Evening Star Newspaper, December 9, 1928, Page 75

| ;Fheater, Screen and Music AMUSEMEN SECTION @The Sunday Star VMotoring . and Aviation News Part 4—14 Pages RENEEN HAMILTON- Belasco- i S T © A Season Under Way Of Exceptional Brilliance BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Nothing could be more flip- antly graceful than the manner in which .M Carpentér’'s play “The Bachelor Father” disposes of any old, lingering impressions regarding ruined lives and pasts that can never be forgotten. There is no heroine victimized by an un- scrupulous villain and singing with pathos of the grief that re- sults when lovely woman stoops to folly. There are no concealments whatever in “The Bachelor Father” and there is even a little whimsi- cal humor in discussing the free- dom from obligations which the youngsters this Bachelor Father condescends to educate are very much inclined to favor. * % X ¥ The production is a typical ex- ample of the Belasco skill in cast- ing a play. It may be doubted whether a theme requiring such delicate management could be dis- cussed at all without an actor like C. Aubrey Smith to provide dex- trous and unerring touches that must be employed when a char- acter of austere personality melts into sympathetic impulses of com- mon humanity. The role is one which could easily stand inde- pendently as a creation worthy of a star if the other characters were not so diverse in type and s0 exacting in requirement. * & % * Almost every scene demands a careful discernme: to keep it from lapsing into breadth of idea which would appeal only to a cruder sense of the comic. Geof- frey Kerr has restraint and yet plenty of emphasis in the scenes calizs for it. If there is any exaggeration in the playing it is that of June Walker as the girl who has battled with conditions in New York on a salary by no means super- abundant and who in her inde- pendent manners has picked up| a vocabulary which would do| credit to George Ade in his most | brilliant hours. This vocabulary | rather detracts from the idea of naturalness for what may seem| a strange reason. It is entirely 00 clever—ton good to be true to| nature. A git who could spin off : such rugged picturesqueness of ! metaphor with so much unhesi- tating speed would have found occupation as a contributor to| print in a style now particularly appreciated and quite lucrative. Miss Walker has a very respon-! sible role, almost as conspicuous | as that played by Edna Hibbard| in “Ladies of the Evening,” though without the overworldliness and also the underworldliness of the Hibbard part. Father” is a piece of machinery put together like a watch and clicking finely. A Having made a study of the subtler mechanics of the stage, Mr. Belasco etherializes from time to time and proceeds as in the case of Peter Grimm to metaphysical explorations. If the play “Mima” proves as interesting as the literature based upon it, a new marvel will be shown, even more radical in departure from accepted forms than Eugene O'Neill's “Strange Interlude” which starts at five-thirty and utilizes a call for dinner as one of the incidents of climax in a highly dramatic evening. “Mima’ does not change the time sched- ule, but develops a mechanical “The Bachelor | » | missions. finely original playwright Molnar, based upon the idea that the genius of wickedness can devise a machine which will deprive a man of his honor and his sense of social responsibility. It is electrically operated and Mr. Belasco, who, like other managers, has had his difficulties with elec- tricians, has probably found satis- faction in grasping this opportu- nity to dramatize a switehboard. * ¥ X * The National Theater enters upon a domain of luminous con- stellations. As eminent producers specialize, George C. Tyler selects as his own particular field plays that have long been valued and players whose experience enables them to know just what is re- quired in technique and what must be respected in tradition. The cast of “Jim the Penman” contains names in abundance of players who must be welcomed as time-tried friends. The Restora- tion comedy, “The Beaux’ Stratagem,” another Tylor revival now en route for the National stage, creates the usual inquisi- tiveness as to how a single cast can utilize.so many distinguished reputations. * X X % It becomes almost obligatory to revive the anecdote about Henry E. Dixey’s denial that he imper- sonated the hindlegs of the heifer in Rice’s “Evangeline”; explain- ing that instead of the hindlegs he did the forelegs. The Adonis of extravaganza days is one of the members of “The Beaux’ Strategem.” * k ¥ ¥ Tyler will carry out his revival ideas not only on the stage, but in the box office, enabling a startled public to see once more a $3 scale of prices hanging like a fine old gnrtralt among the pic- tures on the wall. * % K X “A Night in Spain” appealed to the following that demands revues and is willing to concede that they cannot all be put together by a bailiff. Those not so habitually enthusiastic about revues were disposed to regard the climate of Spain as being misrepresented