Evening Star Newspaper, May 3, 1925, Page 61

v The Sunday Star [ rvomosite: | WASHINGTON, D. C, ord RUTH— NUGENT e WNational ./ ot \ e Old Plays in New Forms. By Philander Johnson. not remarkable that the speaking drama should yield in seri- tus interest to the motion picture play, especially at this season, when the playhouse begins to lag in inter- est as outdoor sports assert their ever-conquering charms. In a short time the National Theater promises nearly to monopolize the field. In combing every bookshelf and every garret for material the films now and then unearth some half-forgot- ten classic and proceed to demon- strate that its worth is as great to- day as when it originally created a gensation. The manner of present- ing it will go far beyond anything arcamed of as the resources of the éamera replace the laborious canvas and paint of the traditional theater. As a rule, too, film dramas are cast with greater proficiency than in the days when a Monte Cristo or a d’Artagnan or any stellar role, ii well played, was often expected to carry along ‘a rather inferior supporting company. %% ko With the films, whose resources for magnitude of perspective and de- tail of incident are unlimited, the sit- uation is precisely reversed and a star, however conspicuously exploit- ed, is no longer burdened with the sole responsibility of holding the in- terest of the spectator. The picture entertainment is a study in ensemble rather than a vehicle for individual art, and, while a proficient plaver is a delight. the work in which he appears if intrinsically meritorious is not rejected, even sthough he does not happen to be en- tirely at his best. * K ok ¥ revival of “Madame Sans is another evidence that the Th Gene films have a literary and artistic rea- | son of being. It was first played in this country by Katherine Kidder, who, in the face of all advice, cast hercelf for the role after the play had been a success in Paris. Find- ing no capitalist willing to speculate on a combination of Kidder and Sar- dou, she bought the play herseli and brought it to this city for its first American presentation. * ok ¥k 3k The unexpected happened when the self-promotion of Katherine Kidder into the topmost aristocracy of the theater was as rapid and sur- prising as the rise of the “Duchess of Dantzig” herself. The play was a sensation and her portraiture of the dashing blanchisseuse was one of the memorable contributions to the American theater. “Sans Gene” needed a Kidder and a Kidder needed “Sans Gene,” for the play repre- sented in her career a triumph out- standing and almost alone. It some- times happens that an actor is so thoroughly at home in a single role that he never again seems quite so well provided for. Such was the case with Robert Lorraine, whom the public wanted always in “Man or Superman.” * ¥ k¥ fiim | ner equally barefaced and critically | unconvincing, but infinitely more overwhelming to popular attention! | * % ¥ 3 v, “Queen Mab,” did not function with precision as current entertain- T stagehand remarked, it’s another of this season’s s of shows that put the “shoo!” in Shubert-Belasco. It has a fascinat- ing story on a theme whose familiar charm is most reliable, the story of the little girl reared among self heiress to a throne in one of the revolution-ridden little kingdoms of Central Europe. does not leave as much to sugges- tion as it might easi sentence which disturbs more than it assists the situation in producing the play consults the tastes of those who prefer an arti tic consistency to a happy ending. But the happy ending has come to | be a part of every story of the new- 1y discovered princess. An affection- ate public will not readily dispense with it any more than it would con- sent to rewrite the denouement of Cinderella or Jack and the Bean- stalk. The cast is not of uniform merit and there will probably be re- placements. One of the touches of pathos in the playhouse which the difficult to say why the new | ing | in | English-speaking folk who finds her- | The performance | easily do and brings | down the curtains with the spoken | Mr. Morosco | public never seces is the actor in the | auditorium, notebook in hand, study- | ing a role with a view to