Evening Star Newspaper, December 23, 1928, Page 53

.~ Theater, Screen and Music AMUSEMENT SECTION he Swunday St i Motoring and Aviation News Part 4—10 Pages WASHINGTON, D. C, SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 23, 1928, HAMILTON and BeE DANIELS- New Appreci Time-H ) *Twas a short time till Christ- mas and to the the-ay-ter The public announced ‘We will come along later.’” * ¥ ¥ X The days preceding the annual : cation of Santa Claus are proverbially a time for theatrical discouragements. It was a custom, when condi- tions were less thoroughly organ- ized, to force an unsalaried vaca- tion, rather than accept the insuf- ficlent business which seemed in- evitable. Half salaries were paid and altogether the “palmy days” were days of depression at the season when the world outside was busy with thought of holiday cheer. ‘The theater is essentially a con- tradictory manifestation—hard at work during the hours when the world on the other side of the footlights amuses itself, and con- templating the holiday as an arduous period. * ¥ % X Patronage no longer varies with the seasons, as it did when the theater was not so well system- atized and when the public re- garded it as an incidental diver- sion rather than as an obligation to be met regularly by those asgiring to be considered smartly informed. It runs along evenly. with a patronage entirely de- ndent on the merits of the at- raction; a patronage that grows more exacting every year and does not hesitate to turn its back on defective offerings—even to the extent of closing 20 or 30 New York theaters at a time. * X ¥ ¥ Padlocking a night club is a matter of easy formality, but when a cruel public decides to padlock a theater the work is swiftly accomplished and the sit- uation is relieved only by a dem- onstration of good behavior. ke One of the special enterprises now assured reliable support is straightforward drama with a cast of illustrious names, such as George Tyler knows so well how to assemble. An all-star revival of “The Beaux’ Stratagem” re- vived an author to popular at- tention as well as bringing for- ward players whose records of the past make them figures of affec- tionate regard among all who de- light in the playhouse. Farquhar has been allowed to remain dor- mant in his celebrity while Gold- smith and Sheridan flourish anew from season to season. He deals in sentimental flippancy, utiliz- ing the disguises of identity so dear to the old dramatists and af- fecting the elegances of deport- ment as well as of costume that made the stage a particular point of interest for sparks about town o Ocere from. - PrE Earle ation of onored Plays BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, and ladies of fashion; ladies who loved to study gallantries even though ass to hide their blushes with a fan, or, if the play, became more audacious than usual, even to wear a mask. * X Xk X The fact that a little new ma- terial of reliable quality has been available for Broadway may ac- count for the possibility of group- ing names in the “Stratagem” cast *that make the work of the publicity man easy indeed. Any one of more than a dozen glnyers in evidence is entitled to the best attentions of a biographer. The surprise of the company was Ray- mond Hitchcock, who assumed a romping familiarity with the lines of a classic and yet despite his rather topical interpolation suc- ceeded in sbegplng into a very legitimate method of that branch of playingetechnically designated as “low comedy.” Hitchcock has always been .a laugh winner, but he has never before held himself in such close relationship to the purposes of an author; and the relationship re- mains close even when he repu- diates Hamlet’s advice to the players to speak only that which has been set down. * ok ok ok Mr. Tyler has discovered a pub- lic of his own. Booksellers report an unprecedented demand for dictionaries as well as for period- icals that specialize not only in fine typography and illustration, but in accurate taste as to manner of literary expression. It is upon this more or less bookish element that Tyler draws a support which has become unfailing in reliabil- ity. If “The Beaux’ Stratagem” borrowing of story-telling themes, the stage at present feels no less hesitation in utilizing an old idea, usually, with a_conscientious de- sire to give credit where it is due. ) ek “Whoopee,” whose success in New York was a foregone con- clusion, takes its leading comic role from “The NerYous Wreck.” ;The hypochondriac has often been the subject of satire and was not neglected by Moliere. Charles Hoyt did not exhaust its possibili- ties when he created “Mr. Welland Strong” as one of the ccllection of clever personag:s in “A Trip to Chinatown.” -~ The modern handling of an old subject is what {lays claim to ori ity. There is probably not an absolutely new laugh on earth today any more /than there is a positively original love story. * ¥ % X By dint of conscientious endeavor and