Evening Star Newspaper, March 2, 1930, Page 57

' Theater, Screen and Music CHARLES FARRELL and Nick LUCAS- Earle (Stage)Mrcuer “Twe/f7h Night” N JANET" "AMUSEMENT SECTION he Swunday Star, WASHINGTON, GAYNOR- Happy Days’| b WILFRID ; WALTER. / o SON &f e GODS” Me-l'r‘opoli-lfln ] BARRY LUPINO- Babes i Toytond” ational LiL DAGOVER ana WiLLY FRITSCH- /# “//(/flyar/afl pfia/o:ody " Science Negl_e_ctful of Stage BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. When the great intellects of the world have brought their investi- gations to a point where atten- tion may be tempted to seek new complexities in social develop- ment, a movement for theater re- vision and poetry relief may bei sponsored by personages of pro-! found tendencies. The stock and grain markets are very carefully” studied, and even the race track has its com- pilations of data from‘which may be drawn impressions of probabu-i ities and methods of procedure which tend to eliminate excessive risk. The theater has no such safeguards, fragile as they are. It is a galloping, go-as-you-please proposition, with the seeming cer- tainty of today likely to stumble at an unexpected development in commercial invention, or balk at| an unforeseen hurdle. * ¥ %k ¥ { A great deal of speculation was indulged in when motion pic- tures assumed an unchallenged position in the amusement world, as to what their relations would be in adjustment to the legitimate theater. Predictions were unre- liable and experience alone could*‘ show how the theater would be| affected by the demands of the| screen for equal recognition. * * % X% When the “Show Boat” first jat the first production. sue another. - A fine movie inter- pretation of a great play pre- serves and even enhances ' the popularity of the stage perform- ance. An inadequate film does little for itself and hurts the pres- tige of the original. The camera is a persuasive influence. It may |be a good agent if it knows its business and a bad agent if it lacks finesse. * % % % One of the uncertainties of the theater is the element of perma- nent appeal which often asserts itself in connection with a pass- ing incident in the evening’s en- tertainment. A number in no way featured above the other points steps out of the general plan and becomes a world classic. “Old Man River” was among the num- bers claiming its share of encores But it was hardly expected that it would g0 on as it has done and secure the place among the songs which throb with the universal heart beat of humanity. The Latin vo- cabulary puts it into verse along with the dignities of operatic in- terpretation and commends “Old Man River” as an example of the American spiritual created by means of scholarly art instead of natural evolution. The Russians have. taken it up as a song of the toiler and given it a place along swept this city. with. enthusiasm there was no suspicion that there | could ever come a question as to| standing room audiences on the“ first night and on the subsequent | nights of each return engage- ment. “Show Boat” shared the| usual experience of stage success and was transferred to the screen. | Now that the production returns in flesh and blood, the utmost effort is made to.assure the public | that it is the production in original form, and there is even a suggestion of sarcasm in the care- ful reminder that it is “not canned.” Even the emphatic elaboration of announcement does not suffice to clear away the im- pression that the good old show boat has unreservedly intrusted its destinities to the movies, and it needs a performance or two at the beginning of the week to carry the news by word of mouth that it is the same old friend worthy of the same old welcome. Transferring a theatric success with the “Volga Boatmen.” The theater represents a world of sur- prises. It becomes the most fas- cinating of all games because it has no rules that any scientist can hope to master. * % ¥ % Audiences have made it plain that they like to take their thea- ter very seriously, and Ethel Barrymore, even when her play is light, as in the case of “The Love Duel,” does not permit her- self to be overwhelmed by a flow of scintillant but trivial verbalism such as current authorship seel with such perfunctory diligence. It is one of the plays in which a character may spend long min- utes seated and carrying on con- versations which relate with chief importance to the not necessarily unusual mental processes of the star role. * * %k % Miss Barrymore is a personality |quite apart from the technical methods of the theater, which she to the films does not mean that it must drop one career and pur- knows so well that she can afford to disregard them. She has her r ks| & good time in “The Taming of the own toss of the fingertips, her own manners of voice and her own twinkle of the eye which make her more than a calculating art- ist.and cause her to become the beloved companion of innumer- able audiences. If a play happens by chance to be a shade less than compelling in interest, those who know her are still happy to be there for the privilege of sitting it out with Ethel Barrymore. e ] The difficulty of foreseeing pub- lic taste is shown by the sudden and uncompromising favor into which the Shakespearean drama nas come. If it were possible to reproduce all the different kinds of glay enumerated by Polonius in description of the repertory of the strolling troupe, the Stratford Players would undoubtedly ac- complish it. The list they offer includes