Evening Star Newspaper, March 15, 1925, Page 61

E A Theaters Part 3—12 Pages SUNDAY MORNING MARCH 15, 1925. EvIiyy \\ CUNNINGHAM N/ Gagety Drama. OICl and New. In Delirious Pl‘OfllSiOl‘l Mutual By Philander Johnson. The billboards frankly served the purpose of no admittance signs so far as the Shubert-Belasco Theater was concerned in warning away per- sons with a fastidious sense of pro- *priety. One of the saddest pictures of the weck, sadder even than Sadie Thompson, in dread of a trip to San Francisco, or the young lady about to be horsewhipped by a Sahara cy- clops, was the young, sensitive, wist- ful-eyed boy manager who sank de- spairingly into the chair, his bosom heaving with suppressed sobs. He had done his best. He had described the uncladness of the harem (lu!crr\ with a frankness that broug blush to his cheek so proluugul Ih.u it stood as permanent complexion. He had neglected nothing, except perhaps to hang the red lights indi- cating exits m front of the house as danger signals. It had been all to no avail. He could not persuade the police to arrest him or even to stop the show. In an effort to live up to its title the Shubert-Belasco Theater appar- ently endeavors at this moment to combine the most emphatic demon- stration in spectacular chorus work | and heart-hammering drama. The two names of that theater have for a long time been watched with a sense of weird anticipation that some day the hyphen would bulge and crumple as the two names met in mortal combat. The business re- lationship and the commercial affil- iations announced by the theater are strange affairs and frequentiy sug- + gest unstable compounds liable at any moment to sizzle and explode. It is absolutely necessary, of course, that people play together regard- less of personal resentments or prej- udijces, but every now and then an old score is settled and the restraint reedful for artistic co- operation both in planning and in periorming has lessened steadily ven business advantage does not hold the influ- ence it had when Weber and Fields decided to forget their own misun- derstandings and work together again. Nobody suspects any great mutual admiration between Shubert and Belasco, and it is always a re- lief on approaching the theater to observe that there is at least enough tolerant and practical spirit remain- ing to keep the old sign still above the door. * ok R % In one respect there is a system of admirable reciprocity between the Shubert-Belasco and Poli’s. The Wednesday matinee of the former is always assured an audience from the company playing at the latter and the compliment is promptly re- turned on the following day. Not only do the eminent producers move their own troupes, but they are en- abled, in case of cmergen to do | something toward prn\ullll\ lheir( own audiences. They are interest- ing audiences, toc, differing from the others through their generosity of applause and enthusiastic recog- Biti nition is coupled with an ability to dismiss deficiencies with a little friendly regret concerning the dis- appointment which they have | learned so well to measure as often an inevitable part of the day's work. * % ox % As for the Shubert-Belasco show (whose title will not be mentioned here owing to a desire further to| irritate its management), it is one of the strangest exhibitions vet de- vised. It runs the recollection far back into the old scrapbook to the | old melodrama theater, whose price scale was a dollar top and whose audience hissed the villain and wel- comed vociferous declamation under the impression that this was where they got their money's worth in real acting. It goes as far back as the World's Fair in Chicago, with its hoochy-coochy dances. It hints even of reincarnation; a collabora- tion of Bertha M. Clay and P. T. Barnum. It brings forward the grand ethnological congress. Upon a platform rich with Oriental em- bellishment sits the Fat Lady. Yon- der is the Whirling Dervish, not far from the Bearded Woman. The barbaric band strums discordantly, and in the vast aggregation of mar- vels there is only one important fig- ure who appears to be absent from the scene, the armless phenomenon who wrote by holding a pen with his toes. Possibly he is the gentle- man who wrote the play. * ok k% This play, which shall be nameless here, not because of propriety, but through a sheer desire in mischief to reirain from boosting