discerning selection of company and plays, the musi- cal organization which now in- Al Icalls attention to considerable; P and PEP" cludes Charles Emerson Cook not only as managing director, but as “speaker of the epilogue,” has swung to a_ confident stride. It seems disposed as it swings into the holiday spirit to venture a race even with our old friend Santa Claus himself, with the smiles of youngsters and the laughter of their mature friends as prizes well worth having. * %k x X In a quest for the unusual, a quest during which so many at- tempts have recently been dis- carded, no creationh is so remark- able in many respects as “The Strange Interlude,” whose manu- script has revealed Eugene O'Neill in one of his most deflant atti- tudes. The amount of time the public is willing to devote to a single performance has been tested by a number of productions which held audiences until well after midnight. No production since “Parsifal” began in the afternoon and resumed again at night after an intermission for dinner. It was commonly noted in the cast of the Wagnerian opera that a considerable num- fortably gathered at table decided to stay where they were instead of returning for the second chap- ter. It is authoritatively stated that there is no such inclination where “The Strange Interlude” is {concerned. They all return to their seats, admitting that the charm of the play is even more compelling than the epicurean lure. —_— “ aie P A Living Curtain.” - LIVING curtain of armor is said to have been im| from Berlin by Earl Carroll for his romantic mu- sical comedy “Filoretta,” starring Leon Errol, Fannie Brice and Lionel Atwill. This curtain is made up of 21 indi- vidual suits of armor and descends as a regular curtain when, during a duel episode, a light passes over it and the suits of armor are next seen occupied by men. When the scene is over the curtain ascends with the 31 men smll in the suits of armor, LitHe Theater N JOHN GILBERTand GRETA i olumbia Juliette Velty of the Comedie Fran- caise will have a role in “Potiphar's Wife,” which is scheduled to open in New York this week. The cast of “Cheer Up,” a musical show now in rehearsal in New York, includes Don Barclay, Ruth Donnelly, Madeline Fairbanks and a large mixed chorus, Louise Brown, recently playing in “Rainbow,” has been engaged for “Lady Fingers,” the new Lyle Andrews musi- cal show, which opens in Wilmington January 5. In the cast of “Daylight Savings” will be Romney Brent, Mary Stills and Edward Broadley. Aline MacMahon will have the leading role. Louis Calhern will have the leading male role in “Gypsy,” the Maxwell An- derson play which Richard Herndon is producing. George Cukor is directing the production, which opens in Brook- lyn December 31, and is due on Broad- ber of auditors after being com- |Way early in the next year. ‘The new Ina Claire play, hitherto called “Children of Darkness,” will in- stead be known as “The Lady of New- gate.” The play, which is being pro- duced by Jed Harris, is the work of Edwin Justus Mayer, who wrote “The Firebrand.” It is due on Broadway January 7. The cast will include Rich- ard Bird, C. Henry Gordon and Ar- thur Byron. ‘The cast of “Caprice.” which the Theater Guild will present in New York next week, will include Lynn Fontanne, Alfred Lunt, Ernest Cossart, Duuglass Montgomery, Lilly Cahill, Geneva Har- rison and Caroline Newcomm. Fortune Gallo will produce a new operetta by Junius Jones called “Yankee Doodle,” with music by Kenneth A. Millican and Shafter Howard, on Janu- jary 7. The piece is due to arrive in New ¥ork the middle of next month, glt is be supervised by Mr. Gallo. “Loving Ann,” “a_musical comedy by Owen Davis, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, will soon be produced by Aarons & Freedley, Mr, Davis IN THE SPOTLIGHT Notes of the Stage and Its People. provide the libretto. It will be his first work for the musical comedy theater, although several of his plays have been turned into musical shows, among them “The Nervous Wreck,” which became “Whoopee,” and “Easy Come, Easy Go,” from which has been fashioned the impending “Lady Fingers.” The piece will open in Philadelphia- February 4. Producer Clark Ross announces that he will place a new play by Bates Hun- ter called “Cane Crop” this week. Mirian Hopkins will have a feature role in this piece, and Priestly Morrison is in charge of direction, It is scheduled to open January 7. 