Like a dose of spring tonic, the arrival of Ethel Barrymore in "The Corn Is Green" brings new zest to the Boston theatre season. This combination of fine acting with a rather good play stands out as one of the few worthwhile productions of a year marked by mediocrity. The appearance of Miss Barrymore is naturally the most outstanding feature of the presentation and her acting is treat enough for all of us who have rarely seen acting of the "Grande Dame" type.

Unfortunately the play is subject to serious criticism on the grounds of unoriginality in both idea and treatment. The story of a philanthropic spinster attempting to educate Welsh miners and her discovery of a man of great talent among them hardly makes a sufficiently interesting plot even though the author, Emlyn Williams, has added many complications along the road to education. The wiles of a bottle of rum and a serving wench are almost enough to put an end to the spinster's hopes but she finally is successful in getting the brilliant miner a scholarship to Oxford. The situation, obviously not very exciting, is not helped by numerous inconsistencies in the writing. Parts of it are excellent, particularly those between the teacher and her pupil, and the scene where the serving girl attempts to seduce the student. But at other times incongruous notes enter in. For example, it is hard to believe that the miner could have written the section of prose poetry which first brought him to the notice of his teacher. At other times there is a strange mixture of comedy that smacks of Sir James Barrie and his Victorian women.

Contrasted with the two recent movie treatments of this same general subject, "The Corn Is Green" is lacking in power and persuasiveness. There is very little of the social consciousness that made the movies so fine. The local squire who has done everything to stop the school so that the old ways may continue, is treated only with a humor that makes him wholly likeable and amusing. Yet Emlyn Williams--perhaps better known as an actor on the British stage and screen--has built up two well-developed characters and created a powerful, if subjective, conflict between them. Around this he has built a play which though weak in itself provides an excellent vehicle for Ethel Barrymore and a fine company of actors. Miss Barrymore plays the role of the spinster with great technique and feeling as well as a fine sense of comedy. Richard Waring as the student and Thelma Schnee as the serving wench share the honors with Miss Barrymore, while the lesser parts are all finely played, particularly that of the local squire. It is a case of excellent acting making a fine play out of a good one. And best of all, it brings to Boston Ethel Barrymore, whose integrity on the stage seems unaffected by the dry-rot that has been common to the other members of the family.