Evening Star Newspaper, December 11, 1921, Page 63

WASHINGTON, D.‘ C., SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 11, 19 HEN our minds are in normal mood and we look at things, as we sometimes do, in a sensible way, we are amazed to find how easily we often are humbugged and misled by the art of writ- ing. We know full well that many an’ audience has been swayed by the cloquence of the orator and the art of the actor, but how seldom do we realize how many more, perhaps, arc wafted out of the realms of reality and into the dolce far niente of the Land of Romance, or some other province of world-worry forgetfulness, by the skill of the deit author who wields a facile pen. Such a writer is especially adept in his contribution of humbuggery which flits like sunshine in and out of the shadows of everyday life. Somstimes the theatrical agent creeps into this class to excellent advantage. More often, however, he unfortunately, is not a benefactor. He is more like the glib-tongued peddler, a sort of David Harum of the world theatrical. There are times, also, when he really gets profound, and, if we follow him unresistingly, we find our- selves threading the mazes of profound philosophy and speculation that do not lead anywhere. When we awaken we wonder how he did it and why public entertainment s thus permitted to be tangled up with the abstruse, when we really iaven't an earthly bit of interest in what he| writes. But there is where his fine art comes in. The modern manager | has perccived the psychology of the trick, and that is why, sometimes, | the discussion of what people want to believe is pure and simple ;nler-' tainment, as far from the tangled webs of theology and the other sciences as possible, really seems to become one of the profoundest matters that perplex the universe. But it all has its purpose. * ¥ % ORRIS GE ~ , that astute autocrat of the theater, really put more into the literary adornment of hig “wonderful spectacle, Mecca,” than he put into Mecca itseli. Doubtless he believed that a tale well told was far more profitablc than one presented at unlimited cost. “Make ‘em believe it in advance and half the battle’s won.” The wonder is— and it is not the one abstinate juror who asks the question—how, and again how, did he secure the lavish indorsement of his mediocre proposi- tion by the distinguished metropolitan critics? “Declassee” also came heralded with critical indorsement that made the brain buzz after you saw the play. Not even in this incxperienced neck of the woods is the(e_ igh ly as to question the fact that Miss Ethel Barrymore is a wight so unwi a great actress, when she chooses to be. But some of us, at least, at the jumping-off station of the great theatrical transcontinental itinerary, were bewildered with Miss Barrymore’s rapidity of speech, and, at times, with what secmed to be her faulty enunciation. It was really distress- ing, and a few of us felt that, perhaps, it caused us to lose some of the wisdom and brilliancy of the play, which had been declared the work of a modern genius in playwriting. The splendid press notices did not men- tion this. Perhaps we should not. W‘ * ok % K 1Y will we persist in finding fault. Why not chirp in with the gen- eral chorus of approval and make it unanimous? Perhaps it is the staboornness of humanity. Perhaps it may be because we have read pomewhere that by pointing out apparent defects improvement may fol- low, and yet it oiten seems a hopeless task. So long as theatrical enter- tamment is permitted to linger in the category of modern merchandising, instead of being created and dispensed artistic purpose, those who have dreamed of, if they have not experienced, the divine afflatus are apt to become critical. TO the drama committee of the Poetry Society of America we are in- debted for the information that the society announces that the prize oi $500 offered in the William Lindsey Contest for poetic drama has been awarded to Mr. Harry Lee ior his four-act play, “Il1 Poverello.” One hun- dred and forty-five plays were submitted in the contest. The judges were George Arliss, George P. Baker, Clayton Hamilton (resigned and replaced by Jane Dransfield), Jessie B. Rittenhouse and Stuart Walker. * ¥ ¥ AFTER Conductor