Evening Star Newspaper, February 1, 1925, Page 57

| Theaters | The Sundiy Star Automobiles Part 3—12 Pages WASHINGTON, D. SUNDAY g MORNING, FEBRUARY 1, 1925 MARSTON and CORNELTA OTIf SKINNERS Belamo Audiences May Be Tamed Without an Unkind Word! By Philander Johnson. How imsufficiently the American playhouse of today is equipped even for the rudimentary demonstration | of plain melodrama was shown in the production of “The Rat” at Poli’s Theater. A story of love and ad- venture, in which high society touched the fringes of the under- world and found nobility of charac- ter even among the most humble denizens of a great city, harks back to the time when melodrama was one of the most popular forms of entertainment, though not held in any extraordinary artistic regard. This type of play should move fast. Speech should fellow speech with in- us accuracy, and every the action should be ap- proached on the run. Every char- acter claims emphasis a little bit beyond the corresponding type in actual humanity, after the manner of Dickens, who, in addition to be- ing a novelist and a humorist, was something of a melodramatist. The talent available for the “character bit” is not so abundant as it was when plays like “Romany Rye,” “The Black Flag” and dozens of others that came and went with the peren- nial reminder that virtue is reward- ed, that vice is punishable and that the comedian may serve a useful function by bringing a light-hearted solution to problems which threaten most sincere consequences. et “The Rat” might have been a play something like “The Two Orphans” if it had been better performed. It is a reminiscence of the French ro- mance of which Victor Hugo con- cerned himself in “Les Miserables” and Eugene Sue in “The Mysteries of Paris.” From time to time the atmosphere of the Apache dive is lost to attention because of its re- semblance to the rough cabarets, which, in our own byways of the night, reflect boisterous gayety, with no touch of redeeming romance. Only one character is well played in the drama, the_title role, which, in the hands of Horace Brahan, be- comes almost a-“Liliom,” and it is essential of melodrama that all the characters must be well played, even though their intrinsic demands on talent need not be high. This sweep- ing dismissal is hard to make with Croker-King in the cast, an excel- lent actor striving to assert himself in an unco-ordinated assemblage of players. kel Earl Carroll is evidently enjoying a liberty in the theatrical world cal- culated to compensate him for any personal restraint he was compelled to undergo because of legal interfer- ence with certain of his exaltatory activities. He played both sides of Pennsylvania avenue, “The Rat,” by Shubert booking, at Poli's, and “Van- ities,” under Erlangerian auspices, at the National. It may be doubted whether his personally directed com- petition with himself interfered seri- ously with either of his properties. ek It is remarkable how year after vear the world loves to listen to the same old ballyhoo about invoking the authorities to put a stop to some unfamiliar phase of impudence in stage demonstration. It would be depressing to assume that audiences resent an impudence only because it has a novel touch. . Yet invariably the public becomes reconciled, at least to a point of tacit -toleration, after the first storm of protest has subsided. The public protested against Camille, Manon Lescant, Carmen, Sappho, Du Barry and the girl in “The Easiest Way.” * %k X % Mr. Carroll, aiter a brief durance, which was no doubt abundantly ameliorated by bouquets and chick- en salad, steps forth a sort of hero in the circle that bows abjectly before the shrine of the Goddess Publicity, who for the present appears to have swept all the nine muses from their niches and to dominate the artistic temple with flamboyant ease. Rob- ert E. Long, formerly of this city, is Mr. Carroll's press agent, and car- ries in his breast pocket an assorted collection of martyr halos, any one of which he is prepared to adjust to Carroll’'s brow without a moment’s | delay. * ok % x There is a division of opmion evi- dent in the Brady family. While William A. Brady is thundering anathema at radio as a foe of the theater and predicting disaster backdrop to box office, Mrs. Brady (on the program Grace George) proceeds to demonstrate that the public can be absolutely happy