Evening Star Newspaper, October 4, 1925, Page 65

- E Theaters k Part 3—16 Pages The Sundlay Star WASHINGTON, D. C., SUNDAY Theater Sene ;g‘om Is _2'/_\'{«5) ‘o) belapcc; . The Nation BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The “regular theatrical season” emerges slowly from a heterogene- ons mass of ill-constructed and un- substantial materal. A play is little more than a white chip in a game of chance, and the | Auwerican theater apparently regards tlre continent as having been con- | veniently mapped out to serve as | some sort of device rurrhpondiugi to a roulette table. * * Kk | Its policy toward this great Na-| tional Capital has been ruthless. | First productions no longer imp a compliment to the taste of the community in which they are held. Except in a few cases in which | openings have been heroically post- poned in order to insure perfection, first productions are largely in the nature of rehearsals with the benc- | fit of audiences whose response can he noted in connection with efforts to rebuild and improve. Tt is an ad- vantage to the performance, but the audience receives no compensation whatever for patient service as an | indicator of psychological reaction. The continuous display of poor | craftsmanship works hardship to the theater and to its patrons, for the lack of confidence in a new ven- ture can no longer be overcome, even by the most earnest and si cere representations in advance that at last we are to have the exception to an almost unbroken rule of in- | sufficiency. P It has become a melancholy maxim «hat Washington will not patronize a good play when it opens here, but | will crowd the theater aiter it has had the distinction of a run in New York or on the road. The mental attitude is justified by hard experi- ence. A tryout is an insincere, pure- Iy experimental enterprise, with a few persistent theatergoers kindly contributing, more or less, toward the defrayal of preliminary expense. New York is perfectly justified in treating first productions on any stage with silent scorn and proceed- ing with the assumption that noth- ing whatever happened prior to lift- ing the curtain on Broadway. * ok % % To take the matter seriously (which is ons way of killing a little time). there is no city in the world evhose -theatrical expression should he more carefully considered than thi= center of intcrnational interest now attracting men and women of ! the greatest distinction and the| hroadest experience. The theater is! a reflection of the education and !} the ideals of the people who support it. or at least it is traditionally so{ regarded. g In a commercial theater it may be possible to employ salesmanship to swerve public opinion. When cale<manship is gravely -mentioned as a legitimate factor in political Choice it cannot be blamed too se- verely for appearing in theatrical-af- fairs. y In seeking to impress America, European nations have taken pains to send over the best their theaters afford and to produce things worthy to be sent. The American theater, however, reveals itself to Europe as the nations now assemble by repre- <entation in this city from circles of finance, diplomacy, science and in- dustry, not as an institution designed to interpret the spirit of its time | and people, but purely as the cxpres- sion of a closely organized industry which does not hesitate to reveal itself to fastidious eyes intellectually slipshod and morally ill-groomed. P “Mission Mary” is an example of ill-considered endeavor to go a step further in humane forbearance than philanthropists have already done in { The { which here suggests itseli is that of | congregation and finally dis ! which alwa; ‘s Capital ané 7It's Theaters £ measuring crime responsibilit stage becomes the outspoke cate of the underworld, and Mary” is supposed to stand side by e “with her sweetheart as worthy examples, because, rather th: the mission closed for lack of funds. they return to the old ways of life where money could always he got ~. \P T ) Vivieme Steal somchow, if necessary, at the point | of a pistol. The effort to apply logic to sentiment is blunderingly made. The white-haired gentleman who | conducts the mission is made to sui- | fer at the hands of authorship, as | has many a stage clergyman before him. When Hall Cain wrote “The Christian” he created a furore by a portraiture which would now be re- garded as conservative. The head of the mission reveals no lapse of personal propriety, but he is made by his extravagant credulity concern- ing the manners and customs of a group of habitual crooks to appear a trifle silly. TR 1t is the privilege and probably the