Leopold Stokowski's patient and generous explana tion of why he persisted in playing the Schoenberg “Five Orchestra Pieces” at the concert of the Philadelphia Orchestra Tuesday afternoon, notwithstanding the fact that other cities had laughed at and hissed their rendition, his Washington audience gave close attention to the composi- tiol and, 2lso, in response to his invitation, gave expression to its feelings, chiefly -in applause. But it is confidently believed, whether Schoenberg be a genius. or simply a good man gone wrong, that his new school of subsconscious harmonization will not become rampantly popu- lar in Washington. It is too much like an advanced course in the psychology of musical atoms to appeal to even those who have taken lessons on the piano. or those who yearn to give vocal expression to themselves in the ordinary musical world. Still, who shall say what are the proper limitations to modern music? By the way, the report that Mr. Stokowski may not visit Washington in person again this season seems to have been unwarranted. Washington will be glad to know this. %* k %X Xk STRIKING honor has come to 2 woman who once had Washington for her home and who was well known here in the newspaper world, ially in the dramatic field. Marie B. Schrader, by her translation English, from the pure Castilian tongue. of the music drama, “The ‘Wild Cat” by Manuel Penella, has accomplished the difficult work so well as to call forth high praise from the big critics, and especially from the assistant conductor of the orchestra and coach for years at the Metro, politan, and head of a prominent musical club, who told her that “no translation at the Metropolitan had ever been so perfectly fitted to music as hers, and that the accent of her words fell on the toral beats,” some- thing rare and unusually difficult in all translations for vocal expression. Washingten friends of Mrs. Schrader assuredly will be glad to add their congratulations to the wife of one of the National Capital’s former and giited dramatic editors, Fred. Schrader. - * ¥ k Xk LL 'AIN STREET” has closed its New York engagement and now starts on a coast-to-coast tour. No play in _years, perhaps, has aroused more extraneous discussion for and against its chief character. * X X % JHN GOLDEN, upon hearing the report that Parisian theater mana- gers propose to take action against coughing while a play is in progress, with true business instinct, remarked: “I am not worried, my new play, ‘Thank You,” hasn’t.a coughing spot in it.” * X % X *T)ADDY’S GONE A-HUNTING,” another much-talked-of play, with Marjorie Rambeau as its_star, is to leave New York soon for a Chicago run, which means that it will be some time yet before it reaches ‘Washington, if ever it does. GRAND OPERA will come to Washington next week, with the splendid San Carlo Company. opening with “Carmen,” in which the title role will be assumed by one of the company's famous “guest artistes,” Esther Ferrabini. Another guest, Anna Fitziu, formerly of the Metropolitan and the Chicago companies, will be heard in “Madame Butterfly,” and also in “Thais.” * X ¥ X * ¥ % % | | * %k k X HIS evening is the date, and the Biltmore Hotel, New York, the place, set for a dinner to celebrate David Belasco’s fortieth anniversary of his entrance into the theatrical profession, as well as in recognition of his genius and his notable contributions to American drama. It will be a splendid function, representative in the highest degree, and a worthy tribute to America’s artistic celebrity. There are not many such in the history of the modern theater. “Charles Frohman presents” as of yore, but all the world knows that not even the spirit of that splendid creator of the best in the theater is to be found among the galaxy of modern producers in_the metropolis, though they still use his name. There are times, especially in the theater, when names stand for much, very ucl W. H. LANDVOIGT. Elias Breeskin. Greenwich Village. EUAS BREESKIN, “one of the'beut[" 'AY ‘Greenwich Village’ to the violinists,” in the words of the| average person” says Frank critic of the Chicago Tribune, rose to| Harcourt, star of the “Greenwich Vil- a place of prominence in the music|lage Review,” “and he or she will world