succeeding the present interpreter, who, how- ever conscientious and talented, is not proving quite up to the special requirements. Players Man. T isn't often that a repertory com pany ashington offers a new | | play each week with a resident cast, | headed by a Broadway leading man. For the opening here of the Na- tional Theater Players in “The Nerv-| ous Wreck,” at the National Theater, May 18, Minor Watson will essay the leading male role, the one played by Otto Kruger in the original company. And it will be his duty to serve in a like capacity for the ensuing series of Broadway play hits to be offered to| Washingtonians during the early Sum- mer months. Minor Watson has a big-town repu. tation, and is already famous. Thi son he has appeared on Broadway three times in thres totally different Though they were found want- d were withdrawn after rather short runs, Mr. Watson received slowing personal notices for distinct contributions to each in a purely his- trionic way. “The Magnolia Lady”’—made into a | musical affuir from “Come Out of the Kitchen"—suffered from so many de- fects that even the charming person- | ality of Ruth Chatterton failed (o act as a saving grace. “Mismates” failed | because of treatment of theme. And| | “Two Married Men” was withdrawn | by a manager. who became irked with the play before its merits or demerits | were definitely establiished. But in all | three Minor Watson had the honor of | having his work commended by critics Leading National | “and T not only have alwa SUNDAY MORNING, MAY 3 1925, CHATTERTON %’ and RALPH FORBES 3elasco CORNELIUS RODDY President Frances Starr. DA\' ID BELASCO has loaned Frances Starr vaudeville while he new production in her. Miss Starr's most recent success was in “Shore Leave,’ a seagoing comedy of last season, and “Rose of the Rancho,” “The iest Way, “The Secret,” “Marie Odile,” “Tiger Tiger” and “One” are unforgéttable in her career light. entertaining by Miss Jean supplies her vaudeville ve is proving most success temporarily to searches for a which to sketch hicle, and Starr says she finds v: ating mentally, artistic udeville lly and e a road tour,’ e declar vs enjoye: I believe that ould have the but every legitimate actress s at least one tour a_season. “1 realize that the majority of ac- tresses look upon a road tryout as they might upon a workhouse sen- tence. Paradise for theatrical people lies in the vicinity street and Broadway, New York, N. Y. But I find that on the road one has a chance to become acquainted with life from new angles. A tour accept- ed philosophically will give an actress a much wider perspective, such as couldn’t be acquired in half a dozen rears of metropolitan experience.” Played Topsy and Juliet. OBERT WOOLSEY, “The Dream Girl,” has had the unique experience of playing Topsy in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” as well as Ju- liet, in “Romeo and Juliet.” The lat- ter was during a tour of Australia witih 2 stock company. ““Romeo and Jullet” was billed for the opening night of the engagement.i“\\'omm\ and Ladies,” but at the last minute the leading lad wa. as the only ompany who was “up” in Julfet's lines. He also had the advantage of diminutive figure. He got away with it alive, which, after all. was something. feature | Archibald. | of Forty-second [ comedian of | | Shubert-Belasco ' Theater this week, | Dot OATMAN Larle Current Attractions At the Theaters This Week BELASCO—Ruth Chatterton, Opens tomorrow evening. NATIONAL—“The Family Upstairs,” evening. POLI'S—Hassard Short’s Revue. Opens this evening. PRESIDENT—“White Cargo,” drama. Performance this evening. KEITH'S—Frances Starr, vaudeville. Opens this afternoon. EARLE—Ann Suter-Bobby Heath, vaudeville. Opens this aiternoon. STRAND—First all-star bill, vaudeville. Opens this afternoon. GAYETY—"Go to It,” burlesque. Opens this afternoos. MUTUAL—“The Merrymakers,” burlesque. Opens this afternoon. in “Women and Ladies,” comedy. comedy. Opens tomorrow BELASCO—Ruth Chatterton. Ruth Chatterton will appear at the | fering from the rigors of enforced pianoforte instruction and other hard- ships that budding femininity must endure, where parents are desirous tomorrow evening, in taken violently ill, and Woolsey | 