5 Grant Mitchell will be starred by Lew Cantor in “All the King's Men,” a play by Fulton Oursler, co-author of “The Spider,” according to an announce- ment by Mr. Cantor. The production will begin a two-week engagement in Philadelphia, January 21. Grace Menken has replaced Marion Wells in the leading feminine role of “Brothers,” which is due in New York Christmas night. Gilbert Miller, association with Guthrie McClintic, will present still an- other play this season, one for which plans were made before his departure for London. The new play is called “The Skyrocket,” and is from the type- writer of Mark Reed. The cast is head- ed by J. C. Nugent. With the arrival of “The Red Robe" in New York, Harry B. Smith, who will be 68 years old on December 28, will see the 300th show produced on Broad- way for which he has supplied books and lyrics. Tessa Kosta has been engaged by Earl Carroll for the prima donna role of his forth musical productio: “Floretta,” which will open in Balti- more New Year eve. Leon Errol, Lionel Atwill and Fannie Brice are to be willl d starred in this plece. Roy Walling, who will present “Back Seat Drivers” in New York next Tues- day night, announces that he has ac- quired a new play by Len D. Hollister called “Sure Cure,” for immediate pro- uction, GARBO Helen Ault in Belasco Troupe. ELEN AULT, the pretty little blonde leading lady who won personal lau- rels on Broadway and here in the lead- ing feminine role of “Honeymoon Lane,” has been engaged by Charles Emerson Cook as an addition to his Savoy Mu- sical Comedy Co., appearing at the Be- lasco Theater. Miss Ault will make her debut in the Christmas singing and dancing spec- tacle, “The Gingerbread Man,” which will be presented with the full strength of the Savoyards—Renee Hamilton, Ed- die Morris, Robert Capron, Carrle Rey- nolds, Frank Gallagher, Thelma Parker, Beatrice Lee, Rosa Snowden, a special toe ballet and singing chorus in addi- tion to the now famous Georgeous Gar- den of Girls and the Male Octet. Miss Ault holds a contract for the Broadway production of Eddie Dow- ling’s new show, to be produced some time in the early Spring. In the mean- time Washington will enjoy her youth, beauty and vivacious personality in Mr. Cook’s productions at the Belasco. Back_ to Normalcy. [EN “Wooden Kimono” comes to the National Theater the week after Christmas, the highest priced seat in the house will sell for $1.50. This is the lowest price asked for a regular play in what old-timers like to call “eons and eons”—whatever an eon is. However, Harry Rapley, proprietor of the National, has made arrangements with this one particular company to play the piece at what might be called popular prices. The matinees will run along at 50 cents, 75 cents and $1—and, furthermore, there is to be no advance in prices New Year eve. “Wooden Kimono” is described as one of the fastest moving mystery- thrillers that ever hit Broadway. Ordi- narily. it would have played here to the |f {eculu' $2 top price for tickets, but the players and management the Na- tional is enabled to conduct what Mr. Rapley calls an experiment. He is H {:artlcularly anxious to see how the pub- ic responds to a reduction in the price of theater tickets. It is no closed secret that theater managers throughout the country would rather pack their houses at low prices th:;mvn them half empty at higher ral - h an unusual arrangement with |the Grers iz Jhe GINGERBREAD MAN=" Belasco Attractions in Washington Playhouse s This Week IN WASHINGTON THEATERS THIS WEEK. NATIONAL—“Strange Interlude,” drama. this evening. BELASCO—"“The Gingerbread this evening. Opens 5:30 c'clock Man,” musical comedy. Opens WARDMAN PARK—“Maiden Over the Wall,” fantasy. Friday afternoon. STRAND—“Dimpled Darlings,” evening. NATIONAL—“Strange lnlerlnd:}; Eugene O'Neill's much discussed nine- act play, “Strange Interlude,” will open at 5:30 this afternoon at the National, to the st_advance sale of tickets that any play has ever had in the his- tory of Washington, it is announced. ‘Thus it may be expected that the nine-act drama will repeat here its suc- cess in New York, where, after nearly a year’s engagement, the theater is con- tinually filled to the last seat, and the complexities of the play are the gen- eral topic of sermons, newspaper edi- torials and dinner-table conversation. ‘There have been many people to dis- agree violently with some of the ?omu in this epic of a woman’'s struggle for happiness—some calling her selfish and umru})uleus in her envelopment of the lives of three men, others calling her a faithful follower of woman’s deepest in- stincts—but no matter How much they disagree, it has been noticed that every member of the audience is always promptly back in his seat for the be- ginning of the second part of the play, after the dinner intermission of an hour and twenty minutes. Even those who, in a spirit of punctilio, have rushed to their homes to change to evening clothes, are never late for the latter half of the play, which bespeaks the spell it casts over its spectators. The story of Nina Leeds, with her three men—husband, lover and friend— whose lives she has enfolded, is told on two planes, so to speak—through the voiced mental reactions of the charac- ters as well as through the ordinary speeches of the characters to one an- other—the audience hears what they think as well as what they say, with consequent illuminating passages in which what they say contradicts what they think. For example, one man, when meeting another, registers