in the last two seasons. Dur-|immediately visualize long-haired ar- ing that time, it is said, he has been |tists and.poets, a little weak in the heard in all the larger American |upper story; girls who pose or play cities. at painting when they are not smdk- In the spring a year ago he was|ing cigarettes or drinking cham- wrincipal assisting artist on the Ca-|pagne, and, in general, a colony of ruso concert tour, but the luster of|wicked people who are supposed to his art was in no way dimmed by his | pe of another world entirely. appearance on the same program| “This sort of fairy tale is fostered with the greatest singer of the day, in most stories of New York, just:as the rubber-neck wagon men lay it on o o Judiences wero not Slow (0, thick when they are transporting a | carful of sightseers through .the “He scored a personal triumph—a qu;{‘ter—bnann it appeals to the public. “As a matter of fact,” says Mr. Har- court, rthe ' majority of men and women who reside in the village are hard-working, sensible people, who mind their own business. Of course, you will find freaks and undesirables there, just as you will find them on Connecticut avenue or 14th street, if you look hard enough, but that's just the exception that proves the rule “Mind. I don’t mean to say the vil- lage isn‘t unique—that it is just an ordinary, workaday place with no ro- mance. It i{s unique and romantic, and well worth a visit by any visitor to New York.” Fin remarkable achievement considering the vocal competition,” said the Wis- consin News of Milwaukee. “His hit with the audience was in- stantaneous, a feat in itself where thousands of people had assembled for the express purpose of hearing one man,” is quoted from the Milwau- kee Sentinel. It remained for the- Nashville Ban- ner to pay him the highest compli- ment by saying: “Handling the bow as only a master can, he shared equal ~honors with Ghe great star of the evening.” BT 5 iy Current Attraction§ Belasco features of the two acts and eight- scene revue. Other entertainers of recognized merit include Olga Mishka and com- pany in an original dancing specialty which introduces a number of orig- morrow evening. evening. row afternoen. BELASCO—"“Chuckles of 1921, afternoon. GAYETY—"Greenwich afternoon. AT THE!'THEATERS THIS WEEK POLI'S—Sothern and Marlowe, Shakespearean plays. Open to- NATIONAL—“Dear Me,” comedy with songs. Opens tomorrow GARRICK—“The Emperor Jones,” drama. Opens this evening. B. F. KEITH'S—Belle Baker, vaudeville. vaudeville. Open‘s this afternoon. COSMOS—“Jazzology,” vaudeville. STRAND—Arthur Deagon, vaudeville. Opens this afternoon. Village Review,” burlesque. CAPITOL—"Record Breakers,” burlesque. Opens this afternoon. inal creations and is entitled “Poetry ley. in a novelty, “Pulley which comprisés’ surprise acrobatics and melody: Earl Rickard, a_monologuist { with a brand-new line of burnt cork inonsense: Rial and Lindstre in | | Something for a Rainy Day’ White Way Trio, who mix humor [ }with a group of up-to-date songs; | ithe Seven Musical Spillers. who ex- tract music from brass instruments, and the Shubert News Weekly. COSMOS—*Jazzology.” Nan Trevelyn needs no introduction to the Great White Way of New York fas a singer of charm and rare per- sonality, and it is she, with George Raft and Dunbar's Band. who will New show opens tomor- i New show opens tomorrow ‘ Opens this | lbring to the Cosmos Theater this week what ix heralded as one of the — breeziest, “brainstormiest” jazz com- POLI'S—Sothern asd Marlowe. E. H. Sothern and Julia Marlowe|can stage of the year, others will appear at Poli's Theater this| ing David Belasco, Lionel Atwell and week only, beginning tomorrow night. | Gilda Varesi. “Pwelfth Night” will be seen to- morrow night and at the Saturday matinee; “Hamlet” on Tuesday and Saturday nights; “The Merchant of Venice” on Wednesday and Friday nights, and the only performance of “The Taming of the Shrew” on Thurs- day night. The curtain rises at 8 o'clock sharp at night and 2 o'clock sharp at the Saturday matinee. No one will be seated during the action of the plays. There is no midweek matinee. New stage decorations are intro- duced by Mr. Sothern and Miss Mar- lowe, which are claimed to have al- ready had their influence