and contented with the right kind of a play. Miss George has experimented frequently and some of her material has been rather pallid as compared | with the rough realisms, which have become rougher and rougher until, [in many instances, they are too rough to be true. A little comedy entitled, “She Wanted to Know,” sufficed to bring delighted throngs to the Shubert-Belasco, demonstrat- ing that despite many weeks of com- parative neglect the public is still loyal to Manager Taylor’s theater. * ok k% Miss George has demonstrated a mental attitude in play production that has been as obstinately favor- able to polite quality as that of others concerned with the playhouse has been antagonistic to everything that does not revert toward the era of unkempt hair, raw meat and a stone club. With the highly polished assistance of Bruce McRae, Miss George unfolds a story of piquant delicacy, which affords a suitable setting for her own taste in expres- sion and charm of personality. * % ox x The greatest event in Washington's amusement world was the opening of the new Auditorium with grand opera, on a site where, before the war, the croaking of the frogs in neigh- boring Potomac marshes constituted the chief music that the locality might look forward to with confi- dence. The building is another evi- dence of the genius of progress, awakening fancies almost like those of old Arabian tales. Our structures were not so swiftly built as those reared by Aladdin, but they have the merit of greater permanency. *k K A The most impressive feature of this opening was its indication of a solid interest in grand opera. If this interest can be permanently main- tained on a scale anything [ike that in evidence on this greatest first right Washington has ever seen, this community cannot fail to assert it- self as a center of art as well as of government. * k ok x It was not a reflection of Ameri- can art, something to be developed in patience, and in some of its ele- ments perhaps in obscurity. A more significant test of the interest in grand opera will come in the later season, when a series of perform- ances will be given instead of con- centrating the attention of a music-hungry public on a single and unprecedented occasion. Familiar strains of “Faust” came through the vistas of long acquaintanceship, and the lure to attention was centered in the fame of the basso, Chaliapin. It was again Russia, speaking this time with the lips of Gounod and the soul of Goethe. Later Russia will tell some of her own story when Boris Gudonoff - is sung. Nations, like poets, may be said “to learn in suf- fering what they teach in song.” * * ok % Grand opera as we have it in America becomes, especially in the less metropolitan communities, \an occasional luxury in which melodious appeal transcends the intellectual en- joyment of phrase and story. An American opera, native in theme, in composition and in performance, has been the dream of many an im- pressario. The nearest approach to its realization was “The Girl of the Golden West,” by Puccini, with a libretto in Italian. The reclame of the Ballet Russe, the Moscow Play- ers and the rest of the revelations of Russian art are stimulating and so resplendent in their standards that they leave ns perhaps farther away than ever from the subtle national- istic charm of intimate, idiomatic ap- peal. And the real test of grand opera, as of any other expressjpg of | throughout its whole extent, from | MARY HORAN "~ Keiths 7 DR ANDERSON and ™ HOLBROOR BLIN JOSEPHINE HUTCHIVON Prere RAYNOR. Wardman Park. Thester Mutual BURKRE and BETTY HeLeN DAVIS Gayely Janet Richards Tomorrow. Miss Janet Richards will give her usual interpretive review of the vital questions of the hour tomorrow morning at 10:45 in the auditorium of the New Masonic Temple, Thir- teenth street and New York avenue At these talks, which are given every Monday, Miss Richards presents a general summary of outstanding world events for the preceding week. Special mention will be made of the failure of the child-labor amendment and why, With brief comments upon other matters, legislative and con- gressional. Under foreign affairs, the danger of the Danzig dilemma will be reviewed, also the debatable terms of the Japanese-Russian treaty and other frictional points in the general foreign situation. beauty or idealism, must be the pop- ular taste. * X X % There