for the box office, is a genuine effort to recon- struct the theater upon early prin- ciples. No more determined effort could be imagined to guess what the public wants and to provide it lav- ishly. It reflects nearly everything that has ever been passed out from the theaters or the newsstands as creations of sensational interest. There is only one fault to be found in its appeal to the fickle affections oi the playgoing public. It is xoo‘ blunt. It facks coyness and finesse. * * kX The art of giving the public what it wants is difficult to analyze. Pro- ducers appear to regard it as con- sisting in giving the public more and more of what it has already had. There are publics and publics. Near- ly all attractions are now directing their attention to the public most uncompromising in its demands for emphatic impropriety. It would be a sad misanthrope to assume that this public represents a large ma- jority of the population, but it may be said with considerable confidence that it is that element which parts with its money most easily. *x % x New York producers still insist in | denouncing one another and in de- PRANR. HARCOURT | Mr. Craven and Mr. McWade, both manding some sort of censorship. They are at least agreed on a deter- mination that no one among them | 4 uclequonopalyy Vist ~ MRS’, FISKE , CHAUNCY OLCOTT and i WJAS T Pompc \}\Nchona\ A At the Theaters This Week NATIONAL—"The Rivals,” evening. POLI'S—“Blossom Time,” S Seduction,” drama. IDENT—"Rain,” drama. afternoon. EARLE—Cunningham and Bennett, noon. STRAND—Mann's noon. GAYETY—“Fast Steppers,” MUTUAL—"Red Hot,” burlesque. National—"The Rivals.” The present dramatic season, mark- Band Box Rev ing the 130th anniversary of the original production of Sheridan's comedy, “The Rivals,” is signalized by a revival of this eighteenth cen- tury classic, which comes to the Na- tional Theater for a week's engage- ment, beginning tomorrow, under the management of George C. Tyler and Hugh Ford. A brilliant coterie of players has combined for the presentation of the play in an extended tour of the United States and Canada as a mark of re- spect for the memory of a man who not only was the most brilliant dra- matic writer of the eighteenth cen- tury, but performed distinguished services in the British Parliament in behalf of the American Colonies. The cast is made notable by the appearance of Mrs. Fiske as Mrs. Malaprop; Chauncey Olcott as Sir Lucius O'Trigger, the fire-eating Irishman; Thomas A. Wise as Sir An- thony Absolute, this appearance sig- nalizing Mr. Wise's return to the fleld of old English comedy; James T. Pow- ers, already noted as David, in the role of the riduculous but lovable Bob Acres; Lola Fisher as Lydia Languish, the part pla d in former vears by Viola Allen )flnl Julia Marlowe; Lotus Robb as Julia; Marie Carroll, well known in high comedy, in the part of| Sheridan’s comedy operetta. burlesque. Opens tomorrow Opens this evening. Performance this evening. Performance this evening. S—Frances White-Dorothy Jardon, vaudeville. Opens this vaudeville. Opens this after- ue, vaudeville. Opens this after- Opens this afternoon. Opens this afternoon. Lucy, a role that once emploved the talents of Fanny Rice; Kenneth Thomson as Capt. Absolute, Fred Erle as Faulkland. Percival Vivian as Fag, George Tawde as David and Walter Woodall, long a member of Joseph Jefferson’s company, as Thomas, the coachman, Of the scores of eighteenth century “comedies of manners” that were pop- ular in their time only three have survived to this day for major pro- duction along with Shakespeare's plays. These are “Tre Rivals” ard “School for Scandal” by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and “She Stoops to Conquer,” by Oliver Goldsmith. Ever since it was revealed in Covent Gar- den, London, January 17, 1775, until the present time, “The Rivals” has held first place among these three in popular favor, because its characters and its humor are ever green, and, save on the technical side, it is as up to Enlo as it was in the time of Gar- rici Belasco—"Seduction." At the Shubert-Belasco Theater this week, including this evening. “Seduction,” DeWitt Newing's ro- mance of the desert, the attraction. In this play the desert is realisti- cally staged—much sand being used— and the abodes of the desert jords in will continue as The Frank Craven play would have been a joyous relief