Evening Star Newspaper, April 6, 1930, Page 57

Theater, Screen and Music Scere From Jhe BENSON um Bl ey CASE"~ Palace Stere from * BLAZE O'GLORY “ Easrle — EDDIE DOWLING mperson and orscrees. o L N 2 LR SHAW and LEE - Palace ($tage) Stock CompanyBlooms in the Spring. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. It was the privilege of Wash- ington’s National Theater Players to come into blossoming simul- taneously with the cherry trees in Potomac Park, which have be- come symbolical the Nation over of vernal promise realized. At the same time, the front yard garden- ers are growing eloquent in terms of horticultural expectation, and the spirit of the season is one of reawakening. It is true an ele- ment of gloom lingered in hold- over from the rigors of the regu- lar road season, but the clouds of the “Journey’s End” .could not dispel the sunshine of promise from the National stage, where a gentle geniality entitled “Holiday” expanded its welcome influence. The foyer of the theater was, like the dressing rooms, literally wreathed in flowers to correspond with the faces of the managerial staff, busily engaged in the de- lightful occupation of welcoming friends, old and mew, who had recorded their faith and good will in so many instances, not only by present attendance, but by seat reservations in advance to an ex- tent unprecedented in the history. of local stock. * ok ok % That it is to be a local enter- prize is made evident from the start by preliminary banqueting sponsored by established interests eager to welcome the players as fellow townsmen and to see them well bestowed. A neighborly ad~ dress by the urbane Clifford Brooke served as a prologne to éacn performance and Chris Arth's orchestra gave a littie extra flourish to the selections which announced that farmony reigns secure as it did’in the days when no stage play was considered com- gletc without music for the en- r'acte. . * % * % The season has been actively educating playgoers to an attitude of indifference to traditional ideas of structure and of casting. “Jour- ney’s End” plays its cruelly fas- cinating story through without a woman in the company and with pnly a hint of inspiring love in- terest, which is scarcely heard above the incessant roar of the guns. The Cochrah-Brooke com- pany restores the old alignment of dramatis personae and the ap- plauding audience extends a “re- ception” as each appears in turn to the “leading man,” “leading woman,” “walking gentleman,” “juvenile lover,” charming “in- genue” and, no doubt, one who, in the playing of many parts, must appear, perhaps to the grief of various susceptible admirers, as “heavy villain.” * % % ¥ The value of a preliminary en- thusiasm was shown in the per- formance, as it rendered the play- ers so secure in their respective sitions that there could be no race of the nervousness which may sometimes afflict even the seasoned actor before an audience of strangers. There was no stern- ly critical attitude of mind to be feared. The play was a light one, with no trace of controversial challenge and the audiences re- solved themselves as far as possi- ble into plni;:'?lnu in the pres- entation, exerting to the utmost their time-honored- privilege: of providing applause even at .the expense now and then of inter- rupting a scene. There must have been a temptation “in the mind of Master of Ceremonies Brooke to restore to current expression a favorite line of Francis Wilson's 1n his curtain speeches, “Audience, you have behaved beautifully!” * k k ok . After a season of ‘nstruction in what has become generally known since the term was first here ‘ap- gl‘led, as the “mechanistic drama,” e audiences of this city, audi- ences who do not invariably fall in line with approval of metro- politan successes in this country and even abroad, found attention brought suddenly, by “Journey’s End,” to a new and overwhelming war thought. Of all mechanisms, the machine gun is the most in- exorably: powerful and soul- destroyin g i % EE AMUSEMENT SECTION he Swunday Star, WASHINGTON, D. C, B, § | i it | “The Rivals” in May. ON Sunday night, May 11, one of the grandest galaxy of stars within average memory will appear at, the Na- tional Theater for one performance only of George C. Tyler's latest revival of “The Rivals.” Mrs. Fiske will play the Mrs. Mala- Ftup role with that delightful sang- roild which mingles errors of speech and deportment and calmly brushes them lightly to one side. James T. Powers will be Bob Acres. Also in the famous cast will be seen Andrew Mack, Rollo Peters, Pedro de Cordoba, Mar- gery Maude, Betty Linley, John Craig, Georgette Cohan, George Tawde, Ed- ward Powell and Dann Malloy. Wonders of;’lovieland. (CAMERAS and microphones located 35 miles apart, it is claimed, have suc- cessfully photographed and recorded a single scene for the talking films. In one place the scene itself was photo- graphed. In the other the sound effects were created. The action was for Charles “Buddy” Rogers' picture, “Young Eagles.” The scene was an air rald over Paris during the war, showing the" flight of terror- stli;cken