effort 10 attain un-
RENTING flow Of genial response
from the auditor. Where the pol
1g1ed satirigt and critic Of human
manners and customs aims for q
smiling response in every third ca
fourth line VI dialogue, the Anne
Nichols play aims al the broad
laugh Ia even greater proportions
IL ig always pleasant thing "
be ia the presence of great laugh
ter. ard much u the work thai
has popularized this play yeai
after year until IFS audiences lin
elucing patrons whose grandpaf-
entA have told them not 70 miss
III is really done by the auditori
themselves for the beneft of Onf
another.
Like many another extraOrdi.
nary success, "Abie's Irish Rose
made It's way only after struggIs
and in the face Of the most ezperI
rldicuIe that could be hurled q
hinder it, As IN the case of sons
of the most popular devices bef0rs
the world, the play turned sneeri
into publicity and spoiled ths
prestige Of many prophet WIN