enthusias- tically welcomed had it been just a little better done. The scenes by -good actors, as everybody knows, had to carry almost the entire interest of a story simple enough, yet full of amusing turns and revealing types of humanity such as we are sur- rounded by, yet which we somehow do not recognize in all their whim- sicality or their beauty until we see them delineated by the artist. It was a relief, indeed, to meet the young man who knew exactly how to run his father’s business and dis- cover by way of a change that he had his troubles in doing so. It is a defiant contradiction of all the traditions of light literature; a pleasant ringing of changes in a fa- miliar theme. It is distinctly a Cravenesque creation and worthy of an interpretation competent to bring even to the subordinate roles | he deftest touch of subtle humor. ") Zbe.presentation oi “Ghe-Riealsh will give opportunity for a frank measurement of the extent to which the public favors pure wit in drama and eminent artistry in acting. Genuine satire remains vivid and apropos through the centuries. It is true that the practice of dueling, upon which so much of the play’s humor is based, lapsed long ago, but even we who dwell in Washington, where wrath or envy have been taught to expend themselves in bom- bardments of paper wads, still have our Mrs. Malaprops of all ages— and of both genders. It is gallant old comedy, when men were high stepping and women moved daintily. It deals with an era in which social customs had carried to extreme cer- tain manners from which the world, in quest of reform, has departed, and with some of which many would like to experiment again in quest of reforms _anew. The differences be- tween Then and Now seem great, but are only superficial. The char- acters are all human and each gen- | cration must love them as if they | Central's Spring’ play. ENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL will pre- be stars many cellent charact Central has always produced excel- |1ent Spring plays, and this year's pr s to be no exception to that rule. “Stop Thief” is the type of play that should prove as successtul as | those triumphs of past years, | Keys to Baldpate” and “Quality Street.” The play is one of involved situ- ations, plots and counterplots, which follow each other in rapid succession, each more ridiculous than that pre- ceding. As usual, there will be a double cast. Joan Carr is played by Frances Ken- non and Susan Cannon, Mrs. Carr by Margaret Schneider and Lillian Klee- blatt, Caroline Carr by Inez Leon and Marguerite Shellenberger, and Madge Carr by Nell Childs and Mary Arm- | strong.” Marion Hall and Catherine Griffith will take the part of Nell; Manton Wyvell and Edward Arliss that of William Carr, and Wellington |Barto and Franklin Clarke that of James Cluney. Mr. Jamison will be played by Andrew Allison and Fred fine chances for or portrayal. ex- | Roper: Jack Doogan by William Bradley and Allan_Lutz; sergeant, |Harry© Wender: Dr. Willoughby, Robert Milans a | tective, Leslie G d Robert Miller; de- 1lis and Fred Haskin. all detail | silks | fu? Among the features are the harem dancers and the performance of Mlle | Lisa Pavnova in dances of the Orient. | "The cast, headed by Frank Wiicox | Allyn King and_Heary Herbert, in- cludes Charles Dennision, Dorothy Holmes, William Podmove, Adrian n, Mattie Edwards, Edward on, Erin O'Brien Moore, Hamid H. Ghoshal and L. V. Granville. Poli's—"Blossom Time." “Blossom Time,” the famous oper- etta based on the love story and mu- sic of Franz Schubert, will be the at- traction at Poli's this week, starting tonight. Those who have seen “Blos- som Time” will want to see it again, and those who have never seen it shoould not miss the chance. This delightful operetta, based on the love story of Franz Schubert, the great composer, and with numerous of his compositions forming the mu- sical background, has set a standard for this style of entertainment, which has a whimsicality, elusiveness and delicacy of conception, aside from its beautiful music, that make their own pronounced appeal. Schubert’s music has been admirably adapted by Sig- mund Romberg, and there are melo- dies by H. Berte. The choicest of Schubert's music—the lovely “Sere- nade,” “The Moment Musical,” “Ave Maria” and the themes of “The Un- finished Symphony” find voice in the operetta’s chief numbers. “The Song their