After offering the Irish Players in a group of Irish plays, and an English company in a comedy of old London, the Plymouth Theatre presents one of the leading French actresses supported by an American company in a play by Henri Bernstein. And the new production fully conforms to the standard of excellence set by the preceeding ones. Seldom has there been seen in Boston a play which moves so fast and so powerfully as "The Whirlwind." Certainly Madame Simone has few equals among our American "emotional actresses" and "tragediennes."

The story of the play is simple but, for dramatic purposes, extremely effective. Helene (Madame Simone) was forced to marry a repulsive young nobleman in order to gratify her father's social ambitions. After the marriage, she fell in love with Robert de Chaceroy, and when he loses his fortune and his honor by gambling, tries to pay his debts for him. Her father forces the secret of her love from her, and in order to save the reputation of his family offers to advance the necessary sum. He insists on the separation of Robert and Helene; Robert declares this is impossible, and just as Helene is securing the money from a banker, shoots himself.

Madame Simone makes the most of her two "big" scenes--one where her father forces her secret from her and the other where she discovers Robert's suicide. The artistic restraint as well as the emotional power of her acting deserve the highest praise. And mention must be made of Mr. Corrigan (the father) and Mr. Arden (Robert). Each was unusually successful in an unusually difficult part. Credit, too, should be given to the translator of the play the English version has little of the "importedfrom-France" atmosphere. Altogether, not a play for post-examination revels, but for the serious evening of dramatic desire and emotional delight.