5 ‘other member of the |€dy by Louis Verneuil. | Heading the cast beginning that their daughters take a shining place in society. The author of the play is said to have lived close up to the people and the zones he depicts. The cast will include Ruth Nugent, called for her performances in Kempy'; Walter Wilson, Theodore an adaptation by Cosmo Hamilton of a French com- is Ralph Forbes, | one of England’s most popular young | leading men, whose first appearance | (SCRIPY 5 T BT Lo UG T Harold in America was in the Imported war | ¥ n. Lil . . d sl et Elliott, Enid Gray, Jerry Devine, Her- lay, “Havoc,” which was presented |\ o Shone and Clair Weldon. | praise by I ALICE. GUILMETTE Mutual Winters and_Grace Robinson, with & gay chorus of girls and boys. Those who contributed songs, lyrics and sketches are Martin Broones, Frank Tours, W. Franke Harlinz, Jay Gorney, Kenneth Webb, Roy Webb, Werner Janssen, H. M. Tennent, Norma Mitchell, Ralph Bunker, Anne Caldwell and Harold Atteridge. There are several spectacular scenes, such as “The Sun Girl,” “The Crystal vedding,” “‘Monsieur Beaucaire” and ‘The Red Ladies.”” There are two ballets, “Springtime” and A Midsum- mer Night's Dream.” Augustus Bar- ratt, composer of several musical comedies, leads the orchestra. PRESIDENT—"White Carg Commencing tonight at the Presi- dent Theater, “White Cargo” will enter the last week of its rum in ‘Washington. Capacity audiénces have been the rule at all perform- ances, it is announced, and the play could run on indefinitely if a further extension of time could be arranged. Bookinz contracts, however, are such that “White Cargo” must close its engagement in this city next Saturday night. The players of the “White Cargo” company all have been accorded critic: work, especlally Cornelius Roddy the part of Witzel. The last week of “White Cargo promises to be a gala week. Monday night many members of the League in for their excellent | P CHARLOTTE GREENVOOD Polis In the Spotlight S*THE H performance week MILY UPSTAIRS.” by had its first public Atlantic City will stz The new musical play duced by Charles K. James Gl Brown Derby, which is to be pr Gordon 0. P. Heggie and Be to appear in the Players’ Club revival of “Trelawny of the Wells." Gus Edwards, the well ducer and actor, has placed hearsal a new revue called *F West. Side."” in_re st Side, Stanley Ridges will play the |ing role in “The Bride Retir | which Lila Lee soon will be seen. | play previously h: been known | “The Charming Bride.” | Lester cast of | several | season in a Earl Carroll. Frank Conroy, Walter Kingsford and Violet Kemble Cooper have joined ast of “Love for Love" in New taking over the parts of David Walter Abel and Adrienne Allen, who has been in the orge White’s “Seandals” for ons, will be starred next new musical comedy by ¢ Proper Lady,” by David s been accepted r produc Crosby Gaige and will be given trial presentation by Robert Mc Laughlin's stock company in Cleve- lgnd this Summer. Ruth Gordon will play the leading role. Helen Gahagan will play ing role in *“The Straight by Winchell Smith and bott, which will brief tryout by month. the lead: Shoote; Geerge John Golden next Sophie Treadwell is to produce her | play of the life of Edgar Allan Poe, entitled “Poe,” next Fall, according to |announcement in New York last week H. B: Warner closed his season in ‘Silence” last night in Ne 5 is to tour the country in this play next season. Lester Lonergan, well known actor- stage manager, is to direct the produc- tion of “Trouble Island” for Kilbourn Gordon. Philip Barrison of the cast of “Pigs is writing a musical version of thi comedy. It is to be presented at a 300th performance in New York. ALT"OUGH the Prince of Wales is thousands of miles aw Washington is promised in the near future an His Royal Highness might look like if he were really seen on the streets of Washington. Tt won't really many be the Prince of Wales, but a voung man who so closely resembles him in stature, | mannerisms and facial expression that he has many times been mistaken for England’'s heir, even in the heart of London. last | T known pro- | * | Rice, be produced for a | He | private performance after the play's | intimate glimpse of what | Riskin The Mud