The Bismarck tribune., 1931-09-29
C0ODOLD DAYSOF
LOCAL STAGE ARE
RECALLED MONDAY
Ethel Barrymore Stars in First
Road Show Seen Here in
Two Years

good old days" Monday night at the
City Auditorium.
The occasion was the appearance
here Of Ethel Barrymore In Richard
Brinsley Sheridan's great satiric
comedy, ''The School for Scandal"
in which Miss Barrymore was sup
ported by competent cast.
For the first time in two years
Bismarck residents were offered the
opportunity Of seeing a road show"
with worthwhile actress in an in.
teresting play. When the next one
Will come no one knows, but for this
season at least, and until the city
again Is favored with real stage
production, those in Monday nights
audience will have the memory of
Ethel Barrymore, very modern and
very charming despite her eigteenth
century dress, as she last appeared
here.
The play was unusual and was
presented with the finish which one
has q right to expect from so excel
lett an actress. as the last great fe-
male member Of the House Of Barry
more and Drew. II it was farewell
to stage productions in Bismarck for
the next two years or longer, it was
q worthy one.
Had Universal Message
One OF the things which has made
Sheridan's great drama live through
nearly two centuries, Of course, is
the universally of its message and
the fact that its moral applies with
just as much force today as it did
the day 1t first took shape in its au-
thor's brain. "The plays the thing"
Of course, and this one was inter-
esting and amusing as we'll as in
Structive and just little bit con-
science e-stirring. It was somewhat as
though Miss Barrymore, with her
wealth Of theatrical experience and
her great personal charm. had
brought evangelism back to life be-
hind the proscenium lights.
It deals with an era in the society
of Old England when tale-bearers
were torturers disguised as social
lions: when q wagging tongue might
easily make up for honely face and
when character was built up only to
be torn down.
Like all good plays It had VII
lain. but. in addition, it had ever
SO many heroes or quasi-heroes, q
charming heroine, Of course, and any
number of villainesses. Yes. the In
gradients were there and they were
put together with sufficient skill to
make q delightful evenings enter
tainment.
Youth Wins the Girl
Hypocrites were properly exposed
and condemned, as they should be in
any proper stage presentation where
they figure, and misunderstood youth
won the girl as the last curtain fell.
Miss Barrymore also, Of course,
was not the girl who was clasped in
the impetuous lovers arms as the
customers reached for their hats.
She is far too understanding wo-
man to attempt that at this stage In
her career and chose apart which
was ideally suited to her talents. She
appeared as the young wife Of re-
formed old bachelor, attempting to
maintain rural ideas Of rectitude and
at the same time make for herself q
place In a society of whisperers and
slandererS.
She was tempted and found her
self or the brink Of dishonor, but
was saved from disgrace and shame
in the end by her own good sense
and the exigencies Of the dramatic
situation which might have ruined
her character had the author desired
to attain q different end.
The production labored under the
handicap which confronts any pres
entation of q centuries-old play to q
modern audience but this was over
come by the cohesion and skill Of
the cast and the personality Of Miss
Barrymore.
Costumes Were Gorgeous
The very remoteness Of its setting,
however, lent another and an in
triguing quality to the production by
reason of the costumes. These were
gorgt(us, even though they didn't
permit q single actress to display
much more than the tip Of her slip
per.
From more standpoints than that
of morality, the play was instructive.
II there were men In the audience
who wondered how lady could pos
sibly sit down In an eighteenth cen
tury gown he found ample proof that
1t could be done. Women interested
in the technique Of this achievement
found graceful demonstration.
All In all, it was something for
which Bismarck has thirsted 10
these many nights when the once
popular auditorium has been dark.
The extent and universally Of that
desire was given testimony by the
fact there were few vacant seats in
the house.