the inner thought, “No giant intellect there,” but stifles the mental sneer to greet the newcomer cordially—an ironic commentary on the whole world’s little hypocrisies. With its portrayal of the whirlwind into which human beings are involun- tarily caught up by love, the play's message is summed up in the speech of one character—‘Romantic imagination, it has ruined more lives than anything else in the world!” The Theater Guild of New York pre- sents the play here with its usual meticulous care, and with a fine cast of well known players, including Pauline Lord, Ralph Morgan, Harry C. Ban- nister, Donald Macdonald, Helen Ann ¥ughcs, Maud Durand and James BELASCO—“The Gingerbread Man." Kriss Kringle and his merry band will hold high carnival at the Belasco Thea- ter this week. “The Gingerbread Man,” a Christmas fantasy, with song, dance, music and jingles, which is promised to delight youngsters from 7 to 70, will be the holiday treat at the Belasco, start- ing this evening, with the full strength of the Savoy Musicomedians and many added attractions. Beginning Tuesday, Christmas day, a daily matinee will be presented in ad- dition to the night performances, with no advance in the regular popular prices now prevalling. “’rg’mnserhrud Man” is one of that of fairy fantasies which ing the most popular of the Christmas entertainment. Eddie Morris, in the title role, ap- peared in this musical play in Washing- ton about a dozen years ago. Miss Hamilton, who will be Jack Horner, has burlesque. This afternoon and ington, who has achieved fame on Broadway, joins the Savoyards in “The Gingerbread Man” in the dual role of Maizie Bon-Bon and the Princess Sug- ar-Plum. Others will include Bob Cap- ron in a surprising role, Frank Galla- gher as Simple Simon, Thelma Parker as Marjory Daw, Edward Metcalfe as Machevalius Fudge, dealer in black art, second-hand curses and evil omens; Jack Closson as, both Wondrous Wise and Bunn the XIII, King of Pastry Land; James McKay as Kris Kringle and Bruce Torrengce as thé Fiery Dra- gon, along with & Good Fairy ballet, the Baker Boys, the Bon-Bon Girls, the Mechanical Dolls, the little Santa Clauses, the Gingerbread Chorus, and the TchernikoffsGordon Dancers -in special Christmas ballet divertisements, “The Gingerbread Man” abounds in legitimately comic situations, real hn- mor, beautiful melodies, spectacular solo a&l’d ensemble dancing and a fairy love story. WARDMAN PARK — “Maiden Over the Wall.” ‘Phe aftraction at Wardman Park Theater Friday and Saturday of this week, in its serfes of plays for juvenile audiences, “is “Maiden Over the Wall,” a charming play of Bertram Bloch. This is a change from the program announced for these dates, though the play is by the same author. *“Maiden Over the Wall,” gaily humorous, is the story of a maiden who has lived in & castle and played in a castle garden for 1,400 years, having been enchanted by Merlin to remain there until she is rescued by some gallant knight. She is left in charge of a huge dragon and a company of elves, whose business it is to keep the enchantment unbroken. Many knights have essayed to rescue her, but they have all been slain by the dragon, and their ghosts now haunt the garden. On the occasion of the story, a very modern youth, out hunt- ing for his pleasure, comes upon the wall and climbs it. He meets every one in the garden and is delighted with the adventure—the lovely maiden, her ladies, the elves—and then—he meets the dragon, too. And that is what the story is all about. It is a very funny story, and a very pretty ane, too. Another little play will be given as a curtain raiser, a dramatization of the much-loved tale of the herdsman ‘and the princess. It is presented in the style of an operetta, with char music and dancing. “Maiden Over the Wall” was first written for the Washington Square Players, and was one of their successes. Later Mr. Block saw in it matter for a juvenile play and made an elaborated version, which was given as the out- of-door Spring play at Barnard College. ‘This program will be given Priday afternoon at 3:45 and in the evening at 8:15 and Saturday afternoon at 2:30. STRAND—“Dimpled Darlings.” This week’s attraction at the Strand ‘Theater, called “Dimpled Darli ," 18 sald to be one of the most popular of Mutual Burlesques. Ine the array of players George Leon is featured in his eecem:;riq comlcll:‘u:.s. éfln h& lt-‘ great popularity during the past five years in entertaining the burlesque fans in his own peculiar manner. He hlllltyhlflhl:low‘nlnflhp‘tha W T A blonde prima ingenue type, young, attractive and variously talented. She specializes in “blues” songs and - mies.” Lilllan Kaye, a brunette sou- brette, assists Miss Norman in directing the song and dance energies of the appeared in four or five of the best- loved Christmas pantomimes in Eng- land. Helen Ault, & native of Wash~ chorus in ensemble formation through- out a dozen musical numbers. She also (Continued on Third Page.). ¥