rted last A new firm of Erothers have acquired nd rehea in New York lar is to play th Guthrie McClintic | piece will | May 18 | Monday will open at Atlantic “Tea Dan revue to b e title of a new firn nte sponsored by a new of produc Sacha Beaumont will | have the chief feminine part. Earle Fox will stage the dance numbers. Vincer | music fred E country this -d present in fation with Edv the London manager. | play, which has been running in Lon: don for two vears, will be seen here | about the fir in d. arl Reed has approached by representatives of London managers for the rights to the love drama, “Alo of the South S However, Mr. d has rejected all offers and de- ares if the piece is ever presented in ingland he will do it himself. | It has just been announced that Fannie Brice, the well known come | dienne, is going in for production and | may leave the stage. She has been | taken into the Charles K. Gordon firm, which hereafter will be known Productio: slice of * The Brown brought out. Brice owns a and the new play Derby,” soon Mordecai Gorelik has been comn | sioned to provide the scenery and « | tumes for “The Subway,” by Eln which will be produced next | ¥all by Miss Irma Kraft's new inter national Theater, New York Miss raft now lookin or a director for | this pla Bobby Heath has been the comedian of nearly every form of revue, those | that require an entire evening to un fold and those of the thumb-nail | viety, ich are as popu in vaude | ville. The bby Heath Revue at the | Earle this next week requires but minutes to unfold. | A portrait of Ernest Truex as John- | nv Quinlan, the character he plays in “The Fall Guy,” is being painted b: Jacques Lavalle, the noted French artist. Mr. Lavalle is preparing = series of paintings of representative actors of various countries in char | acteristically national parts, and has chosen Mr. Truex in his present role cause both actor and part are typi Ruth’s *Prince of Wales.™ play | the | Lady.” | starred. Mr. the part of the Englishman in usical comedy “The Magnolia in which Miss Chatterton wag 'orbes and Miss Chatterton he. ie acquainted during rehear and then began the romance. which | ended in their marriage several weeks |later. When, “ater in the season, Miss “hatterton revived “The Little Min tel Mr. Forbes, of course | selected for her leading man, and now |he is again her leading man in | “Women and Ladies,”” a Cosmo Hamilton adaptation of Louis Ver was IS Topsy fell to his talents during a|h New Tock last season. After that i tour of the small towns of New Eng- |z N;-"”‘,:,S e oM support of | The play has been staged by Sam land with a repertory show, and he | Aias Chatierion In “The Magnolia | Forrest. managed to play it a long time with-| Lady” and in_her recent revival of out having the audiences discover his | “rns Tittle Ministers In “Women PEx and Ladies” Mr. Forbes again has the of American Pen Women will be pres ent to honor the writer of the play Miss Ida Vera Simonton, who is now in the city attending their convention. The seat scale for the last week has been materially reduced, the evening A comparison of her performance with that of Rejane did not dim the % Iustrous fame of the plucky Ameri-| sside from this, Mr. Watson has can actress. Rejane was robust and | spent a number of vears in success. vital, while Kidder was ardent and | ful runs in Philadelphia, Chicago, neuil's famous French comedy. When the Prince of W iting on Long Island 1 Fall. Mr Forbes, then playing in ew York, it is declared. was frequently mistaken The young man's name is Ralph Forbes, leading man, and, incidentally, | the husband of Ruth Chatterton. Mr. Forbes has been in America less than a year. He came over here last Fall who could denote little to praise in les was the plays themselves. POLI’'S—Hassard Short's Revue. | Hassard Shor ‘Ritz Revue,” which ethereal, conveying always amid the gaucheries of the role an impression of delicate refinement calculated to win the devotion of a hero like Le Febvre. i One of the interesting features of the visit to the Theater Rejane, where the star whose name it bore was playing “Sans Gene,” was a typical old-time Paris claque, which, noisy and unabashed, occupied con- gpicuious positions in