Evening Star Newspaper, March 31, 1929, Page 49

‘. the ¢ NITA "PacE - Columbia Innovations: Present and Prospective. - BY PHILANDI A decided innovation was the presentation by the National Theater Players of a one-act drama entitled “The Monkey’s Paw,” which provided the vehicle for a prize-winning cast of the organization known as the Columbia Players. The demonstration was highly creditable in getting across the footlights a very remarkable and admirable piece of playmlking: one capable of producing shud- ders without going into the depths of human degradation or resort- ing to the violent methods of the Grand Guignol, * % % ¥ - It 1is “described as a curtain : raiser, a term too mild as imply- ing a slight dramatic ors d'oeuvres. It is in reality a hair- raiser; a blending of weird East Indla‘éx nfi'ts‘tlglsm :nd '.dall.s;nmlc magic w ragedy in an Enggluh m;:p home. The old fairy e of three wishes is worked out with a diabolic grotesqueness, each wish being granted yet always with the threat of such impending calamity as to make it worse than futile. * % % ¥ The distinction between the Guignol method and that of the English authorship is shown by luding * incident where the de: of a son is wished for rather than his survival in {':&)e- less and pitiable mutilation. ile the son is knocking outside the door, the. third and final wish is made and the door is thrown open to reveal only vacancy. The Guignol method could not rossibly have restrained the emptation to emphasize the physical horror caused by the second wish: before effacing it gruesomely by the third. * % X X This brief = intensification of drama is well worthy the study not only of those who seek to ex- cel in the enactment of plays, but who strive to encourage and develop fms ire the art of writing them. It is a fine harmonious blend of the gentle, sometimes droll humor of W. W. Jacobs with the delicate, always accurate artistry of Louis M. Parker. * kK % Highly ialized plays demand lpechliufi audiences, and it may reasonably be doubted whether the crowded theater, drawn by the prospect of uproarious farce as joyously dlspln{:ed by “Twin Beds,” would find itself in appre- promisisgly grim s prduchion as T gly a production as B'I‘l'me Monkey's Paw.” It was hardly stimulation for the solid fun to come. It had something ER JOHNSON. of the result that might be ex- pected with Thsen and Avery Hop- wood featured in the same even- ing’s entertainment. * ¥ % ¥ | While the waning season con- tinues to bring from time to time attractions special - merit or | reputation, it is permissible at this point in the calendar to spark over the blooming months of the year and speculate on what an- other season will bring forth. Theatrically speaking, the future disclosss realms of mystery, de- spite the numerous plans for new plays announced courageously and continuously. There were, and there will be many new plays, but the time dimension, 8s it renders the pres- ent tense elusive, does not permit it to be said with great.c dence at any time that there are new ?Iayu. Whether Summer soli- udes will stir li genius to enterprises as novel and audaeious as “The Strange Interlude” or “Mima” (the latter now pursuing an. expert and attractive cam- pllsn of publicity for the Autumn road tour) is a matter for hopeful but not over-sanguine conjecture. * * ¥ % The films have linked the human ‘voice to the photograph in a manner which grows more conving with each new achieve- ment. e human element is from the in sendin; around its print and pictures an in renting standard plays to stock irgaa upon The mal order syt upon the order m of fuflnen transactions. * ok koK The robot is mentioned as a new threat of dehumanization with hints of a possibility of a robot carriage starter, a’ robot ticket seller, and perhaps robot ushers. . There may be even need of mechanical applause as the prac- tice of continuous handclapping is accused of having ruined’'some of our finest wrist watches. * % % * are always triumphant both players - and p! whatever the coming seasons may have to offer, there is no doubt that even if not entirely soothing to a sense of traditional Revivals in Washington. L igne f i st |( Louise 1[ AGE an cSZ‘ez/e vaor 4 YThe'DuKE STERSOUT- Pslace- Bup CARLELL- Palace (Stage) Air Castles. 6P I were rich——" on the pleasant subject has started again, this time among the film colony. Among screen artists and directors who have plans for the day when they have fat nest eggs to spend ouise Fazenda—I should like for s i i SCREEN | BETTY KenT National RonaLo CoLman and LILLIAN GISH- Little Thester - Englishman, not even a pro- fessional writer, but mgr“-:_ ance solicitor in in London. ] C. Sheriff, the author, was writing| A it 1s said, for amateur theat- “FRANKIE MOORE- Strand A e | ‘DorOTHY MACKAILL-Earle Seeing the World: CORINNE GRIFFITH- - and VICTOR VARCON! /V\e-h*opohf‘al? Attractions in Washington Playhouses This Week IN LOCAL THEATERS THIS WEEK. NATIONAL PLAYERS—“Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.” Opens tomorrow evening. BELASCO—“An American Tragedy,” drama. Opens fhis eve- ning. POLI'S—“Good News,” musical comedy. Opens this evening. WARDMAN PARK—“Rip Van Winkle.” and evening. ‘Tomorrow afternoon GAYETY—"“The Jazz Regiment,” all-colored musical play. This afternoon and evening, evening. Easter week the National Theater it the celebrated old fashioned by Charlotte “The ‘Bohemians,” burlesque. This afternoon. and g5 3 Joe Jordan, noted colored composer, wrote the entire score for “The Jazz 1sts, | Regiment.” q " is oneof the most engaging creatures that ever came out of New England. By her winsomeness, naivette, her quaint humor, her cheer- fulness and her me outlook on life manages to o the rigid disci- of her old maid aunt and win the ve of the man of her heart. Her battle is against the discipline of early New 5 her joy, the ro- —“Rip at Wi STRAND—“The Bohemians.” “The Bohemians” are casting their lapces of &yfly against the armour of 2 Strand Theater this week. her | Art - Mayer a host of good-looking girls, all cos- tumed to the minute and noted for exceptional ability as dancers, and s of “pep and personal- m ‘The Junior Theater ‘ardman Park the| is holding over “Rip Van Winkle” for | the famous two tomorrow, Easte: 17 EE8 AR are no handicap in " | COLLEGE CO-EDS in “Nice Goin'" chorus of American Uni- A 08 | vetatly Siis s expacian o of the most attractive features usical “Nice