is in this country no more splendid pedestal upon which to rear a work of enduring intellectual mag- nificence than the new Auditorium so felicitously dedicated and so en- thusiastically acclaimed. & kit “Faust” lends to German myth all the vivacious trickery of the French theater. The devil himself becomes a gracefully sardonic figure with many humorous moments. Chalia- pin’s concept emphasizes this. His impersonation and his singing well warrant the eargerest expectancy with which he was awaited, yet do not efface admiring recollections of others who attained greatness in the role. * ok k¥ “Faust” is a permanency in our thought which survives independent- ly of the opera. In the past only gentlemen went to see “The Black Creook,” a version of the “Faust” story, with scenery and ballet as its chief accessories, and if their fami- lies learned where they had been they were promptly assured that they were no gentlemen at all “Faust” toured the country for many years as a spoken drama, and may be expected to revive again at any moment for exploitation without the aid of orchestra and chorus. * o Kk ok The medieval phantasy cannot be modernized. Our science still per- sists in the study of the alchemists, but it does not deal with fuming crucibles and cabalistic jargon as it seeks the secret of restored youth and transmutation of base metals into gold. It talks now of vivisect- ing monkeys and of rearranging electrons. Our science is marvelous, but so interwoven with daily econo- mies and commercialistic cares that its miracles cease all too soon to be picturesque. Practical science can- not destroy the fascination of the old mysticism. The printer’s devil steps forth from the old-time “chapel,”- as does the old alchemist from his laboratory, and succeeds far better in exercising his arts—those of publicity—to rejuvenating an- ciencies and often to lend to rather Current Attractions At the Theaters This Week NATIONAL—"The Dove,” ‘Cape Smoke,” drama. BELASCO—“White Collars, RDMAN PARK—"A Doll's H ning. S—“Honeymoon Cruise, Land of Fantasie,” vau Capt. January,” melodrama vaudeville. GAYETY—“Cooper’s Revue,” burlesque. Opens tomorrow evening. Opens tomorrow evening. comedy Opens tomorrow evening. ouse,” drama. Opens Tuesday eve- vaudeville. Opens this afternoon. deville. Opens this afternoon. Opens this afternoon Opens this afternoon. MUTUAL—"The Kandy Kids,” burlesque. Opens this afternoon. National—"The Dove." David Belasco will present Hol- brook Blinn in the production of “The Dove,” a melodrama written by Wil- lard Mack, based on the story of Gerald Beaumont, with Judith Ander- son, William Harrigan, Sidney Tolor and William Norris, at the National Theater this week, opening tomorrow evening and immediately preceding the New York engagement. This will be Mr. Belasco's fourth produc- tion of the season. Described as a melodrama, “The Dove” unfolds an absorbing story in four acts and is peopled with vital and interesting characters. A notable supporting company se- lected by Mr. Belasco includes John Harrington, James Keane, Wilson Reynolds, Ruth Dayton, Earle Mitch ell, Jose Dalton, Josephine Deffrey, Beatrice Banyarg, Dorothy Day and others. The play will be produced under the personal direction of Mr. Belasco, who will be here during the engage- base metal the glamour that makes it shine awhile like gold. * K K K Belasco again approaches, The out-of-town reviews make no refer- ence to his play, “The Dove,” as a soiled specimen. That he should have survived is remarkable, in view of an unrestrained denunciation by press, platform and his fellow mana- gers. The wicked stand in slippery places, and Belasco continues to slip over successes. * K K ¥ It is to be hoped that an end has come to the use of impolite language in the theater, not merely because it is impolite, but because it is, in a considerable degree, dramatically im- practical. It is to be assumed that many of the words employed for realistic purposes are absolutely un- familiar to the people in a refined audience, excepting possibly here and there one who may have the misfortune to be attached to a poll- parrot. A play should be understood and the rough language should be dispensed with before it becomes necessary to station a gentlemanly agent in the lobby to sell lexicons explaining all the wicked words, just as they sell libretti at foreign lan- guage