custom of most auditors to com- pose a more or less clearly defined epilogue. There is always more story after the fall of the curtain. epilogue in “Mission Mary’ a kindly white-haired gentleman who inds himseli utterly unable to cope with the oblique urges of his sinful overs to his horror that while he thinks he is | running a mission he is in reality | conducting a |c fence” for the safe ex- ange of stolen property. The epi- logue could he made even more har- rowing by letting the police take a hand by conducting the mission % | leader to a place of safety, where he would be no longer in danger of fall- ing a victim to his own sweet un- worldliness. * ¥ X ¥ » It is a pity to find a cynical atti- tude so generally in evidence toward the theater. The attitude of the theater itself is uncompromisingly ! cynical in assuming that the public | not merely demands the coarse and ungainly, but thoroughly admires it. A much more hopeful theory is sup- ported, by the lavish patronage vs awaits the competent production of a meritorious work. Tt is possible to like a play which does not measure up to the stand- ards of proper proportion, just as it is possible to fall_in love with a strabismic lady. The cause of the strabismus. * %k ok % The presentation of “Puppy Love” was not a congenial dogtown experi- ence. The play has its irolicsome moments and may endear itself sui- ficiently to avert the though humane, ull\'nn(n\\‘“nf the Animal Rescue League. The an- nouncement of Ann Nichols as the producer gives rise to a heartielt wish that hereafter she would write her own plays. “Abie’s Irish Rose’ is still making large sums of money, and some of the, producers who have been putting together one after an- other plays whose invariable tag is a¢ two-week notice to the actors. have the sublime assurance to make it! fun af il iy In order to see a tendency gowar‘d conservatism in feminine attire at- tractively manifest it is necessary to o to the stage, Irene Bordon Tost chic Parisienne of them all, was outdone by every flapper in the audience on terms of brevity of ma- terial, and yet she remains an ac- cepted model. a personally conducted style show. So ostentatious is her charm of apparel that the spectator is in danger of overlooking the ex- cellent performance that she gives in the play bearing, for no_visible reason, the title “Naughty Cinder- » attachment. | | however, is in spite of and not bes melancholy. ! . MAE BROWN Gayety Setting a Good Example. interesting to learn from Doug- anks that the outstanding s whole career before the camera is to war on the weakness of modern eivilization that ven rise to the so-called “cake-eater” and the male “flapp ¢ “1 don't suppose there America.” said Mr. Fairbanks, re cently, “who feels sadder at the spec- tacle of the type of young men that our twentieth century civilization seems to he breeding. In some curious way, I cannot help believing that much of the wave of juvenile crime in America since the war has its incep- ton in fmproperly developed bodies, particu Iy among ¢ity hoys. When i by WS Lo young man- | hood having ignored the development of his body and realizes that he is an | inherent weakling, there is an in- evitable tendency to offset his physical wealkness by a display of viciousness T d 't know whether anything I've ever done has helped this s |tion, but I've tried hard enough. time I face some particular difficult “stunt” in screen work, 1 find myself | more willing to tackle it after I hav | remembered that by doing it. I may possibly” inspire some youngster to g0 |out and do likewise, and thus develop the strength and vigor he should have.” < a man in clla.” 1In plot and incident the play has the vivacity of a French farce {of the kind which shows incxhaus- { tible ingenuity in playing upon the | theme of domestic deception. Hilari- { ous in its episodes and well equipped with drolleries in character delinea- | | tion. the play gives evidence of hav- ling been flattened somewhere in its story. It conveys no plausible ex- planation of the extraordinary ily party which includes, wi protest, the most promiscuous char- acters. Tt is hard to assume a jeal- ous shock or an affront to \cnse of | propricty among these people, who | all know precisely what -is going on all know that they all know it. hypocrisy becomes a feeble v device under of such glaring frankness. logue is not in harmony with the sparkling absurdities of incident. some of the speeches forsaking even The dia and relapsing very nearly into the raw vernacular. The show is saved by Irene Bordoni and wardrobe. x ok K K There has been a large amount oi guessing as