on classic productions in America. These set- tings permit the verse of the poet to create its own imaginative atmos- phere. They'give to the stage a sug- gestion of the Elizabethan playhouse. The costumes have been newly de- signed by such eminent persons as Callot Soeurs of Paris and Marlani Fortuny of Venice. The company includes Frederick Lewis, Rowland Buckstone, Sydney Mather, Alma_Kruger, Lenore Chip- pendale, Elizabeth Valentine, Albert Howson, Vernon Kelso and many others. NATIONAL—“Dear Me.” John Golden s sending one of his comedy hits to Washington. Starting tomorrow night at the National, Grace La Rue and Hale Hamilton will star in “Dear me,” called “an optimjstic comedy with songs.” Gold- en, it will be remembered, is the pro- ducer of “Lightnin’,” “Three Wise Foals” and “Turn to the Right.” Win- chell Smith staged “Dear Me." “Dear Me” first introduces an en- semble of “failures”—men in art pur- suits who have lost their grip. Among them is a playwright, a sculptor, a musician, a painter and an architect. All have sought the snug harbor of the Amos Prentice Home for Artistic Failures. April Blair, the maid of all work (Miss La Rue) is the first to attempt to lift herself out. She ap- pliex her Pollyanna psychic salve to the inmates one by one, and they quit the home. To tell what next happens would be to reveal too muych of the plot. Miss La Rue is given opportunity to sing a number of typically Grace La Rue songs, as well as exhibit some exquisite gown creations. In_ the original supporting cast are J. K. Hutchinson, George N. Price, George Spelvin, Mart Heisey, Luis Alberni, Cal:nlll.. Cruen, James G. Morton and others. o GAmcx—“fimwmr Jones.” Tonight at the Shubert-Garrick the Provincetown Players will present Eugene G. O'Neill's drama, “The Em- peror Jones,” with Charles 8 Gilpin in the title rolé¢, undeér:-ihe manage- ment of Adolph Klauberi: It will be recalled that “The Emperor- Jones” was the season's ucnsutl? last year in New York, where it flpished the season, and this year, it i§ said, has been on tour with amazing results. Charles S. Gilpin, brought forth from comparative obscurity to create a role of almost superhuman require- ments, produced a plece of acting that has been voted a masterpiece. | inaf s of the season—and yet it His name was fourth on a list of ten| LiMation® of the, Beasol oo dances greatest contributors to the meri-! 3,4 other spes Ities bf the latest mclud-| ype. From the ranks of musical comedy-will come Charles Nevins and Ada Gordon, with a specially written comedietta by John B. Hymer, entitled “Can You Imagine That,” which affords opportunities for both artists in char- acteristic songs, dances and comedy. The players appearing in support of Mr. Gilpin in “The Emperor Jones” and In “Suppressed Desires,” the psycho-analytical satire by George| Cram Cook and Susan Glaspell, which | The act is handsomely staged and at- precedes the O'Neill piece, include/ tractively costumed. Cecil Clovelly, Clement O'Loughlin,; Other attractions will be Frank and Samuel Amdurs, Elizabeth Brown,| Ethel Hall, in ‘“Meet the Wife,” a Florence Dunsmure, Matthew Shield, | feast of laughter; Freddy, Silbers and jr.. Bernard Pryor and others. Fuller, in harmony songs and _the The story, now pretty well known,!fun of the black man; Miller, Clint tells of Brutus Jones, who had him-|and Cuby, a trio of rare athletes; self crowned emperor of an islan, Maxfleld .and_Drake, in mirth and the West Indies through allegeg/fow- | melody, and Willing and Jordon, in ers of voodooism and a vfunted|“Merry Moments With Song and charmed life. He has squeezed his|Piano.” subjects dry and pfans a life of ease| The added matinee feature will be and affluence in Martinique. Rebel-! william (Bill) Fairbanks' new lion begins among the natives before | ern picture, “A Western Demon,” the emperor’s plans are quite matured. | a story of the new west and other He hears the tom-toms in the hills, and knows there is no time to spare. His journey through the forest to the coast, where safety lles, comprises the play. The woods grow unfamiliar and visions of unbelievable terror rise up to baffle him. That they are crea- tures of his own imagination render them no less appalling and hindering