two groups of ten or a dozen at either end of the top gallery. part of the company, thoroughly re hearsed, takimg their cues for dem- onstration or retirement with the precision of trained supernumeraries er directions evidently written o the prompt book just as our old-fashioned political orators used to parenthesize “laughter” and “ap- plause” in their original manuscripts. Nobody objected to the system, which tended to prevent the harrassment which might arise from any unsophisticated applause in ‘the Wrong place. How simple were their arts of publicity as compared with our own today. utilizing forests of print pulp and vats of ink in a man- They were in reality a | em- | Boston and San Francisco. Candida™ Coming. }T}ll'} Actors’ Theater will bring its !' % successful production of Bernard | Shaw's “Candida” to the Shubert-Be- lasco Theater for one week beginning 1S, after 162 performances in | New York. The cast includes Peggy | Wood, Pedro de Cordoba, Richard Bird, Elizabeth Patterson, Ernest Cos- |sart’ ‘and Gerald Hamer. Dudley Digges staged it and the setting is by | Woodman Thompson. ‘Candida” was originally produced |in New York in 1903 by Arnold Daly | who plaved the role of Marchbanks Others in the cast at that time in- | cluded Dorothy Donnelly (Candida), | Louise Closser Hale (Prossy) and Dod- | son Mitchell (Rev. Morell). At that |time the play reached 150 perform- { ances. With the conclusion of the engage- | ment of the present Actors' Theate: | production in New York, *Candida i nal record. but it has estabisihed new | house receipts records at two leading theater: The Shaw comedy will be the sec ond Actors’ Theater production to be seen in Washington, the first being | “Expressing Willie.” not only will have broken this origi-| cipal scenes. Ann Suter. ANNX SUTER s coming home for a week, and while here will enter- tain the patrons of the new Earle. Miss Suter, who is the daughter of a prominent Washington physician, can sing much better than most sing- ing soubrettes, but her singing is but the smallest part of her success. It is her knowledge of showmanship that has put her where she is today. Miss Suter calls_herself the “Girl with the Southern Personality.” She has enough pep and ginger, wivacity and animation 'to supply Virginia and several other States besides. Carro]l.s Next. ARL CARROLL'S first production for the new season will be an in- timate revue called “Who Cares?” It istscheduled to open in New York in June for 2 Summer run. Bernard Loh- muller, art director for Mr. Carroll, has completed the designs for the prin- Max Welde, the French tumer. has designed the wardrobe. imnouncement to the authors, or the names of the principal players, has heen made as | leading male role, that of Le Duc de Clichy, whose Summer villa at Nice is the scene of the action of the play. Aurfol Lee, a popular American leading woman, is the only feminine member beside Miss Chatterton in the cast. She was last seen in Wash- ington in “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Others in the company are Frederick Perry, Robert Rendel, Ernest Stallard and Willlam Leith. “Women and Ladies” is in three acts. Its central figures are Le Duc de Clichy and Michelle, a little peasant girl who works in the duc's garden, played by Miss Chatterton. NATIONAL—“The Family Upstairs.” | Sam H. Harris will present another appears at Poli's Theater this week, will open tonight. It is the first in- dependent. production to be made by Short, who staged the first three “Mu- sic Box Revues.” In introducing his newest of revues to the public. Short shows a scene in a boudoir, with a huge bed, whose oc- cupants are all the popular revues. One by one these appear to bow be. fore the public, and one by one they are sent back to bed, leaving only Miss Ritzie in_possession of the stage. Charlotte - Greenwood s featured, Letty of other days, Miss Greenwood is well remembered in this city. In her present role she has many songs and sketches. Of the latter “Her g Ao Morning Bath,”” in which as a movie |of his new manuscripts in “The|actress she tries to make the neces- | Family Upstairs,” by Harry Delf, at |sary preparations for a perfect day. | 8w om. | 1 outstanding. the National