and the night a trifle chilly. * ok ok ok In “Wildflower,” next in the musical series at the Belasco Theater, there are four principals who appeared in the original New York and London casts—Renee Hamilton, who does the title role; Eddie Morris, in the part of Gaston |La Roche in the London produc- tion; also Carrie Reynolds as Lucrezia and Lew Christy as Lugui in the New York production and on tour. This fact shall as- {sure another of the performances whose smoothness has been a matter of wide comment and of | Some surprise to those who regard musical comedy as presenting peculiar difficulties because of the need of three times the rehearsal required for a speaking comedy— rehearsal not only for lines and business, but for cheruses and an orchestra. | “The House Unguarded,” a new play by Len D. Hollister and Lester Loner- gan, which is shortly to open on Board- way, will be given without any inter- Although the piece is said to be the usual length, the no-intermis- sion plan will mean that_the final cur- tain will come down much earlier than | theme under the guidance of that _ SO is usually the case, e WASHINGTON, Amusements “The LOVES of JEANNE NEY* LitHe TJheater De GLENN- Presiden‘i" Why Costume Drama Failed. HEN the costume drama was at its most flourishirtg vogue in the films, complaints began to pour in from the fans because the elaborate outfits buried so many of the characters under heavy layers of clothes that film fans often found it was difficult to identify their favorite players in the various person- ages of the story. When every one was wearing long, curly hair or powdered wigs or rufis or lace sleeves or satin breeches, it was difficult for spectators to figure out which was the hero and which was the man they wanted shot. Queen Elizabeth/became confused with one of her malds in waiting. The dash- ing young hero of the French Revolution was hard to tell apart from his philan- dering father, except that dad seemed much more likely to trip over his sword. For this reason, among others, says a close observer, costume pictures went into something of a decline, with only Douglas Fairbanks keeping the faith, and he only and always could be iden- tified by his waving legs. Nevertheless, such films appear likely to flit back over our horizon again, be- cause they have the sure and unmistak- able method ot the voice to identify the young gallant, no matter how much he may be swathed in ruffies. “Napoleon's Barber” has already heralded this re- birth, says the observer. The reception which it received at its opening at Sid Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Holly- wood, it is claimed, testified to a new advance in costume pictures. Twin Brothers. ERSATILITY and Allan Hale, screen actors, are twin brothers! During the five years the Pathe fe tured player worked on the Philadel- phia Evening Bulletin he served as cub reporter, proofreader, obituary editor, cashier and salesman of display ad- vertising. He left the newspaper business to study osteopathy and graduated in due time as an osteopathic physician. He quit that profession when he was offered a part in the stage play “The Message From Mars,” and utilized his spare time in studying voice for the opera. Needing some extra money, he wrote a scenario, which he sold readily. Other scenarios followed and then came a chance to work in pictures as an actor. His success was such that he follow- ed that work ever since. HMis versatility is further attested by the fact he has rluyed more different types of roles han any other actor, so it is claimed. ’ D. C, SUNDAY CHARLES ROGERYS- and MARY BRIAN- Columbia Jom CRav MORNING, DECEMBER 9, 1928 CECILIA LOFTUS- ard WILLIAM FAVERSHAM- /\Ia*Honal FORD- Palace BOBBEITE ECKARD - Gayety ‘The Chicago production of *“The Front Page” is reported to have sold out for two weeks ahead. Its first-night receipts were $3,560. “Boom, Boom,” a musical comedy, with Frank McIntyre and Ann Seymour in its chief roles, opens this week in Wilmington. Werner Janssen has writ- ten the score, Fanny Todd Mitchell the book, and Mann Holliner the lyrics. Roy Atwell is also in the cast. The new Earl Carroll musical com- edy has at last been named “Floretta” and is scheduled to open in the middle of January with four stars in the cast. Three of these have already been en- gaged, Fannie Brice, Lionel Atwill and Leon Errol. John Murray Anderson will super- vise the entre stage production of “Hello Dadd{l," the Lew Fields musical comedy, which reaches Broadway Christmas week. The play announced by the New York Theater Guild as “Playing at Love,” in which Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne are to be seen, will be known instead as “Caprice.” This play, which is the work of the Viennese journalist Sil- vara, was put in rehearsal by the Guild last Spring with Richard Bennett in its cast, but did not reach production. The Guild will present the play for the first time in Boston next week, marking the first occasion this organization has had an initial presentation outside of New York. The English rights to “This