Immortal shadows: A Book of Dramatic Criticism by Stark Young

1948

”Old Wine, New Bottling: A Kiss for Cinderella, by Sir James Barrie, The Music Box, March 10, 1942

On Christmas Day, Maude Adams first did A Kiss for Cinderella a trifle more than a quarter of a century ago. It does not seem that long, for the kind of thing Miss Adams presented in the theatre and in such a piece had that kind of freshness that dies but slowly, slowly in people's minds; and those who felt the spell of its enchantment never quite lose, whatever the passing years may be, the memory of such an adored and elusive pleasure and personality.

It must be said, nevertheless, that Miss Adams was of all stage ladies most tricky and projective. She was, to use, as it were, a debased coinage of words, forever on the job. A performance of hers was both a careful science and a complete enchantment. In my entire experience of stage observation, I cannot remember to have seen so expert and attentive a test and formulation of the audiences' reactions. It was all meant to be the Naiad's sure-fire and box-office, clever and detailed, not released too recklessly, not too non-popular, a quality of a nation's sweetheart enchantingly created with good taste, and sold. And as that it should be recorded that the modern theatre has had very little ever which was so unforgettable, evanescent, and which partly unconsciously, partly shrewedly, was so shy, so glittering with woodland shadows in paths that never will grow-to use Tibullus' word-trite with human feet. It was a more commendable method that Miss Adams hand, and one that never failed its devoted audience, whose very sweetheart she became.

(The rest of the article goes on to review the play as done by a different actress.)

---