Theater this week, com- |8 outstanding, =~ =~ oL o mencing tomorrow evening. Oh. Boy." and. ~Honeydew": Jimmy The family that gives the piece it8|sayvg, wistful clown of expressive eves being is described as the Hellers. an {and quaint manner: Jay Brennan and upper “Manhaitan flat life groun. The | Stanley — Rogers. ~accompanied by |play is.a comedy of character, ac-|\arge, famous as the great absentee | cording to announcements, with the |from (he stage: William Ladd, young | paternal Heller, a type common 1o |juvenile; Jackie Hurlburt. a new | his section; the mother, a comically | dancer: Dorothy Brown, prima don hard-pressed matron desirious for the |of last vear's “Music Dox Revue” happiness of her three offsprins—twa | Flovd Jones. the Cherokee Indian | grown, a youth who won't work and |tenor: Jane Overton, Elmer Brown, a daughter who Zoes to business, the | Sunshine Jarmann, Joan Franza, third being an adolescent miss suf- Ethel Allis, Helene Gardner, Janet performances to range from 50 cents to $1.50. At the matinee’ Thursday all' seats will be 50 cents, and at the Saturdey matinee 50 and 75 cents. This is the first time that “White Cargo” has ever been played at these prices. KEITH'S—Frances Starr. Miss Frances Starr, the distin- guished Belasco star, will make her vaudeville debut at B. F. Kelth's The- ater this week in a one-act ,play “Colette,” written by Jean Archi- bald and staged and directed by Mr. Belasco. This playlet. which was first presented at the Palace Theater, New York, is sald to provide Miss Starr three roles, thereby offering a wide display of her histrionic ability. Marjorie Gateson, of musical com- edy fame, will be heard for the first time in a serfes of the best of her old and new_numbers, assisted at the piano by Robért Faricy. Others will be “Ledova,” with Dan- ny Dare and Rudolph Malinoff, in a dancing revue, including the Ware sisters, presented by George Choos: Flanagan and Edwards, who played the original “Hallroom Boys" in th movies. and will now appear in_thel lansh producer. “Off and On™: Bobb: Randall, monologist, who heralds himself as “a better man than Gunga Din"; the Pasquall brothers, three to play the leading role in the im ported war play ‘‘Havoe,” which ran an entire season at the Haymarket Theater in London. When “Havoc™ closed, Mr. Forbes was engaged to unusual athletes, in spectacular and difficult hand balancing, somersauit- ing and other forms of ground ard lofty tumbling; Kurtz and Cully, better known as “Salt and Pepper. who were “discovered” by Kar Norman in a Midwestern cabare and the Billy Lamont Trio, “live wi steppers of 1925, with Aesop's Fa- bles, Topics of the Day and the Pathe News Pictorial. EARLE—Ann Suter-Bobby Heath. Ann Suter, a Washington, heads the Earle Theater program this week. She styles her- self as “The Girl With the Southern Personality,” and will be heard in new songs, which she sings “in her own eccentric wi i< | Sharing headline honors is Bobby Heath in his revue, styled “Hits and Bits of Vaudeville _ Other offerings include Joe Rome }nnd Lou Gaut, in “When Extremes | Meet": Bob Cook and Dot Os in “Delineations From Songland James Coughlin and company, in vaudevillian from | for His Highness and once, as he was leaving the Ritz Hotel after luncheon he had to be rescued by the police from the crowd which surrounded | him. | Maddoc he Rest Cure” and the | Casting Campbells | Al Christie’s “Stop Flirting, Wanda Hawley featured, is | be a delightful comedy Dhotoplay The added features, which hav grown to be part of the Earle pro gram, include Floyde Wheeler's Or chestia, which wiil be heard in fwo umbers; Arthur Flagel offerinx “Flagellisms” at the organ, the news | reel and a short comedy. i S STRAND—First “All-Star Bill." The Strand Theater announces that beginning today the first all-star bill of the season will be presented this week. Forrest with o Chilton will present his musical skit of domestic lottery, e titled “Ideals,” as one of the majol {features. Warren Warren, Frank Du Frane, Dorothy Byrne and Elsie Chil ton appear in the cast. Ward nd Bohlman, the ~“chaps with the wa ‘After the Banquet,” will e 'a_prominent part in the festivi- (Continued on Second Page.) { described aristocratic