Evening Star Newspaper, October 5, 1924, Page 57

Theaters . Part 3—14 Pages The Sundiay Stad WASHIN GTON, < Pl N News and Comment By W. H. Landvoigt. That assertion forcefully smacks expressive You indeed, w strongly the never UDIENCES awiul of slang. vet truth. You ca tell when are simply it nevertheless, of is, never count on audienc can an likely to appear. nor, We long have been trying to persuade ourselves one i it will do when 1t does appear. that good plays. spoken or musical. always will attract an audience 10 match. But you cannot count upon it with any degree of certainty Last Summer. a struggling stock company sve the waters of failure, that it wouldn’t drown It 1o faintly gulped, as ever and anon its head bobbed al \f only it could have a lurid farce for a life-preserver. encouragement to survive, and yet it did survive, and with success received Sun- day evening a week ago Poli's presented one of the most delightiul little | Yet ap- with musical “plays that has come to Washington in a generation the auditorium but hali filled, and the audience that did pear could never. for an instant, be accused of being boisterous enthusiasm. But jolks as they leit the theater bubbled over and were Javish in praise of “Wildflower.” Monday evening. the crowded to the doors with an audience that hardly could «ontain itself over the forced seli-murder oi a maniac. “The Fake” was acclaimed a pronounced hit, “especially with the women.” And yet as that audience jeit the theater one could hear on all sides comment that failed to prove it. You never can tell precisely what an audience thinks, nor when it is going to gather. It has characteristics purely its own and defies detection HAT money is to the mare such are audiences to the theater. They make it go. It is not strange, therefore, that those who “sell the theater.” to use a commercial colloquialism, spend quite as much time and effort to land their “trade” as the energetic and successful merchant. Sometimes it is very difficult to turn the trick. But even then there are ways to do it. All the world knows that at this particular juncture Wash- ington is a cornered market for basc ball. But is the theater dismayed? Not a bit. Promptiy it cuts its fancy rate of admission and dnnounces a daring. but irresistible, revue, and then smiles in anticipation oi the an- swer. This time it knows its audience * * HE world and its friend seem to be spending much time in the quest for art and beauty. The old rule of the copybook is remem- bered as a guide, and. of course, they apply it “Straight is the line of duty : Curved is the line of beauty Follow the first and thou shalt see The second plainly following thee.” Aund so the dear. old world makes a bee-line for the curves, until now become necessary, apparently. to call in the policeman with his was Belasco was it has stenographer to point the direction in which the bee-line is to be fol-| lowed. which is—to laugh * ok ok ok UMANITY is very human. That fact is evident in every walk of iife, and more particularly so in the world of entertainment. Precept and preaching seem to alter the case but little, if at all. Washington is a city of 200 churches. with a2 membership approximating at least 200,000 people, and doubtless there are many thousands more who are affiliated with churches elsewherc. Despite the lurid charges of the anti-prohibitionist, there is probably no city in the world where law and good morals are held in higher esteem. And yet with all its stock of virtues the National Capital secms at times affected by the general popularity elsewhere of entertainment in which delicacy is sacrificed for a_laugh or the conven- tions for a spectacular thrill. The prudish may affect to be shocked at the weakness, the purist of finer sensibilities may deplore it, but it does pop out occasionally, and it does not mean any more than that Wash- ington. like the other metropolises of the world, is simply human—that is all. heads and the hearts of humanity. Statistics and past experience fail to <how that experiments with the censor and the policeman have found a | solution to the problem. * % % OW', on the other hand. Reports are coming in