Evening star., 1928-05-20
ALICE WHITE ond ARTHUR LAKE Earle
A Week of Playhouse
AntitheSiS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

@WO attractions reserved for
the closing days of a most
rewarding theatrical sea-
son were in direct and
striking contrast. There could
not have been extremes more re-
mote, one from the other, than
the now socially recognized Irish
Rose" and the most Galsworthian
Of GalswOrthy plays. Escape"
The manner In which Irish
Rose" proceeded, step by step, in
conquest, defiant Of censoriouS
Sneer, a veritable Madame Sans
Gene Of the drama, is a matter Of
familiar history. The play has
risen to a point Of acceptability
that gives it even literary prestige
and calls for special mention as
90 the distinction Of players who
have assisted in its Interpretation.
y y
sAbie's Rose" is q precise,
enethodical example of traditional
play structure, in which the SIM
Dlegt human sentiments and sur
DOundingS are interpreted with
wympathy which emphasizes the
fun and yet exploits the comedy
with unsparing energy. II is a
story Of SWeetheartS parted By
pride and parental power, TO be
united with wedding bells in the
last act. Nothing could be more
strictly according TO rule. It's sue
ress has dazzled practical old
timers in the box ONCE and has
scarcely been paralleled since
that enjoyed by the ''Old Home
stead" after Denman Thompson
developed 1t from q variety sketch
into q full-sized play.
/ In contrast to this ingenious
Revelation Of almost aboriginal
principles relating TO pursuit by
The male OF an object Of affection,
REGARDLESS Of social distractions
appeared Escape" 1t Is ap-
gparentIy almost as free from
nne mathematical requirements Of
customary playmaking as "Parsi-
haI." or, judged by report, The
strange Tnterlude," avoiding, how
ever, an oyergenerosity in time
measurement.
Escape" takes It's departure In
narrative from an incident grown
very familiar through It's utiliZa-
ton again and again BY playmak-
erg In all languageg-tl1e chance
meeting Of a well bred man with
. woman who Is haunting the
nave. Despite his knowledge that
kehe regards him as her natural
1Drey. he is led By chivalrous I'M
pulse into what would have
seemed, an hour before, prepos-
ferrous complications. When thf
xiYi. who has ventured TO use
HYDE Park as her hunting ground
comes so early into attention, the
closely studied deljneation bJ
Henrietta Goodwin leads 10 ar
expectation that an impression ~
strongly established and 50 inter.
eSt-compeiiing will be utilized
through various incidents, culmi.
mating possibly in conventional
ree0gnitson under startling
change Of circumstances whief
irony Of fate 50 often produces,
Nothing Of this kind happens.
ss%s
After the prologue, nine cpl
codes are revealed, descFiblni
wlfh ali the vivid technique of tn
drama the escape, the wander
ingg oyer the moor, the bldlngs'
out ia tavern, bedroom, or IN cot
4age. or la gravel pit, and nnalij
fhe arrival 0f Denant, the aeci'
dental slayer Of q police ofiices
An the yegtry Of the village chhfcfl
where In despair he ventures Y
claim sanctuary.
II is Leslie Howard whose foi'
Dermitg him 10 hold IN MS owi
nersonaIity the one consisten
thread Of life story as he move
through the adventures OF tl'
cunning and desperate fugitive.
IE is = great role that Nj
Howard undertakes, and only I
sstFange and unforeseen compafi
son could disturb an admifing be
llief that he plays II for al ]
Ia worth, down 70 the sligbtes