The Washington times., 1931-02-17
JANE COWL In
A BRILLIANT
COMEDY
BY ANDREW r. KELLEY

Not since her piquant travels
along Robert E. Sherwood'S Road
to Rome" Las Jane Cowl been
fitted so smartly to drama of
adornment as in Ben w. Levy's
'Art and Mrs. Bottle presented
as the first item in her two play
repertory at the Belasco Theater
last night.
The opening Cowl performance
given under The patronage Of
VaSsar Alumni attracted a distin-
tguished audience of capacity size.
It was cheered and amused to
the point of enthusiasm by
clever piece of writing and an
excellent exposition of the art of
acting by an exceedingly capable
company.
Takes Poke At Art
The English playwright has
chosen to castigate what he calls
"twin delusions," art and love. In
the process of making his point
he pillories rather severely any
condescending Bohemian theory
that artists can live by their own
moral standards and the rest CT
the world can go hang.
After her fling with the sell
fish idiosyncrasies of artistic ge,
MUS Mrs. Bottle is we'll converted
to Babbitry, if you please, for
she cries out "One OF your ia
theirs drains is worth all the
Rembrandts in the world. \ good
sewer is the noblest work OF
man, and a good sanitary en5i-
neer-like your father-is the
nobleSt work of God" Thus does
the plumber serve the drama.
Comes Back In Time
The story tells of youthful
English mother who is led by an
Immoral artist to desert her hus-
band and two children for what
seems brighter romance. Mrs.
Bottle is soon deserted by her
worthless philanderer and spends
the next 20 years of her life as
the companion of a prollflgate
nobleman. AS the play opens her
patron has died and Mrs. Bottle
makes a prodigal return to the
bosom of her family. 1t is high
time for the idealiStic daughter
has become enamored of a scamp
and the son is torn with the
pangS of his first adventure with
the tender sentiment. Both chill
dhen are addicts of the cart for
AVf'c CoLoO OniniOn
The contrite Mrs. Bottle man
ages to settle the love affairs OF
lher offspring with a minimum OF
tears Indeed she soon becomes
general.manager of the Bottle
household and likes the job so
well, the much harassed Mr..
Bottle is inclined to begin their
married life all over again.
Beautifully Acted
Into the three acts Playwright
Levy has injected an abundance
of scintillating dialogue, some sur
prising twists, and deft characterl-
zation. AS "fixer," Mrs. Bottle
is superb, as a pilpiteer, a little
hi-falutin' and deep dish, but on
the whole, a charming sinner, not
hard to forgive.
The followers of Jane CoWl
will find this a delectable dra-
matte dish. Her Mrs. Bottle, de-
spite drab chapters, has pre-
served a rare sense of humor.
delightful non-chalance and that
precious talent for pointing lines
with a smile and graceful ges-
ture to make them smashlngly
effective. Besides there is ex-
pert assistance. was com.
pletely won by the portrait OF
smouldering indignation which
burst frequently into flame
Saimned by Walter Kingstord IN
the role of Mr.. Bottle. Splendid
support is also accorded by Leon
Ouartermaine. G. P. Huntley, jr.'
Maren Evensen, Lewis Martin
and Lucille LiSle.
"Art and Mrs. Bottle" will be
presented again tonight and
wednesday. On Thursday night
and through the remainder Of
the engagement, Shakespeare
"'Twelfth Night" in a modern
setting will be the attraction.
ano,