that the widely her- alded photoplay spectacle. “The Ten Commandments.” is “playing to capacity.” This means that not only is the National Theater being taxed to its limit. hut that our people of Washington are alive to objects other than the feminine face and figure. The reviews proclaim the picture a magnificent spectacle. as impressive in its moral aspect as in its scenic beauty. No expense was spared in its creation, and we are told that the seemingly illimitable resources of the photoplay industry were taxed as never before to furnish the majestic settings for the story that picturgs at once the Mosaic message and the disaster that follows humanity in its cffort to avoid it. There has never been the time when Washington closed its eyes or stopped its cars to high and holy things. And there is the saving grace of it all. Those who would have it otherwise must seek the remedy in the ! Another Famous Vaude- villian. SLIE CARTE associated with erican drama. and of David Belasco, now out in vaudeville, and add ever-inereasing list of dis that it reaching world triumphs Probably the Zaza.” losely rry Cire <he whaose the with MEs best | the fame | stepping ling to the | tinguished artists who realize | Keith vaudeville they are the widest audiences in the Mrs. Carters list of hardly needs sreatest of all was her by “Andrea.” Maryland” and i 1 be re bered ippeared here last in “The with John Drew Alrcady M theaters tinaily tract for her the Keith Circuit, many spent in search of a suitable ! Hundreds manuscripts were |mitted. Budding drar genius Isaw a chance. and dozens of playlets were born over night and paraded ! before the titian-haired queen Finally one came to light Tartary.” that was voted by ail to be just the thing for Mrs. Carter. It a stirring one-act drama of the R sian revolt, written by John Colton weil known for his work as co-author of “Rain.” 1t is filled with tense dra- matic moments, and gives the actress wide opportunity to her incomparable talents in t “The th arter Keith | When I the <he nsented to s tour weeks, were vehicle sub- &n preser of atic Alixe of Norman TX’CVOI’. IAN TREVOR lightful character the father. Bernard Ings Goose Hangs High Mr. Trevor has long been America’s avorite actors, His cesses have been with Maude Adams, in “The Kiss for Cinderella the | hero in “The Pipes of Pan,” “An ldeal Husband,” nter Madame” and with 1 eorge, in “To Love.” He h ppeared often in London in impor- | tant productions, among them “The | Vagabond.,” “His House in Order, he Liars” “Glass Houses” “The { Molluse,” “A Doll's House the r revival of “Lady Windermere's Fan and with Beerbohm Tree in “Hamlet” and “Twelfth Night. Mr. Trevor, in addition to being popular actor, an all-round ath- lete He wa during the years of 1893 o 1900 all-round champion of | Indi was member of the English Olympic team at Paris in 1900 and has won over 120 prizes for athletics Wil be seen in N The that of | a t |Base Ball Returns at Gayety CO SAM DAWSON. manager of the Gayety Theater, announces that complete returns from each of | the world serles games will be read | from the stage of the Woman Dominates Drama. SMVEN. in the bulk, eut i figure than women in the drama.” Corinne Griffith, First Na- tional sgreen star. is of that opinion. Corinne is an emphatic feminist She believes her sex capable of reach- ing any of the heights to which man has ascended. And in the matter of drama she even believes pre- eminent. “With the exception of pearean plays. which were written at a time when all roles were played by | men and only men attended the thea- ter, most of the notable dramatic |figures have been women,” she con- | tends | “Even in ‘Romeo and Juliet' woman dominates, or should,” Miss Griffith. “In “The Doll's House {both Nora and Torvald are strong | firures. but it is inconceivable to credit the male role with the im- portance of the wife. In ‘Camill=’ and ‘Sappho’ the titles of the play| | sufficiently indicate which sex pre- | vails. Continue through the list of | great plays and you will find the ma- Jority of them giving woman the outstanding position. a smaller the says Morris Novel Filmed. “The Narrow Street,” from the pen