operas. A LA e » Poli's—"Cape Smoke." At Poll's this week, commencing Monday evening, Charles K. Gordon will offer “Cape Smoke,” described as a novelty in the line of “thrillers.” South Africa is the setting of the new play and “Cape Smoke,” which is not the name of a place, but of a very potent African drink, is the motivat- ing force of the action. The author, Walter Archer Frost, spent a number of years in the reglon of which he has written and the play is Capt. Frost's own dramatization of his nov- el, “The Man Between.” The play goes from here to the Martin Beck Theater, New York City. The 'characters are a group of white men and two women who have come to the diamond region with high hopes, which are now broken. The men have become so desperate that they will resort to any sort of shady scheme in order to get back: to Eng- land. Meantime, they console them- selves with liberal supplies of “Cape Smoke.” Into this despairing group there suddenly comes an American— young, friendly and a millionaire. A native “witch doctor,” possessed of supernatural powers, brings a weird dramatic note into the action. The solution of the plot is novel. James Rennie, who has distin- guished himself by fine performances in widely varied roles of “Spanish Love,” “Shore Leave” and “The Best People,” is for the first time featured in “Cape Smoke,” with Ruth Shepley, who has played in a series of George M. Cohan comedies—most recently, “Two Fellows and a Girl.” She was also David Belasco’s leading woman in “The Boomerang.” A. E. Anson, who staged the play, is another specialist in South African lore and atmosphere. The cast also includes Percy War- am, Frazer Coulter, John D. Seymour, Gerard Maxwell ~Willshire, Alice Dunn, Georges Romain, Francis Cor- ble, Horace Pollock and Nathanial Sack; also a group of South African natives. Belasco—"White 7 Collars.” The new comedy announced for the Shubert-Belasco Theater this week, opening tomorrow evening, is caljed “White Collars,” and its author’ is Edith Ellis of “Mary Jane's Pa” tame. Its bid for popularity in the East is based on its Western reputation, won through a remarkable record of con- secutive performances. More than a year ago it _began a run in the Egan Theater at Los Angeles, which is still continuing. / In presenting “White Collars” here Frank Egan is offering & cast Eatle RUTHSHEPLEY ond JAS RENNIE_ Poliz Newman—"Siam and Borneo. “Siam and Borneo” is E. man's this and evening at the Natic While Mr entertained by a brother of the King, who opened all the doors in the var {ous palaces and permitted photo- | graphs to be made of Siamese life Which the average tourlst rarels Sees. The motion and stll plctures in' this traveltaik reveal very wom- derful palaces, gorgeous temples, many strange animals and birds and curious and almost unknown insect life. The throne room of the King of |€ am will be shown and the King will be seen at work and at play A visit will be made also to the wonderful | Wat Chang or elephant temple, the finest and most by ntif structure in and to Bangkok, a veritable , and Ayudha, the ancient capi- where is a great deal of quaint ity A afternoon | 1 Theater. i wman New- | traveltalk for in Siam was ganized for Broadway, where the play goes from here. Th company in- cludes John Marston, Clarke Silver- nail, Mona Kingsley, Frances Under- wood, Frederick Burton, Rea Martin, ‘ornelia Otis Skinner, Robert W. Craig and Allen H. Moore. Edith Ellis has been directing the re- hearsals in New York. The story is all American, having to do with the ‘“downtrodden” but apparently happy class that work for the most part as clerks in stores and offices and have been styled the “white collars” by writers on Amer- fcan soclal conditions. Its characters are the present generation of an American family in contrast with a young American millionaire and his society sister who came by their | wealth through the industrial suc- cess of their father. Wardman Park—"A Doll's House.' Henrik Ibsen's drama, “A Doll's House,” is to be the sixth and last production of the present season by | the Ram's Head Players, directed by Robert Bell, opening on Tuesday evening, February 3, and playing one week, with Saturday matinee. Josephine Hutchinson will appear in the role of Nora, Walter Beck will re- turn to the cast in the role of her husband. Thorvald Helmer and others are Ranald Savery as Nils