to his escape. B. F. KEITH'S—Belle Baker. Belle Baker will head thé bill at the B. F. Keith Theater this week, com- mencing at the matinee tomorrow. Miss Baker is one of tle most popu- lar and successful of two-a-day stara. novel things besides. Clyde Cook’s laughable “The Toreador,” the Inter- national News and the Joy and Gloom Cartoons will be shown at all per- formances. ‘An _exceptionally good bill is an- nounced for today, starting at 3 p.m. STRAND—Arthur - Deagon. The Strand Theater this week. be- ginning today, will offer a bl headed by the musical comedy star, Arthur Deggon, in a new and humorous repertoire of storiesand original song impressions, and including the Les Silvas, in thrilling balancing and acrobatic act; Martin and Courtney, in “sparkling bits of travesty”; Pearl bbott and company, in a one-act Her personality carries an irresistible gmmc‘ ANy, ttled “Ativer appeal. She performs only & lmited|Threads” and Jack Martin and com- period each season. Her repertol comprises folksongs, character ties and heart-interest ballads. The added attraction will be Mr. and Mrs. Coburn end company in “Lone- |} linees,” by humorist George V. Ho- bart, ‘described as a_gem of rare worth. The London character come- dienne, Ella Retford, rated among the pany, in a unique oddity, in which melodies, music and new dance ideas are combined. Ethel Clayton, in William D. Tay- Tor's production. “Beyond,” & story by 1 Henry Arthur Jones, will furnish the photoplay for the week. A special or- chestra score will be provided for the most magnetic and modern in meth- pleture; ods of all the foreign character ar-| . 1 i tists, will sing and imitate charecters| GAYETY—“Greenwich Village at_present in the public eye. 2 Review. A cast of the highest burlesque pro- ficlency is promised at- the Gayety Theater this week in the “Greenwich Village Review,” which will entertain with a burlesque, written by S8am Mor- Other attractions will include Har- riet and Marie McConn revue, ‘“Trills and Frill mein sisters, famous dancers in “drama dances, grave and gay,” with Ruth Marr, soprano, and W. Frank Harling, musical director; Bert and B T e I e aceurdeantcr: |riss called “Such Is Life.” _It abounds Roy and Arthur, in “A Chinese Res-|in amusing situations, brisk dialogue taurant”; “Topics of the Da; Assop's Fables, and the Pathe News: ‘Today at 3 and 8:15 last week’s bill, with “Babe” Ruth, Wellington Cross and James Watts, will be presented. BELASCO—“Chuckles of 1921.” Clark and McCullough, in “Chuckles of 1921, will headline the program at the Shubert-Belasco this week, beginning with the matinee this afternoon. More than fifty entertainers are in “Chuckles” and a full-blooded Afri- can lion holds one of the spotlights in a highly humorous scene. Besides Clark and McCullough, who lead the and scenes out of the ordinary. nk Harcourt, who has illuminated burlesque se~long that everybody knows him, carrles along the chief comedy in- terest. Others are Tom Senna, Kitty Glasco, prima donna; Ida Benard, in- genue; - Al Ulis, juvenile, and Gertrude ‘Webber, comedienine. - With: special mu- sic_b; ng:l Shubert -and ensembles ged by Ben Bernard, the production -an added attractiveness. most entertaining production, but his most expensive one. CAPITOL—“Record Breakers.” funmaking, and a “Cuddle Up”| A great burlesque show is promised chorus of 100 per cent “pep,” the |next week at the Capitol 'l“'k(;eléer by company includes Emily Earle, Jack | Jack Reid and his * Edwards, Pauline _Anderson, Ruth |ers” An entire new show {s promis- = Wheeler, Charles and - Bstelle | od. Jack Reid" himself will appear in|Jones’ McIntyre. A wealth of h: e | his. andsom costumes and pretentious scenery are EMILY KELLER~Copitol LIBBY 1 | i H 2] = 1. Sunday Shar. New Note in Shakespeare. l.