ETHEL IRVING CRITICISED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 3108, 29 December 1921, Page 6

ETHEL IRVING CRITICISED.

ACTION FOR LIBEL. LONDON, Nov. 1.8. 'I he limits within which a dramatic eiinusin is justifiable was raised in .\liss r.Hiel li ving's IHhK action ugainst Hie -Sunday Tlines. Commenting on Gu “Three Daughters ol Monsieur Dupout,” Sydney Carroll, an Australian, said:—"Under proper control Aliys Irving is one of our line,si comediennes, but latterly I. have found her art is sadly undisciplined, and every shred ol rc-erve is scattered. When she played i tie woman who wants her children from tier ex-linshnml, and was relused them, she became a raging, frothy-epileptic, ioiling on the floor and biting her toe nails.” The defence claimed that it was a fair and luma tide comment.

.Miss Irving, in her evidence, said that the criticism entirely departed from the strict fact. There was no frothing at the month, and she did not roll on the floor, and never attempted to bile her toe-nails. She added that it was needless lo say that she was wearing shoes and stockings. She merely dropped to the floor and lay sobbing. Air Patrick Hastings, K.C., crossexamining the witness, cited one ol Bernard Shaw’s criticisms ot Aldme. Sarah Bernhardt: "She had a smile like a barmaid working a beer handle,” and "She was so made up, rouged and incarnadined that she resembled a pd lar-box.” This left the impression that the critic wanted to post a letter, he -aid. These were merely figures ot speech. Aiiss Irving said that there was no way of knowing if the critic was merely j",sling. A settlement by consent the action. The delendaiit's counsel, in a statement, said the critic ol ‘he newspaper honestly formed an niilavoiirahle opinion of Hie perlonnanee, and his remarks merely conveyed ‘‘the iinptv--ion of exaggeration.” Aiiss Irving’s counsel stated that she merely wished io vindicate her reputation as an actress.