Katharine Cornell, emotional and pleasing as ever, again, proves that some play she should be considered America's leading actress.

The former star of "The Green Hat", now appearing at the Wilbur in the stage version of Edith Wharton's "Age of innocence" uses this vehicle as another step toward being claimed one of America's best. As Countess Olenska she takes advantage of every opportunity to display her emotional qualities and gives a delightful performance throughout.

The play, however good a background it gives Miss Cornell, does not however do justice to her and its success is due entirely to her interpretation. It is Miss Cornell alone that saves a slow moving and dull first act from being a complete failure. The action speeds up however and the last two acts do not let the interest lag a moment.

Margaret Ayer Barnes wrote the stage adaptation of Miss Wharton's best seller and she follows the original throughout with few exceptions. The story is the narrative of Countess Olenska's love affairs, both in Europe and in New York. As the play opens the Countess has just returned from Europe after a-shipwrecked first marriage. She settles down on Twenty-Third Street ready to take up again New York social life.

Because of her relations with a sinuous foreigner. Julius Beaufort, she is the center of gossip. Love again comes into her life in the person of Newland Archer, rising young politician, who is already married to her cousin. However, she scarifies herself for the sake of her lover's career and the scenes leading up to the renunciation have dramatic power that Miss Cornell utilizes to the full.

The action of the play takes place in the 70's and there is opportunity for occasional satirical sallies against the Victorian morals of the day. Much of the humor is supplied by the skillful way in which Susan Blake handles the role of May van der Luyden. Among the male parts, John Marston as Newland Archer and Arnold Korff as Julius Beaufort perform creditably.