Evening star., 1947-05-11
Gielgud and Acting
He and His Company Revive It Again as q
Breath. T Takina Act
By Joy Cormody

One Of the surprising experiences Of the constant theatergo
nfequency with encounters acting art Acting
occupation ourneyen jouneywomen
constantly under his scrutiny But 1t seems almost
never that he is ised to think upon it. or discuss it. beyond
missing as good Or. worst of ALL adequate
Whatever electyng moments the theaer manages to
total which Is close to the nntenapatnfuy few
grow quality its acting The talk OF performers and
performances depressingy small SO much Of all ak Is
itself with bewiidered admiration that the Lun
manage keep play such 20 Mistress Mine Or per-
hap Of Helen Hayes to take ye IN roWdy
comedy such Happy Birthday"
Even Bergman Confusing.
level nearest approach to beathless excite
of acting deal with the sudden
1ned certainly has been the
sensation drawing close Not even the pro-
critics bothered to judge whether she Is sea
actress or overowered by MISS Berg
personality that they behaved rather like so many
stars fan club. !.
sad of entirely acting which should be adudged Is
and cared something about as an art In
often includes Of the acting profession so many
of whom principally concerned with the size tne pay
In ending there was but one nen moment lo
.ctnv as acting discussed and redsssed Tor weeks
IN he remembered always the eectyng experiences IN the
audience was tough and ano . M 81 ,
are the sort thoughy would keep out OF the sight OF I'M
nressionabe young this occasion was lifted out OF itse
For possibly the last its members hao 0ac W
childish innocence the effect was dramatic TO see
Then Came Gielxud Company.
The occasion opening night Of John Gguds repeory
THE Importance OF Being Earnest on Broadway last
There was tribute turned into tuut than which nothing
could have been more suitable to the occasion.
The ult out OF the power OF splendid
acting had been some such thing the year
r the Old historic institution that had picked up ana
The new neennors were
encanted to greet not merely because they were
sperb ensemble acting but by virtue OF the canon OF
international amity the play shakespearian
Gegud had such weight OF sheer prestee LIS
stature was that of touring English players True enough
10 years ago. Gegud demonstrated foeetaby brilliant en.
In his time and other amlets might excusaoy nave
dmmed the memory the British visitor
The play oscar brittle comedy another handi
can and greater special brand of drawing room wit had
had decades thin Even moviegoe had oen e
posed before and had found perloo STUN Anu
earlier in the season. Broadway itself picked revival OF Lady
about.
Stacked.
stacked against Gielgud MS
COMPANY But extraordinary player that turned
out perhaps the difference that his triumph
spectacular
From spoken stage that night the teater
expectancy which knows that 1t Will not
denied dscredited author being
brought macuouy life through the magic OF acting IN style
that had become simply Giegud acting DOWN TO
the astounding impact style 50 gn
that Oscar himself felt humble before it,
evening mounting eaton In which the eccentric the
preentous the vain being played to kind OF
exating extinction by being played to the hlt
rhapsodc reviews than those the next New
They all for Gielgud and his
the Old Vic had not received welcome
acting again their
the weeks 1t Washington with
comedies in the English language Congreves Love
for Love-" It should easily be the event of the