Ethel Irving (1869-1963)

"Years of Discretion"
By Frederick Hatton and Fanny Locke Hatton.
Produced at Globe Theatre. September 8, 1913.

Messrs. Aubrey Smith, Lionel Atwill, Philip Cuningham, Gerald Lawrence, Stafford Hilliard, E. W. Garden, Misses Sybil Carlisle, Dora Sevening, Winifred Willis, Alice Rossiter, Katie Yates, and Ethel Irving.

Mrs. Farrell Howard is a widow with a son twenty years old. She suddenly discovers that she is not so old as she thinks she is; that the love of her dead husband and the respect of her living son are not what her heart is yearning for. So she leaves her home and comes to town. Mrs. Howard transforms herself; she becomes a made-up but quite charming young thing in society. Three men propose to her - an Irish­man, an anarchist, and a millionaire. The millionaire is not so young as he would like to be, but he longs for "one last fling," and the widow accepts him. On their wedding day they discover that they are both growing old after all. So they decide to settle down and continue to grow old gracefully together. She changes her "flighty" frocks for well-cut, smart, "middle-aged" cos­tumes and he puts on his skull-cap and spectacles and settles down cosily in his armchair. The plot or central idea seemed a little bit thin for three acts, but the interest was sustained by the really wonderful acting of Miss Ethel Irving. The part was one that suited this accomplished actress to the letter, and she made much out of it. Mr. Aubrey Smith, too, as the millionaire, Christopher Dallas; had a part that seemed to have been written for him. Mr. Gerald Lawrence played the anarchist, and gave an interesting study of this rather weird and confusing person, while the part of the Irishman, Michael Doyle, was allotted to Mr. Lionel Atwill, who played it with a delightful brogue. The other parts were well taken care of.

Playgoer and Society Illustrated, Vol 9 No 49, October 1913.