\' William Shakespeare’'s day a pla- cgrd at the side of the stage in- farmed thy audience -the locality «af the scene. In the Henry Irving, Beer- bohm Tree and the former Sothern and Marlowe productions of the Bard of Avon's plays so realistic were the stage pictures that the placard was seemingly forever routed. With the advent of Gordon Craig and his host of followers and imita- tors, stage decorations became 50 fantastic that some wag suggested it would be well for the sanity of the spectators if the Elizabethan label were restored. The American stage has presented little of this modern art, but it is certain that abroad the extremists went very far. We did see some of Leon Bakst's scenes when the Rus- sian ballet made whirlwind tour through the country, and w his brilliant, sometimes hectic, but always nerve-stimulating_and thrilling color combinations and _distorted shapes, the eye was bewildered, though fa: cinated. We were-not always cer- tain that what we thought we saw we actually saw, for trees and houses and mountains had a most unaccount- able way with them. Twenty-five years ago in London Henry Irving and Beerbohm Tree were vying with each other in elab- orate productions of the- Shakes- pearean plays. Small fortunes were spent, and the city marveled first at one actor'’s and then at the other's latest extravagance in stage pictures.| does not flounder. In this country Sothern and Mar- | lowe followed the same principle. The public seemed to want sumptuous productions of the classics, and Soth- ern and Marlowe endeavored to sup- ————— et Has Won Respect As Well as Fame NTOT alone because of the colorful career of the playwright does “The Emperor Jones” arouse interest, but because of the romantic history of its chief player, Charles S. Gilpin. For twenty-five years Kilpin toured the country with jubilee singers, min- strel troupes, played in stock com- panies in the fourth-rate theaters and sang in musical comedies. Less than any one did he anticipate fame and recognition such as comes to few after he had passed the forty mark. But that is what came to Gil- pin with his second appearance in a company of white players before a discriminating audience. He had appeared in “Abraham Lin- coln,” doing the bit of the servant, William Curtis. The Provincetown Players sought him out and thrust an almost impossible task upon him— that of creating a role which is al- most a soliloquy and one which needs hold the concentrated ;attention of an audience through seven scenes played in utter darkness of stage and theater. 5 It seemed a superhuman effort, but Gilpin achieved it wonderfully. Na- ture had endowed him with a superb physique, as well as a melodious speaking and singing voice. His years of 'knocking around theaters had given him a broad understanding of human nature and a flexible tech- nique. The role of Brutus Jones af- forded free range for each of these talents, and Gilpin gave them full swing, The result was a sensation. Every bonor that could be accorded an_artist has been tendered Gilpin, and he has accepted them with a tact and modesty that has commanded the admiration and respect of all who come in contact with him, especially the players with whom he has worked. principals and a chorus of twenty pretty girls. Arcade Auditorium. Among the “feature nights” this week the Arcade announces a “Paul dance Monday night; a special well-known character..of the|“lucky spot” on Wednesday, and a “Dope,’%-suported by a large cast of |carnival de luxe Friday. HARf;Gaqetu PTHEL TREVELYH -Cosmos Concerts— Lectures Burton Holmes, Tonight. Burton Holmes will give “Going Abroad at Home” tonight at 8:30 o'clock and tomorrow afternoon at *is the title Lof the fourth photo story of travel in the Burton Holmes series, chosen to . suggest traveling in our own home |land in the same way in which an iAmerlcan tourist would travel abroad. visiting the principal points of scenic lbelut)’. historic and human fnterest— national parks, the Ycllowstone, Yose- mite, Glacier Park, the Grand Canyon of Colorado in Arizona, Niagara Falls, the wonderlands of he Canadian Rockies, and also up over the White Pass and Yukon Railroad and down® “the Yukon river, with glimpses of jour most picturesque types, aboriginal and otherwise. Friedman Recital Tomorrow. Ignaz Friedman. the celebrated Polish pianist, will be heard at the ‘New Masonic Auditorium tomorrow 10\'¢>nhlg at 8:20 o'clock, under the {local management of T. Arthur Smith, nc. l Ignaz Friedman made his American jdebut in New York city in January jand in twenty recitals in the follo: :inz two months esiablished himself | throughout the east and middle west {as one of the world's greatest virtuo- S08 of