magnificence are shown in Beautiful rugs, many colored and gorgeous robes are plenti- of Love,” “Love is a Riddle, Me, D “Lonely Hearts, Springtime Thou Art” and “Let Me Awake” are melodies too familiar to need comment, The company presenting “Blossom Time” is declared an admirable sing- ing organization, and includes Knight MacGregor, Eliz Gergely, Grace A. Yeager, ®loux Nedra, Mitsi Merr; Alexandra Dagmar, Dorris Miller, Ralph Soule, Sano Marcov, Harry Wilson, Clarence Harvey, Rupert Dar. rel, Ray Greene, Keith Smerage, Viola Heygl, Willlam McKinley, Mac Ponch, W. J. McCarthy, Mabel Kane, Millle Freeman and R. W. Callahan. President — “Rain™ (Third Week). The President Theater announces W. Somerset Maugham's dramatic ensation, “Rain,” for its third con- secutive week, beginning with the performance tonight. With this an- nouncement comes further word that the extension of the engagement into a third week will be marked by a radical reduction in prices for all performances. “Rain,” as is well kne n, of the sensational hits of recent years in the theater. Already it has played two consecutive years in New York and is rolling up a brilliant {record of success on the road. With Miss Katherine Hayden in the | chief role at the President, Maugham's is one Seven | TRANCES \UHITL‘. Reiths sent “Stop Thief.” a farcical melo- | drama by Carlyle Moore, as its annual { Spring play, on March 20, 21, 27, 28. | The parts” of kieptomaniacs, swag- zering policemen, doctors, old maids | fappers and crooks give the would- | | | . 4rama - bas -Deen- given a AURAID- Skelks) lew Fa_m = - [ / SCC‘Ae {/ from. (1 BrossonTive’ 3 Polis : GRACE. CARR ~ Eatle mounting by the noted Sam Forrest and the cast includes a group competent Broadway favorites, in- cluding Frederick Smith, Edward Keane, Josephine Morse, Joseph Robi- son, Harry Burkhardt., Grace Ade Jack Veitch, William McFadden and May Anderson. The story unfolds a drama of in- teresting conflict between Sadie Thompson, a girl from the bad lands of Honolulu, and a fanatical zealot, who meets the girl and determines not only to rid Oceania of her pres- ence, but that she shall be sent back to San Francisco, where she is want- od by the police. The girl, with her back to the wall and with prison staring her in the face, fights back with her only weapon Matinees will be given Thursday and Saturday at 2:20 p.m. Ke;th.B—FrlflceB Whitc— Dorothy Jardon. At B. F. Keith's Theater this week, Miss Frances White, musical come- dienne, will top the bill in a cycle of her own songs and dances. Billy Joyce will accompany her the piano. Dorothy Jardon, prima donna of the Chicago and San Carlo grand opera companies, wil be heard in a pro- gram of carefully selected numbers, embracing many of her celebrated roles. She will be seen with Jerry Jarnagin. Others to follow are: Nitza Ver- nille, late of the Music Box Revue, who, with a large supporting com- pany, will present a new and elabo. rate dance act called “Wonderland"; Roberta Arnold and company, includ- ing Bert Robinson, in & new comedy by Anne Morrison, called ‘Their First Anniversary”; McLaughlin and Evaas, comedians, in a comedy show- ing a bit of the East Side of New York, called “On & Little Side Street,” written by Ben Ryan. Gen. Pisano, crack shot of the Ital- fan army during the war, with Char- lotte Cochrane, mezzo soprano, in & novel offering, “At the Gun Club.” The Chevalier Brothers, two hand- to-hand acrobats, and Valentine and Bell, in “The Furniture Removers.” Framing the bill will be the screen features, Aesop's Fables, Topics of the Day and the Pathe News Pic- torfal. Earle—Cunningham and Bennett. The Earle Theater announces for this week’s headline attraction Cun- ningham and Bennett, song writers and musical comedy favorites, in “Community Sue,” with a company of 15 supporting them. Other acts are “Twists and Twirls” a sextet of dancing marvels; Primrose four, known as A Thousand Pounds of Harmony,” this male quartet but re- cently being one of the features of | a Broadway musical revue; “The Two -Hlwng at | |former burlesque comedian, and Ned| FRANK VILCOX - Belagco De11c1ous Old Comedy NOT since Joseph Jefterson and Mrs. ¢ John Drew the United States with “The Rivals” in 1396 has | that national theater known as road” had the opportunity to witne such a notable performance of Sheri- | dan's immortal comedy as is pre- | sented by the