Krogstad, Robert Bell as Dr. Rank, Anne lves as Mrs. Linden, Leona Roberts as Anna, the governess, and Ruth Har- rison as Ellen. The setting is by James Reynolds, executed by Robert Byrne, and Em- mett LeCompte is stage manager for the production. Every effort is being made by the Ram's Head Players to make this sixth productlon of their third season notable in every way. Keith's—"Honeymoon Cruise.” Topping the bill at B. F. Keith's Theater this week, beginning with the matinee today, is Ned Wayburn's “Honeymoon Cruise,” a junfor musical comedy, in six scenes with a score or more of Ned Wayburn puplls and proteges. The book and lyrics were written by Arthur Swanstrom, the music by Carey Morgan. Members of the company, all graduates of Ned Wayburn's school of dancing, Include James Clemons, Hazel Bow- man, Arthur Swanstrom, Mildred Billert, Helen Dobbin, Violet Cun- ningham, Rita Howard, Mary Moran, Olive Brady, Helen Shapiro and Elleen Morrissey. Stan Stanley, “Nature's Nobleman in the Theater,” a favorite comedian, will be featured, and following are Nefl McKay, Scotch comedian, mak- ing his first appearance in Washing- ton, and reported to be a favorite of the English musio halls; Mr. Richard Kean, English dramatic actor, in a repertoire of characterizations from plays in which he has appeared; Fen- ton and Flelds, in “Appearing in Per- son,” sald to be a surprise number; the Tom Davies Trio, sensational motorists, who motor in a slatted saucer that is bottomless, developing so much speed that the centrifugal force keeps them from falling; An- nette, the little girl with the big voice, in “A Surprise in Song,” and the Four Readings, jugglers of human beings: the screen features, Aesop's Fables, Topics of the Day and the Pathe News Weekly, will com- plete 'the program. Earle—"Land of Fantasie" George Choos, who has been recog- nized for a number of years as a vaudeville musical comedy producer, will offer his latest production, “The Land of Fantasle,” at the Earle Thea- ter this week, beginning today. It is a combination of musical comedy and revue, with plenty of In the Spotlight SWAN, for ON has High,” ARCELLA engaged which Willie Howard is to be starred. | Kane has been engaged for by Ralph Cullinan, Gail “Loggerheads,” “Yhe Man Who Never Died,” a play by Charles Webster, will be pro duced by the Pr8vincetown-Greenwich Village group. “Two by a comedy by Joh Turner and Eugene Woodward, has been placed in rehearsal by the Jessy Trimble Corporation, @ new producing organization Two When Grace comedy reaches New night her p Had to Know ed to Know.” The change has been e to avoid confusion with Knew What They Wanted.” Wanda Lyon will Marbe in the cast of when that play opens tomorrow night. instead of succeed Fay “The Stork” in New York Gladys Unger's “Starlight,” with Doris Keane as the star, will open in Atlantic City the 23d of this month, reaching New York a week later. Miss Keane has won high success with the play on the Pacific coast. ws has been en- riadne,” the next Guild. “Moon Magic,” which Lewis & Gor- don are producing, will open in Lan- caster, Pa., and then go to Philadel- phia. Laura Hope C gaged for Milne's production of the Theater “Dancing Mothers,” Edgar Selwyn's show, that opened in N an August sun was causing discom- fort along Broadway, reached its two- hundredth performance last Tuesd: night and still conlinues to crow.ded houses. Robert Mantell will tour the South with akespearean plays, starting February George Nash and Basil Sydney have the leading roles in Maurice Swartz's forthcoming production in New York of Romain Rolland's “Wolves,” in English. This play has been ru: ning at the Jewish Theater, New York, to packed houses for the past year, The final papers in the transaction fun, plenty of song and plenty of dancing. The added feature, ‘“Courting Days,” finds its theme in the quo- tation, “He who courts and run away will go to court another day It is presented by Kirby, Leo and Anger. Other acts include the Three Whites Kuhns, singing their own songs; Burke and Betty, in “4 Mirthful Potpourri” and the Roma brothers, in “A Study in Bronze," two athletes of wondrous posing skill. The photoplay feature, secured through the Stanley Co. of America, will feature Bebe Danlels in “Miss Bluebeard,” from the stage play of Irene Bordoni. Strand—"Captain January." Baby Peggy, popular little screen