Thing Called Love,” now running successfully in New York, have been acquired by Percy Burton, who is now in this coun- try. A new play by Maxwell Anderson has been accepted by Richard Herndon for production in the near future, Clai- borne Foster, now appearing in “Tin Pan Alley,” will have the leading role. Michael Michalesko, Yiddish musical comedy star, will be starred by William Roland in “The Odesser Bridegroom,” by Louis Freiman and S. Secunda, whuch opened in New York last Friday night. Eric Barnouw, an undergraduate at Princeton, has won for the second time - DoLoRES DEL RIO- Earle IN THE SPOTLIGHT Notes of the Stage and Its People. in succession the prize offered by the Princeton dramatic organization for the best play coming from a local col- legiate. Last year his play, “Open Col- lars” was the winner; this year it is a play called “Crocodiles Are L. F. Lebret, Dutch theatrical pro- ducer, will revive - “Madame Pompa- dour” in New York early in the new year. Beppie De Vries, a prima donna from Holland, will have the main role. Miss De Vries recently arrived in this country from Australia, where she starred in this operetta for nine months. Mr. Lebret may be associated with Martin Beck in this venture, Florenz Ziegfeld says his next pro- duction will be “Show Girl,” instead of the musical version of “East Is West.” Washington may get the first look at the new production. Announcement is made by Lew Leslie, the producer, that he will pre- sent an “International Revue” in New York in March, and that A. H. Woods will be associated with him. Mrs. Robert B. Mantell, known as [Genevieve Hamper on the stage, will head a new Shakespearean company early in 1929 which will present a repertoire of five plays, John Alex- gander will play the leading male roles, and there will be an assisting company of 25 players. “As You Like It,” “Macbeth,” “The Merchant of Venice,” “Romeo and Juliet” and “Julius Caesar” are the plays selected for the repertoire. Jack: Consially; JACK CONNOLLY, European director for Fox Movietone News, last Wed- nesday, sailed back to his post in Paris, but to be accurate it should be “posts” for this former Washingtonian has headquarters in Paris, London and Berlin. Mr. Connolly’s hurried trip to Wash- ington and New York was for two pur- poses: A conference with Courtland Smith, chief of the Movietone News Service and with William Fox; to make arrangements for the first recording of an opening of Congress. And Jack did it. He won his fame as a doer of big and unusual things. Son 0{ a Notea Composer. ARMY officer, musical comedy star, author, scenarist, technical director and character actor are just a few of the occupations followed by Harry Reinhardt, son of the late famous Viennese composer, Heinrich Reinhardt, who made use of two of these pro- fessions in the fiiming of “Dream of Love,” Fred Niblo productions for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, in which Joan Crawford and Nils Asther have the leading roles. Reinhardt acted as technical aide and he also plays a prominent role. During the World War young Rein- hardt was a lieutenant in the Austrian Army and was severely wounded just lf;f(&re the signing of the Armistice in 18. While recuperating, he went to work in his famous father’s theater in Vienna. After gaining recognition in his own country and the capitals of other Euro- pean countries, he came to America and entered motion pictures. He has played featured roles in a number of American films and he has also written more than a dozen sce- gm‘\cds that have been successfully pro- uced. To Direct Elsie Janis Story. JOHN CROMWELL, Broadway actor and stage director, will have as his first_Paramount directorial assignment the Elsie Janis story, “Close Harmony.” it has been announced by B. P. Schul- berg, general manager of West Coast production. Mr. Cromwell was last seen on the New York stage in “Gentlemen of the Press,” and has been in Hollywood but five weeks, yet he has been kept busy. He recently completed work in the lead- ing male role of “The Dummy,” the Paramount all-talking picture. “Close Harmony,” an all-dialogue plc- ture, will be a story of the stage and { behind the curtains, Not What He Seems. ‘OUIS WOLHEIM, well-known screen actor who plays a racketeer in Pathe’s “The Shady Lady,” looks like an ex-prize-fighter, but in reality he is one of the screen’s most polished gentlemen. His peculiarly pugnacious looking Scere From "RiLey the Cop Attractions in Playhouse row evening. BELASCO—"Irene,” musical co evening. 