of Edward Bateman Morris of Alta ! Vista. Md., has been dramatized and | screened by Warner Bros., with Doro- thy Devore in the leading role, and it is said, probably will be released soon in Washington. _ Mr. MorrisJs an architect employed | by the Treasury Department in this | city and a successful fiction writer in his spare time. He ranks “The Narrow Street” as the best of his work. The scene is laid in Philadel- phia and the theme is semi-historical. Clean and wholesome throughout. (he story abounds in thrilling situa- tions, with charming interludes of humor, Shakes- | | SUNDAY MORNING, Current Attractlons [ At the Theaters This Week Artists and Mode! ASCO—"The Princess Apri ning. NATIONAL he Ten Commar afternoon and evening KEITH'S—Mrs. Leslie Carter, vau STRAND—Fred La Reine & Co. GAYETY-—"Follies of the Day.” b MUTUAIL Irish Daisies,” POL. St BE Poli's—"Artists and MOdelSA" ind Models of 1 t will unveil at Poli" Theater evening, an opulent and spectacular show. designed pri- for beauty. Described a revue,” this entrant Artists which huberts this is marily as “pietorial new Season’s will add a note of novelty of rev edition of “Artists and Models” comes to Washington for an | engagement of one week, prior to the | New York opening at the Astor Thea- | ter one week later. Artists, authors and composers, who { have contributed the production. | include Jean Schwartz, Harry Wag- ! staff Gribble. Sigmund Romberg Harold Atteridge. Watson Barratt Billy De ‘k. Jack Sheridan. Eu- | gene lLockhart. M. Francis Weldon, ¢ D. Williams, Adele Klaer. Edward Penfield. Fontaine Fox, H. T. Webster, David Robinson, Helen [ ton. Clare Briggs, Will Johnston, Percy Waxman, Roger Doege, George Harriman, Worth Colwell, Louise Bascom Barratt, Rea Irvin, Cyrus | Wood. €. B. Falls. Dean Cornwell | and Rollo Wayne latest in the offerings to this typé This new | to famous Spanish dancer; Nancy Gibb: Mabel Withee, Marie Stoddard, Bar- nett Parker, Frank Gaby, Ned Nor- worth, Muriel De Forrest, Flo Camp- bell. Nat Nazarre. Jack Hines, Vestoff, Flora Lea, V. Strathmore. Lucita Cor- | vera, Charles Messenger, Alexander | Frank, Joseph Spree, A. Barkey. | Doris Winton. Grace MacKinnon, Charles Hannefax, Marian Marlow, Harry Miller and Joe Morris, with a chorus of 50 peauties labeled “artists’ models,” and featured +n this year's revue The production was staged under the personal direction of J. J. Shu- bert. Jean Schwartz has written sev- eral melodious songs for the piece, which, with its music, pretty girls | and many novelties. is heralded as a | snappy addition to tie new revues | | | | | “Princess April” the new musical | comedy of vouth, in which Barry Townly will present Miss Tessa Kosta at the Belasco Theater this week be- ning this evening, will bring also a cast of class, including Tom Dingle, he of the funny legs, formerly of Ziegfeld's Follies, “Peggy.” “Lady of the Slipper.” “Love Birds” and idcrs Three”; Alice Hegeman, charac- ter comedienne; Mildred Richardson. Follies beauty, last season with “Lit- tle Jesse James”; Charles Derickson, of “Clinging Vine" and “Paradise Al- ley” fame; BdwArd Garvie, of “Betty |Be Good.” “Fascinating Widow™ and | “Mugic Box Revue'; Steward Baird, | “HoteT Mous Julia Sanderson's leading man, last season with Otis Skinner, and the McCarthy Sisters, two vears ago with “Music Box Re- vue,” last scason headliners in Keith vaudeville, ' mu burlesque &irl and music” | Smith Day- | In the cast will be found Trini, the | | Belasco—"Princess April.” | “Fid- | hubert Revue. Opens this evening. cal comedy. Opens this eve- idments,” photoplays Shown this wdeville. Opens this aiternoon vaudeville. Opens this afternoon OCTOBER 5. 0. 1924 ESTELLE TAYLOR. National e S RUBY WALLACE-Mtual featuring Viela Victoria; William Smythe, in a descriptive song cycle, “The Showman,” with Miss Glady: | Reade at the piano: the three Melvin |51t are said to be contributors to the brothers, will astound in urfesque. Opens this afternoon | Opens this afternoon | | National—"Ten Commandments.’ The Ten thoug Mary | Moses and andments” gh. the defier admirer of Elinor Glyn, declares them passe) have caught on lat the National, where Cecil B. De Mille's work the mecca of big | crowds twice daily, and is now enter- | ling its second week with a matinee today at 3 o'clock | Frederick Arundel's powerful and expressive orchestral accompaniment of 20 pieces enhances the pleasure of | the gigantic epectacle and modern |1ove story. The big from the | ! Bible. including the marvelous repro- |duction of the Red Sea m cupy considerably less than a half of the entertainment, which, |.eginnmz§ I'with the MecTavish family in a hum- | |ble San Francisco home, proceeds to unfold th and pleasure- seeking. the loves and hates of today This latter-day story offers some of | the biggest thrills of movie making, with its collapse of the great cathe- dral structure, its storm at sea and | its cut-back of the Savior healing the outcast, beautifully portrayed by Agnes Ayres | Among the players who have won | {new laurels are Theodore Roberts, ! | Eistelle Taylor and Charles De Roche, |in the Bible scenes: Rod La Rocque, i f scenes acle, o ambitions | | in the modern action. “The Ten Com- | mandments” also illustrates the won- derful progress of the picture art| overed by the decade since “The |Birth of a Nation.” It is heightened | by many beautiful scenes o natural Icolor, by technique that performs the seemingly impossible and by a swift shorthand of action that condenses | lthe material of a dozen potential |stage plays into two hours and a {quarter. | Keith's—Mrs. Leslie Carter. | B. F. Keith's this week, beginning | with today's matinee, will present Mrs. Leslie Carter, the distinguished actress, as one of its exceptional fea- tures, in new one-act drama, “Alixe of Tartary,” written especially | for her by John Colton, co-author of | “Ra This is an exclusive Keith vaudeville engagement of this great | emotional artist. The playlet is de- scribed as a powerful expose of the Russian revolt. Mrs. Carter brings a fine supporting cast. Miss Venita Gould also is featured | in a newly selected program of “Im- pressions.” Miss Gould is declared a | clever impersonator, and has at her | command the .mannerisms of Belle| | Baker, Al Jolson, Julian Eltinge,| | George Cohan and many other stage | | favorites. Frank Fay, clever come- | | dian of musical comedy, returns after an absence of several years. Others will include Bd. Lowry, one of the truly versatile and amusing chaps in vaudeville today; Joseph B. Stanley and company in a farce called “Wait- a | beginning inal gymnastics: Aesop Topics of the Day and the Pathe Weekly. Strand—Fred La Reine and Company. A scientific novelty, interesting and xtremely comical is the headline fea- ture at the Strand Theater this week, today. Fred La Reine, electrical wizard, assisted by a clever company. makes his second: appear- ance in Washington in this act. Mile na, premier danseuse. and a company that includes Frank Bacon, famous roller skater, will fur- nish “An Artistic Revelation Others on the bill include Arch Stanley, the monopedic marvel: the Three and a Half Arleys, perch gym- nasts, in one of the most thrilling acts of its kind. and other all- numbers to be announced later. The photoplay “His TForgotten Wife" features Madge Bellamy. In this picture Miss Bellamy appears as a Y. M. C. A. worker. a Red Cross nurse. a poor housewife, in an establishment of wealth, a hold-up disguised as a man and the wife of a wealthy man in quick suc- cession, all said to be brought about logically. Short films include comedy and the Fox .News reel. Director Manvell's overture and exit marches will be Robi's “Walla-Walla” and Lang's Never Care 'Bout Tomor- row Gayety—"Foll Day.’ With 2§ elaborate scenes, “Foliies of the Day,” this week's attraction at the Gayety. opentng this afternoon, is said to run the whole gamut of burlesque surprises on nual tour under Barney producer. One of the scenes discloses the roof- tops of an apartment house, and in- troduces a radio broadcasting episode which is continued throughout the other acts. The cast is headed by Bozo Snyder, who goes through the entire perform- ance without saying a word, bu* makes up for it with antics and grimaces. He is said to be one of the finest pantomimists in America. His side-partner is Sam Green, known for his delineation of the piano mover type of funster. Elso May, lately associated with Fred Stone, heads the feminine talent. She is said to have a voice of excel- lent quality and purity and is a su- erb dancer. The support also in- cludes Sam Green, Harry Seymour. John B. Wiliams, Bert Mathews, Beth Clark, Marie Tyler and a chorus, said to be unequaled by any other traveling organization on the Columbia burlesque. Mutual—"Irish Daisies.” up-to-date scenery and costumes Arthur Laning's “Irish Daisies.” in two acts and 10 scenes, directed by George Young, will be at the Mutual Theater ‘this week with an opening matinee today at 3 o'clock. vine, a jovial German comic, and Joe Mack, a tramp, provide the comedy. Billy Welp is said to do clever char- acter work. Ruby Wallace, the prima donna, has many local admirers. Irene Cas- ies of the Gerard, its ing,” embellished with music; the La Pilarica Trio, a group of Spanish dancers, recently brought to America, sini, soubrette; Dorothy Owens, in- genue, and a chorus of Celtic beauties are featured. : | cartoonist; Fontaine ar | its 16th an- | Lou De- | LESLIE, CARTER- Keiths \ ? ;_Symphonlc Drama. CIREAT MUSIC.” which George Baclker presented the Barl Carroll Theater with a cast of 75 peo- ple. including Helen Ware, Christine Norman. Madeline Marshall and Tom | Powers and a symphony orchestra fuil concert strength pen of Martin Brown “Cobra.” It has been Ullrich Haupt, director ge government national the Pottsdam, Hamburg, Hanover gart and Berlin for many vears “Great Music” is symphon drama” in four acts. woven around the ne ¥mpaihe and the ! a his from Paris predator. “The Port Then er “pot t Its mot ruggle of a Rreat music. In his desperate eager ness to express himself the artist thwarted on all sides, first prosperous and unimaginative who attempt to force him into th financial world: then by the woman he loves. who selfishly tries to destr: his genius by chaining him to her side. But consumed by the desire to aily triumpl + great interpe his fam- played and theme n the fourth The Shubert Revue. HE Me Shubert are ing one of their biggest a productions in Washington this we ahead of its New York showing called “Artists and Models.” Lecause the produc was designed. written and composed by some of the most fa- mous artists and illustrators in Amer- ica. Also many of the principals and |all the lesser members of the com- | pany are said to have worked either |as artists’ models or are now engaged |in that profession. So that there is| | justification for the show's title | Harry Wagstaff Gribble America’s best known writers ontgomery Flagg and Dean Corn- 1. whose *illustrations are one of the outstanding features of magazine third the rhapsodie Messre pos- rs, present- trators na the and the i d the originators the entertainm was entered most famous agreed to write to be known as to presented bann The finis sented at th York last F cous hit. New York critics co it with Follies Bergere even took occasion to declare s more beau n any _on ever seen ench ¢ at was lustrators o arrangemen ew York's mposers a revue Models hubert and produce Artists under be ed Shut production ert T was was ater in New n in one of Jame. | that produ T. Webster, the 0x, the cartoon- famous Clare Briggs. Percy Waxman, Ed rd Penfield and Wat- son Barratt. No one would be likely to overlook Billy De Beck. whose now | tamous world cartoon, “Barney Goo- i gle,” is one of the joys of Ameri- can breakfast table. As to the models Whom these illus- trators and artists have selected to appear in the production, those famil- |iar with the Latin Quarter of New | York will at once recognize Nancy | | Gibbs, Mabel Withee, Flora Lea, Mary | Kissell, Lucita Cervera, Dorothy Alli- | son, Doris Winton, Grace MacKinnon | following its engagement here th |and Triniz, the Spanish dancer, and | week it will be taken New York | Marian Marlow. There are others.al- | for its metropolitan premiere the | together about 50 girls, whose names | Astor Theater |appear on the engagement books of | To J. J. Shubert is given the credit New York's most noted illustrators. | for personally supervising the man “Artists