all-star cast now tour- | ing the country and which will ap- pear in Washington this week. Mrs. Malaprop, rigid with decorum, is played by Mrs. Fiske. The trucu- lent Sir Lucius O'Trigger is person- ated by Chauncey Olcott. Bluff and choleric Sir Anthony Absolute, ga ing with imperious condescension upon the galaxy of the pump room of Bath, is plaved by Thomas A Wise, who returns to the sphere of old comedy, in which he started his career. Bob Acres, the pusilanimous, with his absurd finery, will be played by James T. Powers, already noted, for his performance of David. Lydia toured Languish, with her sentimental nov- els, is assigned to Lola Fisher, and the role of Lucy, the maid, to Marie | Carroll, already known in high com- edy. Capt. Absolute will be enacted by Kennth Thomson, a young actor who_has become famous as a leading juvenile. Julia is represented hy Lotus Robb# Faulkland by Fred Eric Fag by Percival Vivian, and David and the Coachman by George Tawde and Walter Woodall, respectively. Of all the more or less comic pla written by English dramatists during | the period of the so-called old come- | “the | - es, only three, “The Rivals.” now re vived in commemoration of the 130th nlversary its original produc- tion; “The School for Scandal” and She Stoops to Conquer,” possessed the vitality to survive favorites along wit plays. And these three work of two exceptional dramatists— Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Olf Goldsmith Ever since its first production * Rivals” has commanded the laug! and the affection of each succeeding generation of playgoers and the services of the most celebrated actors of their day. In this country it was a constant favorite in the repertory of Augustin Daly's stock company, which held the stage during the pe- {od of the greatest distinction of the American theater. Jefferson started giving it regularly in 1881, with Mrs. Drew s Mrs. Mala- prop and Maurice Arrvmore as Capt Absolute. And later, after William Florence joined the company, Jeffe son continued to produce it until 1892 In 1896 Jefferson took the campany on a month's tour of the countrs plaving one-night stands. Jefferson played Bob Acres. Mrs. Drew was seen as Mrs. Malaprop. William H. Crane as Sir Anthony Absolute, Robert Ta ber as Capt. Absolute, Joseph Hol- land as Faulkland, Nat Goodwin as Sir Luciue O igger, E. M. Holland as Fag, Francis Wilson as David, Julia Marlowe as Lydia Languish and anny Ric Lucy —_— “Clothes” Norton, called the male fashion plate of vaudeville; for the kiddles the trained ponjes, dogs and monkeys of the De Dio Circus, and Jack Sydney, a minstrel, in a Story and song offering. The photoplay will be “A Fool and His Money,” taken from the George Barr McCutcheon story. Madge Bel- lamy and William Haines are the featured players. This will be the first showing of this film in Wash- Ington. Strand—Mann's “Band Box Revue." Harmony, dance and ncopation will vie with comedy in the headline attraction at the Strand Theater this week, beginning today, the dance and | syncopation being supplied by Gell Mann's peppy and gorgeously staged “Band Box Revue” featuring Ruiz | and Bunnle, talented dancers, Senor Ruiz and his partner, Mis Bunnie, are said to enjoy the distinc- tion of belng among the first to pre- #ent in vaudeville the real Spanikh| tango, and in conjunction with their appearance the Strand will stage amateur iango dancing contest Tuesday, Wednesday -and -Thursday, _ nights, the first two nights being given to elimination contests, and Thursday night to the final contest The audience will act as Handsome silver and will be awarded comedy will be furnished hy hton and #Mdie Lynn, in Conn’s sid itting skit Follies of Street,” and and Gladys Randolph, in b-cracker, entitled “Groom- fug the Groom.” Others will be Carol Racine and Dorothy Ray, in “Life's Little Jokes," and Boyd and Wallin, in a “Novelly Wire and Iron Jaw Sensation.” “Three Keys," the photoplay, is a thrilling mystery melodrama based on Frederick V. R. Dey's story. The cast, headed by Edith Roberts, Jack Mulhall and Virginia Lee Corbin, in- cludes Gaston Glass, Stuart Holmes, Charles Clary, Miss du Pont and Jo- seph W. Girard, A funny comady, “Nobody Works But Father.” and an interesting news reel will complete the bill Gayety—"Fast Steppers.” The ayety this week at the attraction Th Steppers,” {Continued. on Secgud Fagear