the pianoforte. He has iong been known throughout Europe as a master whose genius is equaled by few. His program follows: “Les Pre- ludes,” symphonic poem (Liszt's origi- nal ariangement for 1wo pianos). “Rondo. A Minor” (Mozart), “Rondo. E-flat Major” (H haconne’ (Bach-Busoni), {“Valse, Ob. 64 Op. 25, Nos. 7 and “Polona i for Tom Burke Recital, Tomorrow. Tom Burke. the Irish tenor, will be heard in concert tomorrow even- ing at & pm. in the Catholic Uni- versity gymnasium. Mr. Burke first came to America in 1920, after a sensational debut at Covent Gardens. in London. Durini | his short stay in America he proved himself to be a valuable addition to the slender list of artists who can by beauty voice alone stir the most blase concert goer. However. it is not alone in voice that Tom Burke excels. He also possesses the added qualitications of personality. musician- ship and artistry, which enables him to shine in the classics as well as in the sympathetic ballads and pop- ular song: Tickets are on sale at Mrs. Wilson Greene's concert bureau, Droop's, 13th and G streets. Marguerite D’Alvarez, Tuesday. Marguerite D'Alvarez, the famous contralto of the Chicago Opera Com- :pany, will be the =oloist at the third concert of the New Yerk Symphony Orchestra under Walter Damrosch in the New National Theater, Tuesd:y afternoon at 4:30 o'clock, which will also mark the distinguished conduc. tor's farewell appearance in Wi 1ington this season. Mr. Damrosch will sail December 0 ifor England for a few weeks of rest |and recreation. He expzets also 1o spend a short time in italy and France, returning to New York the {middle of February. The remaining two concerts ir. the Washington series of the New York ply them to the best of the scene { painters’, wardrobe makers' and fur- | niture builders’ art. {..Craig’s production of “Hamlet” in/ ! Moscow ' marked an epoch in the | theater. There followed on the con- | tinent and in London many produc- | tions on new lines. Some were suc | cessful, some were not. A few experiments in_simplicity | were tried in America. Shakespeare was given with curtains only, but | when the novelty was gone the idea | disappeared. The New Theater dur- ! ing its brief career offered “The Win- 1 | ter's Tale” in a setting built to repre- isent the 0ld Elizabethan stage. Its | chief merit was in the way it expe-! | dited the action of the play. Gran ville Barker gave us a distorted view of “A Midsummer Night's Dream and here experiments ended. When E. H. Sothern and Julia Mar-| lows decided to return to the stage! they took account of what had been idone in stage decoration. The: | wanted a manner which neither | stunted the imagination, as did the | former realistic scenery, nor required the use of placards to make sure the public knew where the scemes were | being acted. 1 | Thus they make use of draperies, i Symphony Orchestra will e ander the baton of Albert % the e rine conductor of the Svinphony Orchestra and the itoval iondon t*hil- harmonic. The program will ha will contain Beethoven's phony.” “Les Preludes” by “Le Tombeau de Couperin” Mme. D'Alvarez will sing Bizet's “Seguidilla,” from “Carmen,” and “Agnus Dei": “Ye Who Have Yearne: Alone” by Tschaikowsky, and Lie,” from Debussy's opera, “L'Enfant Prodigue” (the prodigal son), with which Debussy won the Grand Prix de Rome in 1SM. The New York ancerts are under the gement of T. Arthur Sm; tickets are on sale at ! northwest. New York Symfi;y, Central High School. The third of the evening orchest concerts by the New York Sympheny local 1 | Nat scenery and a cyclorama which {does away with false perspective back drops, the bane of the old sys- tem of settings. The scenery &ndi draperies are of a neutral color,| | which, through lighting, take on any: !tint required. The imagination is| stimulated, but the scenery is sug-, gestive enough so that imagination 171t is a noteworthy fact that the! | Sothern and Marlowe designs marked ' the first new. and original note in} Shakespearean production in this country. » H | | 1 Comes Into Her Own. [T il be a happy Christmas for one Washington girl, Helen Hayes, who has been elevated to stardom by her manager, George C. Tyler. and | who will appear here at the National Theater, opening Christmas night, heading her own company in “Golden Days,” a_four-act comedy by Sidney Toler and Marion Short. Beginning her stage career in ama- teur theatricals in this city, she went to the professional stage under aegis of Lew Fields, the comedian. Selected by George Tyler to head his Pacific coast “Pollyanna” company, Miss and through » Barrie's “Bab” she has gone l l | l aren and Brutus’ steadily upward to the point where her euphonious name appears in elec- tric lights. Our Boys in Germany. 