to who will have the dis- tinction of really opening this the- atrical season. The National Theater declares with great confidence that the honor will go to Fred Stone, { who. in addition to being a laugh | maker, is a philanthropist. He 1 brings sunshine ‘info ‘weary hearts | by providing diversion which offers not the slightest temptation to philosophic profundities or the sub- {tleties of artistic discrimination. | Stone is one of the optimistic per- to please the people it is not abso- futely "necessary “to treat ’‘em rough.” circum®tances | the assumption oi double entendre | formers who still insist that in order Polis - Mutual Tarle NATIONAL— POLI'S—“Oh, You!,” revue. STRAND—"Just a Nice Boy, MUTUAL | NATIONAL—"Stepping Stones. | stage, in “Stepping Stones,” which is | said to be the best show he has ever | had, returns for one week's engage- ment at the National Theater tonight. | He comes here under the manage- ment of Charles Dillingham, after {long’ engagements in New York, Bos- ton, Philadelphia and Chicago. The { original ‘New York cast and produc- tion are promised intact. + Another menther of the Stone famy ilv dlso will’ make her appearance here, Dorothy, the 18-yvear-old daugh- iter of the famous funmaker, an ac- complished actress, singer and ncer, and, above all, she is said to have that magnetic- quality ‘of ‘her | father's which reaches across the {footlights and grips the audience. I'red Stone has always. been on the {level with his audiences, giving them ! the best that is in him and giving it lin generous quantity. Dorothy pos- |sesses this same high sense of duty. |~ The critics of the larger cities have | pronounced “Stepping Stones” as of finer quality intripsically than its predecessors. _ Hitherto the Stone shows—since “The Red MIll” at any rate—could " be effectively described as “musical _comedy.” ~ “Stepping Stones” is declared considerably bet- ter and is described as musical ex- travaganza. Anne Caldwell wrote the lyrics and with ‘the assistance of |R. H. Burnside,” the book, while Jerome Kern composed the music. {|" In addition to the Stones—father, | mother and ‘daughter—the company {in¢ludes such features as the Tiller | Sunshine Girls, Tony Sarg’s Marion- ettes, George Hermann, the Globe Theater beauty . ensemble, Oscar Ragland, Roy Hoyer, Primrose Caryll, Marguerite Zender, Johri Lambert, etc. . ¥Fred Stone, long one of the most ' Popular comedians on the American | ter Earl Carroll will present his am. | Current Attractions At thc Theaters This chl{. tepping Stones,” musical comedy. Opens this evening. Opens tomorrow evening. BELASCO—"Is Zat So?,” farce comedy. Opens this evening. KEITH'S—Dr. Rockwell, vaudeville. EARLE—"The Gingham Girl,” vaudeville. vaudeville. GAYETY—"“Seven Eleven,” burlesque. Opens this afternoon. Opens this afternoon. Opens this afternoon. Opens this afternoon. “The Tempters,” burlesque. Opens this afternoon. POLI'S—“Oh You!" Tomorrow night at Poli's Thea- bitious musical production, announced as pretentious as any of the various editions of the Earl Carroll Vanitles. | It is entitled “Oh You!" previousl called “Under Your Hat,” Mr. Car- roll changing the title just before the end of the rehearsal period. “Oh You!" boasts of four stars, two retognized musical. comedy artists in Lester Allen and Vivienne Segal, and two dramatic stars in Wilton Lackave and Wanda Lyon, the latter being selected because of the importance of the story, which is said to be com- plete and consecutive enough to war- rant exploitation without the musical trimmings. -Aiding this quartet are Chester Fredericks, Gertrude lemmon, Ralph Riggs, Katherine Witchie, Wil- liam Foran and Irving Beebe, with 75 singers, dancers and show girls. The locale is Flgrida, and picturesque settings are e: ted to greatly en- hance the enjoyment of the plece. The offering is the work of Paul Porter and Benjamin Hapgood Burt. Milton Suskind, known for his classi- cal composiyons, composed the score. Encouraged by Victor Herbert, Mr. Suskind started some time ago to accumulate popular melodies and “Oh You!” will present the first outpourings gf & devoted newcomer in the popular eld. Mr. Carroll also has utilized the serv- | ices of masters in every department of the production. Willlam Halligan staged the book. David Bennett cre- ated the dances and ensembles and Bernard Lohmuller designed the 12 scenes, The costuming is from a dozen famous establishments of New York. | and there are a number of startling effects in this portion of the offering. A complete orchestra for this engage- ment will ‘be” under the direction of MORNING, OCTOBER 4, 192 OCKWLL\\ A