star, appearing in persom, and the Braile and Pallo Revue are co-fea- tured on the bill at the Strand this week, beginning today. The Braile and Pallo Revue is a new offering by Vincent Valentini, staged and presented by Lew Cantor, with Lew Kessler featured. Others are Ralph Rogers and Elsie Donnelly, in “The Itallan Van and Carrle Avery, in i Sirloln—Medium”; Sam Gould and Charles Adams, “Two-Man Quartet,” and “A Day at the Races,” a comedy animal act. The personal appearance of Baby Peggy for the first time in Wash- ington has aroused much interest. She will appear four times today, at 3:16, 8.30, 7:45 and 10 p.m., and three times daily during the week, at 4, 7:40 and 10 p.m. Baby Peggy's appearance is con- ducted in conjunction with her latest photoplay, “Capt. January,” a Trlo production adapted from the story by Laura E. Richards. The story is sald to be one of the kind that makes you laugh and at the same time brings tears to eyes. The cast includes Hobart Bosworth, Irene Rich, Harry T. Morey, Lincoln Stedman, John Merkyl, Emmett King and Barbara Tennant. Short films and orchestra music will complete the bill. “ . " Glyety'— Coopera Revue. This week’s attraction at the Gayety Theater is "Jimmie Cooper's Revue,” “They | v York when | seorge White, produ: becomes _le New Yorl the 1 soon 1 Winds rdon ert Adams to be in the Dorotk David zation 1 |novel, has t tion cepted London appear in their roles in “Two Little Girls in Blue although the Keane Sisters had been wged for the ts several montss to en ago. P Jack MacGowan has replaced Charles Derickson in the cast When Summer Comes,” the Baldwin Sloane operetta which Ted Hammer- stein and Jerome Quinn have in re- hearsal. Walter Wilson has been commissioned to stage the"book. Brock Pemberton will give the pub- lic its first view this Winter of “The Marionette Man," at Providence. Heading the cast are (. Henry Gor- don, Dwight Frye and Ralph Locke William Hurlbut has a new play |callea “A Ni SITL” which will he produced shortly. It is reported along Broadway that Marie Doro is to have {the leading role | A crystal chandelier which is said to be an exact duplicate of that in | the ballroom of the Tuileries during the relgn of Napoleon III utilized for the scene which | the ballroom in “The Love Song,” operetta based upon Offenbach’s 1ife and musie. It was made in Brussels from prints of the original Adach! Watan, pressario who produced “La Tosca” and “Madame Butterfly’ In Japanese at the Imperial Opera in ely Columbia “white and black” amusement. [, Cooper heads the company. He was the first producer to combine in bur- lesque a show of white and colored entertainers, as well as to “jazz” a scene or indulge in pleasant foolery with the “Nell Brinkley Girls” of the chorus. The “black and white” shows are separate {tems, with the colored folks singing and dancing to the musio of Jullan Arthur’s band of col- ored syncopators. In the “white” class comes Coop- er's personal supporters, new faces, with new talents, inciuding Jack Reddy, Jean Vernon, Chuck Wilson, Midgie Gibbons, Betty Delmonte, Hal Willis and Sam Arco, in comedy scenes and specialties, also a special vaudeville feature in the Seven Pashas, Arablan acrobats. The colored aggregation, appearing in the last half of the two-act en- tertainment, includes Jazz Lips Rich- ardson, Octavia Sumler, Sam Cross, John and Jennie Dancer, Susaye Brown and Mantan Moreiand, all “jazz hounds.” Manager Lyons announces an extra performance Thursday, beginning at midnight, exactly the same as other performances. Mutual—"The Kandy Kids." “The Kandy Kids,” the attraction at the Mutual Theater, commencing with a matinee today, has Johnny Webber and Sammy Spears in the leading comedy roles. New situations and striking stage effects are said to be a feature of this burlesque show by Jake Potar, while elaborate costum- ing, wholesome fun, and a varled musical program are expected to make this an entertaining show. The cast includes Billy Reed, Jean Fox, Flo Bennett, Elsa Raymor, War- ren Boyd and the rainbow Kandy Kids. burlesque, programs with of Arcade. An exciting series of “lucky spot” dances at each dance on Tuesday night and another of the many Fri- day evening high school dances, when members from Tech High will be the guests, are the special events interlarding the nightly dancing pro- gram at the Arcade Auditorium this week, [