everything from “pas- toral comical” to tragical his- torical. A o A Many Shakespearean ventures had their origin in Washing- ton, D. C,, and another one that interests is contemplated by Rob- ert Downing, whose manager, Henri Gressit, is arranging a Spring tour of special perform- ances of plays which, though not exactly Shakespeare, are so closely identified with poetic tragedy that they are at first im- pression associated with the transcendant dramatic poetry of the Elizabethan era. These plays are “Ingomar,” “The Virginius” and “Damon and Pythias” Mr. Downing was perhaps most prom- inently associated by popular ac- claim with “The Gladiator”—and that isn't Shakespeare, either. One of the best psychologic evi- dences that Shakespeare was an actor is the manner in which he has succeeded, even through cen- turies, in keeping the center of the stage strictly for himself. Going 1iklose. TH.E cellulold battling team of Pick- ford and Fairbanks, that had such Shrew,” has been dissolved. Word comes that the “Sweetheart of Ameri- ca” will do her next picture more or less as a solo, or rather without the help ot her distinguished husband. The name of it is to be “Forever Yours,” | and Benjamin Glazer, who wrote such | classics as “Seventh Heaven,” is attend- ing to it. | As to the nature of the story, United | Artists offers the information that ‘‘the theme is that of the loyalty of a wom- an’s l:":.hz tn;ll:n‘ the 'd:‘yl of “l!:‘ throug] cl ortunes of mid- to the l:fl dle tful calm of old a w’un. Little Jheater | D. C., SUNDAY TAGE an MORNING, MARCH 2, Polis FRANCE FARR- M the Gayety Theatrical Altruism. BY RANDOLPH HARTLEY. T the present time, when the thea- ater is generally being described as purely commercial institution, it is refreshing to hear of an important the- atrical enterprise that is motivated by purely altruistic ideas. Such an enter- prise is that of the second North Amer- ican tour of the Stratford-upon-Avon Festival Co., from the Shakespeare Me- morial Theater at Stratford. Whatever profits may accrue from the tour will be added the fund for rebuilding the Shakespeare Memorial Theater, which was destroyed by fire three years ago. In view of the cost of transportation of the large company from Stratford as far west as Los Angeles and back to Stratford and the regular expense of maintaining such an organization, it is not likely that the profits will amount to a considerable sum. The board of governors of the Shakespeare Memorial will, however, be content if the proceeds ‘of the tour equal the outlay, because a more important purpose of the enter- prise is to hold together a group of actors that has become one of the most important dramatic companies in the world. 1930. = Motor, Aviation and Radio News - Nancy CARROLL:~ /n' Dawgerow Parsdise” KENWHITMER- * Master of Ceremories”, alace The Spring season and the Summer season at the Memorial Theater give the players only about 20 weeks' em- ployment annually, and in such circum- stances it is natural that the more suc- cessful actors should accept engage- ments on the London stage, which in many cases prevents them from being permanent members of the Stratford company. ‘The success of last year's tour indi- cated, that the organization can be taken. on tour each season, either through Canada and the United States or to Australia or South Africa, and the term of work thus increased to 40 or 45 weeks. ‘With seasons of that length the company can be kept intact year after year, with consequent advantage to the artistry of its performances. Beyond all this, it is the sincere de- sire of the board of governors, of which Sir Archibald Flower is chairman, to acquaint playgoers throughout the world with . the beauty and fascination of Ehlkflrlu'l plays when they are pre- sented in the lucid, intelligent, straight- forward fashion in which they were acted under the stage direction of Ehakespeare himself, The director doss not, however, adhere to the crudities of the Elizabethan stage. On the other hand, he makes good use of all of the mechanical devices of the modern the- ater. But he reveals the text as it was written, and the effect of the perform- ance as given is really little short of magical. . Stage and Screen Attractions This Week NATIONAL—Stratford-upon-Avon Players, “Much Ado About Nothing.” row evening. GAYETY—"“High Flyers,” burlesque. ning. ‘Tomorrow evening. POLI'S—“Babes in Toyland,” Victor Herbert operetta. ‘Tomor- This afternoon and eve- R-K-O KEITH'S—“The Case of Sergt. Grischa.” This afternoon and evening. FOX—“Happy Days.” This afternoon and evening. EARLE—“The Laughing Lady.” This afternoon and evening. PALACE—"Dangerous Paradise.” This afternoon and evening. RIALTO—"“Dames Ahoy!” COLUMBIA—“Anna Christie.” afternoon and evening. This afternoon and evening. ‘This afternoon and evening. METROPOLITAN—"“Son of the Gods.” (Second ‘week.) This LITTLE—“Hungarian Rhapsody.” This afternoon and evening. ‘u%:wo Spanish numbers. Warner Chain Month. Tfl!:monmnxumhhtobelpe— cially observed by the Warner Bros.’ chain of theaters in Washington as “neighborhooa tneater month,” accord- ing to announcement by General Man- ager John J. Payette. The purpose of it all is to direct the special ‘attention of the public to the wonderful improvements that have been installed in each of the Warner chain of theaters in Washington, especially in those which are known as ‘“neighbor- hood houses,” every one of which has had its standard of effectiveness, so far as sound pictures are concerned, raised to the level of the leading down- town theaters. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been devoted by the Warner Bros. to install' the very latest and most effec- tive devices and inventions in all their theaters in the one aim to make them as nearly perfect as may be in the ef- fective exhibition of sound pictures of all descriptions. Even the new carpets {:ged‘n x’the tll‘i)ecl‘l l.hnu;-a have been for ir acoustic properties; while in’the projection booths trans. forming devices of a highly technical character and other inventions embody- ing the latest principles discovered in the talking picture field have been in- stalled. General Manager Payette of the Washington theaters of the Warner chain is asking the Washington public to “visit the Warner movie theater around the corner” (there are a dozen of them, widely distributed throughout the District) and compare its facilities, its entertainment and its general excel- lence with the “silent picture houses’ of days gone by. Horalia,"Songiof theWest:" A FORETASTE of what Washington audiences may expect in “Song of the West,” the Warner Bros. Vitaphone ail-color outdoor operetta, was given at the Metropolitan Theater last week in a melodious interlude entitled “A Mili- tary Post,” in which the effectiveness of technicolor (natural color) photog- raphy outdoors is said to be demon- strated for the first time. Against the colorful background of a ‘Western post’ of the Army, in the da; when .the West was really wild a woolly, Roberto Gusman, noted singer, post setting in its full | glory will be seen by Metropolitan audi- :ll:efl at s later date, when “Song of e West” is shown here. Helmer in “A Doll's House.” Palace CHESTER Monpis- {1 /- "~ The Caseof - . SergeantGrischa’ §} RKOKerths Cfieflfl rom “ANNACHD/IS;JE'-' Columbis “Went to the Dogs.” ARRY LUPINO, the clever British come: in “Babes in Toylanc." tells a good story of his first visit to this country when he was a member of the company assembled to aid Sir Harry Lauder dufing “his transconti- nental tour. “We had played nearly every town and city ot consequence in your West- ern America, and had come to the city of Great Falls, Mont. Upon arriving there we were informed that an ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin' company had played there the night before to a packed house, but that the company was still in town The big feature of the show —the bloodhounds—had met with a disaster that night and thus retarded the immediate continuance of the tour. “Upon interrogating the opera house manager, he told me the story: It ap- pears that the major portion of the audience was composed of ‘cattle punchers and sheepherders, who, ac- companied by their dogs, had come miles to witness this evergreen performance, and as it always had been their custom, the -dogs followed their masters into the auditorium, lying under the wooden kitchen chalrs which 'served for orches- ira seats in those days. All ‘went well until Eliza started to cross the ice—then the trouble The instant the three puny bloodhounds began to bark in pursuif, the dogs under the chairs realized that there were strangers in their midst, and pandemonium broke loose. When, the bloodhounds made their sppearance on the stage, every dog in tl building considered that he or she was delentaed u;ln"-;cik the lm.r;?‘r:. and a grand rush and jump was upon the stage by the entife phalanx, where - the greatest dog fight’ ever witnessed was enacted. Before the combatan were separated, the ‘Uncle Tom's Cabin” company were minus their bloodhounds, for the Scotch collies never quit until the intruders were dead. “That was the last time that were -admitted to a performance Great Falls. This fracas resulted in the construction of a splendid theater, climinating forever ‘Miner's Hall’ But I love your great West—you have so much room to breathe.” - Nazimova’s Great Career. ALLA NAZIMOVA is an important principal of the New York Theater Guild Acting Co. in the Theater Guild's production of Turgenev'’s “A Month in the Country.” - She will be seen in the character of Natalia Petrovna. Like Turgenev, Nazimova is a brilliant and gifted Russian. She was born: at Yalta in the Russian Crimea, educated at Zuric, Switzerland, studied the violin at Odessa and entered a dramatic school at Moscow, where she remained four years. Leaving Moscow, her early dramatic training was begun in provin- cial companies, her success being so emphatic that she was invited to come to St. Petersburg and became a leading woman in a St. Petersburg company. With Paul Orleneff’s company she vis- ited Berlin, London and New York. She first appeared in London as Lia in “The Chosen People.” In America she made her New York debut at the Herald Square Theater in the same part. Thed she decided to play in English, making her English- speaking debut as Hedda Tesman in 's “Hedda Gabler” and as Nora lowed her famous creation of .the ehar- acter of the Comtesse Nina de Loren- Flower," 8 gan producing at the theater named for her, the Nlflmo‘vl in West Thirty-ninth street, New York. ‘Here she ted Ibsen's “Little Eyolf,” and * Fairy Tale.” At the Lyceum Theater, New York, she appeared in “The Other Mary” and later as the Marquise Monclars in “The Marionettes.” Charles Frohman asked her to create the part of Mrs. Chepstow in Robert Thieater, and. then folowsd a lang and T, A n d A brilliant engagement under his manage: Later fol- | ter