Keiths Y/ DOROTHY BERGERE Strand | 2 | Drapery Becommg’ populan “M Madeline Meredith, the clever vaudeville “are becoming bored with undrape sta girls! The noveity h off." declares Miss Meredith, “and now I find that girls fully clothed are win- ning their share of admiration.” | Apropos of this, Miss Meredith ha | created for herself and her brother v much dressed Quaker which is the hit of her minuet, in which she w quisite” Quaker frock, & aggerated copy of a dre her ancestresses, fashioned of softest ieray crepe satin, with a vegy full skirt, a rather tight hodice, high ik white o and lor es ending in severe white . Upon her head she years ¥ of the old-time Quaker bonnet. The costume is quite the antithesis of the general conception of stage I's frock, but it has aroused of applause whenever she ha worn it. For her Spanish gypsy number and her amusing “flapper dance,” as well as for a graceful ballroom waltz, Miss Meredith wears costumes which have more material than has been the vogue. the waltz is dgcollete, yet flappers generally would consider it modes personified. It is exquisite in its sim plicity. Made of white tulle, full and fresh looking, and enhances her youth and her vivacity. act. a quaint an ex- slightly ex- of one of ——— Mr. Carroll’s general musical director, Donald Voorhees. The presentation here is just prior to the New York | ovening. : | BELASCO—"Ts Zat So?” “Is Zat So?” the comedy hit by James Gleason and Richard Taber, | which has been running during the | past season in New York.and Chicago, is ‘the attraction at the Belasco Th ater this week, opening tonight. . “Is Zat So?" concerns a bumptious prizefighter and his phlegmatic man- { ager, who are.picked up'by a drunken member of Fifth avenue's fashionable set and installed in_the latter's home as butler and Second man. The at- tempts of these two to adjust them- | selves to their palatial surroundi and their efforts to win the hea of two of the feminine members in the household are unfolded in a series of scenes described as hilariously amus- ing and dramatically -powerful. KEITH'S—Dr. Rockwell. Dr. Rockwell, 'monologist supreme,” vill battle the blues twice daily this week, topping the B. F. Keith Thea- ter’s bill of songs and smiles. Dr. Rockwell started in life study- ing medicine, but discovered his sense of humor was more profitable than a bag of pills and instruments, Featured will be the musical reviie presented by George Choos, “‘Dance- land,” with a cast headed by Muriel Kaye and Mildred Burns and includ- ing the Eight Dancing Rockets, with Bebe Barri as captain. The produc- | tion is divided into four episodes, “A Night in Holland.” “An Indian Inter- lude,” “Stepping Hard” and “Weav- ing Laces.” There are bits of com- | edy, musical ensembles and danfing | interludes. Ross—Wyse and Wyser will assist (Continued on Second Page.) [} neer. | worn | number, | n eut- | Her modern evening dress for | Automobiles TRED and DOROTHY &’ TONE Natonal oming’ Attractions NATIONAT— A nd h tertainm » rance of Lowell Sherman Theater next week new play, * Passio colorful romance of the Achimied Abdul short des are of the by mised diverting en- in the ap- at the in - Prinee, Orient writ- . well known and nove nt ix tional his he ten hy writer « stories novels, | whose 1o generally laid in | the vicinity Mediterranea sey’s Magazine. Together these literary personages 1are sald to have concocted something | entirely original as to atmosphere and bizarre in treatment for the edi- fication of theatergoers. “The Passionate Prince” is being produced by Carl Reed, who last sea- |son gave New Yor a study of | equator customs in “Aloma of the South Seas.” but to secure the serv- ices of Sherman as his star Reed has had to inclnde the phrase ement with A, H. Woods’ on his POLI'S—New “Artists and Models™ Revue. revue favorites in the new edition of rtists and Models coming to Poli's next week, include ace Hays, the jazz Hillebrand, the comed - P . the trick golf champion: Ni ma donna: Luc sh dancer De Haven and Dave Seed, Ialph sth, Bob Lbi Prominent tertainers There are numbers, Outstanding feature Living Statues,” the *‘Prome- ade Walk,” the “Midnight Color 1, the 16 “Pillow"” girl the h Fan and the “Follow Your numbe: show ran all last season in New York, and has just completed a Sum- mer run of 14 weeks in Chicago. It is in 2 acts and 34 scenes, with dia logue by Harry Wagstaff Gribble, and music by Sigmund Romberg, Al Good- man and Maurie Rubens. There are 100 people in the compan 2 'he Passionate Prince.” and Robert 1. Davis, editor of Mun- | Daniels’ Williams. ams, the English itor, will headline Keith's