'VERY now. and then somebody re- members there still are some American soldiers overseas. People are inclined to sympathize with them until they consider the value of American money in Germany, and then they think that perhaps the boys aren’t having such a bad time after all. Belle Baker received a letter from a _soldler cousin. who spends a part his - time patroling the bridge- heads of Coblenz. He says: “There are two questions that may be applied to the situation here. The first is ‘Home was never like this. But following that immediately, we always say ‘There's no place -like home.” I get awful lonesome, and just ache to see the Statue of Liberty again. But, of course, there are some advantages over here. o t week I was in Berlin and had dinner at the Pschorr-Haus, & big restaurant on the Friedrichstrasse, which is Berlin’s Broadway. I'll tell you what I.ate, and you can compare it with any @ecent New York restaurant. Entree, 15 marks; mock turtle ‘soup, 2 marks; filet of beef (about the most expensive thing on the card), 22 marks; fried potatoes, 4 marks; tomato salad, 5 marks; a German interpretation of a peach belba, 8 marks, and a cup of coffee, 1 mark, “Pretty good meal, isn't it? It totaled 57 marks, which means about 60 cents. And no tips-aliowed!” o Y Orchestra. under the auspices of the Washington Society of the Fine Arts will be given in the auditorium of the Central High School tomorrow even- ing at 8:30 o'clock. The program will include Beetho- ven's “Egmont” overture, n: kow’s “Symphony. 1.in G no: Delibes’ ballet music from and two British folktunes by Grain- ger. “Molly n the Shore™ and “Shep- herd’s Hey.” Mr. Damrosch will briefly analyz- the principal compositions before they are played. Concert at New Willard. Mile. Mina Elman, soprano, and Josef Winogradoff, the Russian baritone, will be heard at the New Willard Sunday, December 18, neither of them having been heard but once in this country and rever in Washington. Mile. Elman is_the sister of the famous violinist, Misha Elman. The critics at her first appearance in New York were apparently greatly impressed and predict for the young singer a bril- liant career. Josef Winogradoff, the baritone, has a fame in Russia. it is said; surpassed only by his country- man, Feodor Chaliapine, the great basso Tickets are on sale at Jordon's, 13:h and G streets. Recital Postponed. January 20 has been announced as the date for the postponed concert by Jessie Masters, the all-American con- tralto. TLis will be the firet apnear- ance in Washington of Miss Masters since coming into national promi- nence. Seats are on sale at Mrs Greene's concert bureau. Tickets purchased for December 2, it is an- :z\lmced, are good for the advanced e. Ffiedmu. d'lG Compoacr. IGNAZ FRIEDMAN, the distinguished Polish composer-pianist, who has included Washington In his second American concert tour, has found much time for composition, despite the strenuous work of touring Europe and South America in recent years. To date there are nearly a hundred compositions to his credit and these are published in all Jands. They in- clude one important concerto for plano with orchestra, a quintet for piano and strings. three other string q! ‘tets, compositions for piano alone and several beautiful songs. In addi- tion to these he has written many fragmentary compositions which still without classification and manuscript. His Copenhagen publisher, Wilhelmn Hansen, has a caialogue which in- cludes five “strephes” for piano, which are short numbers of facile technicai limitations, showing thc composer 1o understand not only ‘the pianistic idiom, but also to be gifted with much melodic inspiration and a happy feel- ing for ionies that are rich and varied without being bisarre.