and Models” had its concep- | moth spectacle and for deciding ever |tion in last year's annual production | point of doubt in its intricate and la the New York Society of Illus-|borious construction The Climb of Tessa. i production: also H rtists and the li running : called Models of ccordingly same composers who wrote and Models of 1923" have collaborate in the second edition of this now mous ser which is known tists and Models of 192 Th duction has been maki the past two months, and immediate < is as “Ar- at a servant| [ of introdus “Princess | achieve is responsible into the theater Lederer was attracted vivacity, personality and singinz ability. He placed her in the choruses of several musical plays then in and around Chicago, to en&ble her to g¢ stage experience. Then she becam the leading woman for Raymond Hitchcock Later Morris Gest teur per-|Miss Kosta's the formance of Tennyson's “Princess”|Eaye Ber the rols | that. directed unusual attention 10/ Xrigr that, with the Cohan and Har | her histrionic abilities when, on short| rig forces, she was the prima donn {notice, she was called upon to enact|in “The Royal Vagabond." which, |the prince, in doublet and hose. and |like “Chu Chin Chow.” played a whol« carried off the acting honors of the |season in New York City. Then cam. | show, besides winning hearty plaudits | the delightful and tuneful “Lassie for herself as a solo pianist earlier [made by Catherine Chisholm Cush- {in the evening. The performance |ing from her comedy “Kitty McKay was given as part of an entertain-|to which Dr. Hugo Felix set a charm ment at Rowland Hall, Salt Lake|ing score. written especially for Miss City, under the direction of Martha |Kostg's voice Royle King, the sister of Edwin Mil-| The Shuberts ton Royle, the well-known playright. | Kosta's services Mrs. King so. encouraged Miss|“The Chocolate Kosta and her parents, in the belief | the role of Madina, and Donald Brian that the little miss had unusual stage | for her soldier-lover. After t qualifications that the family moved |came “The Rose of Stamboul,” which shortly afterward to Chicago and|ran at the big Century Theater for a there Tessa was brought to the at-|whole on—and “Caroline.” in tention of George W. Ledercr, who,|which Miss Kosta was starred 4t the more than any one else in theatrical Ambassador Theater. ESSA KOSTA. April,” began fame. At the age of 6 it is said she dis- closed a skill at the piano that most acclaimed her a prodigy. sang, too, in perfect tempo and tune, | Isuch songs as “Rocked in the Cradle |of the Deep” in a deep, rich con-| tralto voice. Tt was, however. an ama star early life tion Mr. by b she | took charge of trical career and of the singing slave ‘Chu Chin Chow i then acquired Mis id at once revived oldier” with her in Mother Enforces the Law. HO enforces the law in your|as to say that there is a woman in family? Isn't it mother? You |every case of sustained criminal in- just bet it is. That is the reason |tent. especially of the youthful erim I am stressing the mother angle in | M J3 TG 10 SV EneD to0ads & it - . A5 eve this, but 1 do be ‘Broken Lawse. So says Mrs. Wal {lieve that a great many women en- lace Reid. | courage criminal tendency in youth “Any time mother fails in enforcing | through neglect to enforce home the laws of the home or deals ln} ws. Once a child recognizes author. | suspended sentence the government | ity and the rights of others in the | breaks down. {home he will recognize them outside “Since 1 decided to make a picture | “Mother love is a dificult thing on law enforcement in the home T|to deal with because it is the great- have read many articles on the sub- (est thing in the world. A mother ject. People began to send them to | will give her life for her child—she me and 1 collected several hundred. |will suffer poverty, hunger and proving that it is one of universal|physical pain to spare that child a interest. In many of them I found |single moment of grief or suffering that woman was held responsible for |after the harm has been done. But either making or breaking the laws.|she rarely sees the danger soon One police official has gone so far|cnough to forestall it.”