'NATIONAL—“Jim the Penman.” _Another revival of an old favorite, Sir Charles Young's “Jim the Penman,” a great crook play of the days of yore, comes to the National Theater this week, commencing tomorrow night. “Jim the Penman” was about the first and still remains the best of the “crime plays.” It was, perhaps, the greatest success ever presented in the famous old Madison Square Theater, New York, which flourished under the management of A. M. Palmer. It should be a theatrical treat to playgoers both of the elder and of the younger generations. “Jim the Penman” is to be played by an all-star cast, another of those as- sembled by George C. Tyler, who in the past has given superb production to such masterpieces as “Diplomacy,” “She Stoops to Conquer,” “Trelawny of the Wells,” “School for Scandal” and “The Rival: and this season is presenting “The Beaux Stratagem” and “Mac- beth,” as well as “Jim the Penman.” In the cast of players are William Faversham, Cecelia Loftus, Jacob Ben- Ami, Charles Richman, Helen Lowell, Reginald Mason, Vernon Steel, Cecile Dixon, Lawrence D'Orsay, Edward Em- ery, Marguerite St. John, Fuller M lish, Frank Hearn and Harry Joyner. The play was staged by Frederick Stanhope. BELASCO—“Wildflower.” “Wildflower,” of the Savoy Musical Comedy Co., its youthful beauty chorus, special orches- tra, male octette, new scenery and colorful costumes, is announced as this week’s attraction of Charles Emerson Cook’s Savoy Musical Comedy Co.. at popular prices at the Belasco Theater, opening this evening. “Wildflower” is Arthur Hammer- stein’s musical comedy triumph, which ran for 16 months in London and for over a year in New York. It's story, laid amid the brilliant scenes in south- ern Italy, has a romantic, a human appeal and, in its comedy phases, an irrespressible gayety. The music, by Vincent Youmans and Herbert Stothart, includes song hits, such as “Bambalina,” “Wildflower,” “April Blossoms,” “Good-by, Little Rosebud” and “You Can’t Blame a Girl | for Dreaming.” Miss Renee Hamilton wil sing the title role, and the operetta also serves to introduce to Washington audlences Robert Capron, who has been with Mr. Cook’s organization all season in other citles, in the role of Gabby, as well as Dolly Parker in famous specialty dances. Mr. Capron and Miss Parker nose is the result of an accident on the foot ball field. He was at one time star fullback at Cornell. While it was Lionel Barrymore who enticed him to the stage, it was John fnrrmom who brought him into pic- were headlined in vaudeville before he Jjoined the Savoy Musical Comedy Co. Carrie Reynolds, in the role of Lucrezia, essays the same comedy part with all the principals | Me‘fropolHan Washington s This Week IN WASHINGTON THEATERS THIS WEEK. NATIONAL—"“Jim, the Penman,” melodrama. Opens tomor- medy. Opens this evening. PRESIDENT—HiIll's Indoor Circus. This afternoon and evening. WARDMAN PARK—Shakespeare’s “Tempest.” STRAND—“Mischief Makers,” burlesque. This afternoon and nated in the London production. Frank Gallagher, Lew Christy, Beatrice Lee, Jack Blossom, Ann Gillespie will also have important roles. WARDMAN PARK—“King Arthur.” “King Arthur” will be the theme of the next play in the play series at Wardman Park Theater Friday and | Saturday of this week. Only two notable plays have ever been presented around the famous and much- loved legends of King Arthur. One was a play made famous by Henry Irving ax}ii the other, “Elaine,” by Annie Rus- sell. = 1t is the purpose of Mrs. Tinnin and Miss Brown, who are directing the play series at Wardman Park, to give in the course of the year at least three plays around the famous Knights of the Round Table. The first is this one presenting King Arthur in his youth— the boy who, alone of all the knight- hood of the kingdom, was able to draw the sword that was buried deep in the anvil before the door of the great cathedral. The play is set at the time in England’s history when there was no one great king, but many little kings, and the country was plunged in darkness and crime and the great yearning all through the land was for a great and noble king, but all knight- hood knew that only he who could draw the mystic sword could be the right overlord of Britain. A fascinating figure in the play is Sir Kay of Bonmaison, the foster-brother of Arthur, a gallant knight of whom the boy Arthur is very proud, for he be- lieves with all his heart that all things are possible to Kay. In the great scene of the tourney Sir Kay js the valiant hero and Sir Arthur is proud, indeed, to attend him as squire-at-arms. Sir Kay's desperate need of a sword in the midst of the bout sets Arthur out in frenzied search for a keen blade to do his brother service. It is then he, in transcendent mood, comes upon the silent sword and without any thought or knowledge of what the incident por- tended draws it easily from its place. The performances will be given, as usual, Friday afternoon at 3:45 o'clock, Friday evening at 8:15 and Saturday afternoon at 2:30, The cast will, be the same as in previous productions. PRESIDENT—Hill's Indoor Circus. ‘Today marks the beginning of the second week in which Washingtonians may see the only Winter-time circus, under the direction of Will Hill, inter- national showman and ringmaster. Due to the additions of several acts, together with the augmentation of the band, the show this week, it is promised, will be larger and it is daid better. One of the high lights of the per- she played in the Broadway produc- tion. Eddie Morris, as Gaston La Roche, will appear in the role he origl- formance is the act in whi trained seals do eves b\l‘? i = i o T By e —— )