Theater next in will he composed @ few of Charles Dick- KEITH'S—Branshy Pranshy Wil character imy the bill at B. I His offe erpreting ens’ peopl EARLE=—"Homer Lind Revue.” The “ITomer Lind 1 heads the 1 0 next week at the Earle. Mr Lind is a former Washingtonian and his latest offering is reported as un- usual in its musical s I Others will include “The Cycle of | Colo the Tom Davis Trio, a sen- tional motor cycle offering direct from the Hippodrome in London, and Permaine and Shelley in “Pulley- is to be Bebe picture, “Wild, Ve | Pulley”. The photo play Paramount ‘Wild Susan. STRAND—Vaudeville. Next week the Strand Theater will ffer its usual variety of vaudeville together with the photoplay at- tion. en version of W set ) am’s play “The Circle 1ty anor Boardman. Mal- colm McGrezor and Alee R. Francis GAYETY—"Talk of the Town." Many faces new to Columbia hur- lesque will ® seen in Ha M. Strouse’s “Talk of the Town." next week’s attraction at the Gayely Theater. Heading the list is Charles (Slim) Thnblin, featured comedian, whose eccenric comedy has heretofore enlivened the musical comedy | field. He is assisted by Miss Val Russell, another Vernon, prima donna: Brown, character Fraze Charleston | Lee, soubrette: Alvia singer, and Lou De Vine, German | comedian, with the *“Talk of the | Town" Quartet, a special musical fex | ture. Angelus blues “The Speedy Steppers’ | will be seen at the Mutual Theate | ' The company includes Mike Sacks | character comedian, who heads the | cast, and others are Lee Hickman, | Viola Spaeth, Harry A. Watson, Jean | Fox. May Thayer, Jimmie Walters land a fast-moving chorus. “Lady, Be Good." COBH!\'G to the National, October 25, “Lady, Be Good,” the big musical comedy which has run for nearly a vear at the Liberty Theater, New York. is announced as one of the real events of the new season. “‘Lady, Be Good"’ will be presented at the National exactly as presented at the Liberty Theater, with the entire scenic and 1 other equipment. The |cast, which will be unchanged, in cludes Fred and Adele aire and Walter Catlett, three of e highest salaried artists on the musical comedy stage. Cadman to Write Score. CUARLES ~ WAKEFIELD CAD- MAN, one of America’s foremost | composers, has been engaged by Jesse L. Lasky to write the score to be used In connection with the showing “The Vanishing American,” Zane Grey's epic of the American Indian, {the fllming of which has just been jcompleted by Paramount. | “‘The Vanishing American’ is si- lent, stirring music,” Mr. Cadman said. “I am thankful that I have been in- trusted with the honor of the respon- sibility of providing a score of the beauty the picture deserves.” Mr. Cadman will compose a theme song, Little Wild Rose,” dedicated to Lois Wilson, who, as-the heroine of the screen story, is known by that name {to the Indian hero portrayed by Rich- {ard Dix. Charles Wakefield Cadman’s Indian compositions are famous. They in- clude “From Wigwam and Teepee,” |“Birds of Flame,” |Indian Songs,” a trio in D Major for violin, cello and plano, “The Robin ‘Woman,” the first American opera to live beyond one season at the Metro- politan Opera House, and others. of | “Four American | | New Music Box Revue. HE “Music Box Revue,” one of the | biggest successes of the past sea- | son in New York, comes here direct | to the National Theater the week be- ginning Sunday, October 1%, with a host of pretty girls, funny comedians, tinkling Iyrics, gorgeous costumes and | 'a wealth of scenic splendor. 1 There are two acts and 28 scenes, prominent among which are “The Catskills” “In Tokio,” “New York Harbor,” “The -Garden of Eden,” “The arden Club,” “In the Shade of a : Tree,” “Police Headquar- 'he Call of the South,”* Broad- Old New York.” “At th Batte “Alice in alace. Among the hig cast of principals are Fannie Brice, Clark_and McCul- ! lough, Grace Moore, Oscar Shaw, Brox ' Sisters, Runaway Four, May Corey Kitchen, Joseph Macauley Wynn Bullock, Frank Allworth, Ru and Jack Pearson, Claire Luce, Irving Rose, George Clifford, Dorothy and Naida, Henri Permain and Thomas Roper, together with the famous “Music Box" boys and girls. The musical numbers are by Irving Berlin and the production staged by John Murray' Anderson. - Gaycty Extras. MANAGER IRA J. LA MOTTE of 1 the Gayety Theater announced a_special midnight performance of | “Seven-Eleven," Friday. Seats for this show are now on sale. To meet the needs of the world geries Manager La Motte also an- nounces that a special wire direct to the stage from the ball park tn Pitts- burgh, as well as here, will report the progress of every game and plays will_be announced from the stage. <