Parisians to the safety of their cellars. While the cameras turned on this action at the studios in Hollywood bombing planes roared through the air at an aviation fleld 35 miles away and dropped the bombs that the sound re- cording apparatus “heard” at the in- stant it also picked up the words of players on the set. An open telephone line from the air- port to the studios kept the director in touch with his planes and enabled him to direct both parts of his “double scene.” The same phone line brought back from micrpohones at bt'he airport the sound of exp! g loding bom! e extreme novelty, “Journey’s: End” reverts to very ancient ideas. What we call classic does not re- late only to the dance with flow- ing draperies and chaplets in imi- tation of the woodland nymph, but ‘asserts itself in the strictest intellectual restraint as a play like “Journey’s End” occasionally observes the usually disregarded “unities” in dramatic form. The unity of time is expanded over only a brief number of hours, which call for no change of scene, as the same dugout is shown, dim lit, throughout the action, which is held remorselessly to the theme of such terror as may at last grip even the noblu£ n‘nn‘d - % * In drama a public, now so eager to think and to learn, finds that, as in materia medica, what is good for it is not neces- sarily what is most agreeable. “Journey’s End” is ted as a thought of grim, positive value, and achieves the distinction of extending its engagement through Like so much that is M?ed as|a second week, National Playens bia OSCAR B. GLICK, George Washington University law stu- dent, who has been appointed to direct the Ludwig Lewisohn play, “Adam,” at the Jewish’ Community Center, April 30. The Temple Players will make up the cast of the play, which, it is under- stood, is. constructed the plot of the ~author’s mnovel, “The Island Within.” i A. Master of Cetemonies. Al.. EVANS, announced as guest mas- ter of ceremonies this week at Loew’s Palace, is a college product, who has wielded the pigskin as well as the horsehide. He has, furthermore, con- ducted his own college orchestra, played ball. with the Detroit American League team under Ty Cobb. organized the California Ramblers, and struck ebulli- ent chords with Waring’s Pennsylvan- ians and the Isham Jones orchestras. ~evening. POLI'S—“Journey’s R-K-O KEITH'S—“Ladies of evening. evening. SUNDAY MORNIN STAGE and SCREIN, METROPOLITAN—“Under a Texas Moon.” APRIL 6, 1930. ROBERT NOBE.L ans/ HENRY STEPHENSON /nUourfleyé End” Pohs'- BarBARA STANWYCK- ard MARIE. PREVOST-#§ “ Ladies of Leisure” | Seere from” ONLY The BRAVE ™ Colum | Directs ‘““Adam” l Gary Immortalized. | GARY COOPER is to become the first | =~ film star to have a town named in his honor. This was reveajed in a com- munication from Ralph Budd, president of the Great Northern Railway, who says that his company will change the name of Sunnyside, Mont., to Gary. The change !s made because the Paramount star, owning a large ranch near the village, will soon make that locality an attraction for visitors by glpenmg the Gary Cooper Guest Ranch here. Cooper was born in Helena, Mont., and spent the major part of his life in that State before coming to Holly- wood four years ago. Frank Fay.‘a Features. THE life of a stage celebrity may be hazardous, but the existence of a motion picture actor is far more diffi- cult. At least, such is the opinion of Frank Fay, who at present is playing the role of the amorous two-gun man in “Under » Texas Moon" at Warner's Metropolitan, Veteran of countless musical comedies and revues, Mr, Fay has heretofore al- ways appeared without disguise. His wit, together with his reddish mop of hair and his freckled face, have been his chief marks of distinction. Seldom, if ever, has he been called upon to change his everyday appearance in stage pro- ductions. Even as the worm has to turn, how- 4 ever, so does Frank in “Under a Texas Moon.” And because his physiognomy didn't seem to fit the role of a Mexican ladies’ man, Don Carlos, he was forced to dge his titlan curls black and un- dergo certain pruning treatments for the removal of superfluous freckles—the picture being photographed entirely in natural color. In this way was he pre- pared and transformed into the swarthy {an of a cactus-born Mexican. “This is only my second picture.” Mr. Fay remarks, “and the time I ever was called upon to improve upon na- ture.” Stage 'and Screen Attractions This Week. NATIONAL—“Brothers,” a melodramatic play. Opens tomorrow End,” war drama. Pérformance this evening. GAYETY—Burlesque. This afternoon and evening. PALACE—“Benson Murder Case.” EARLE—“Blaze o’ Glory.” This afternoon and evening. This afternoon and evening. Leisure” This afterncon and This ‘afternoon and FOX—"The Sky Hawk.” This afternoon and evening. COLUMBIA—* the Brave.” 'l.'hln afternoon and evening. HELEN CHANDLER. a/7s GARRICK=- /7 JOHN ST Kere fron” UNDER ATEXAS MOON- Motor, Aviation and Radio News IR SThe Sty Havek ” Fox Richard Bird Explains. **QTRICTLY MODERN, mantic comedy drama and “Dorothy Mackaill's biggest speaking hit,” is an- nounced for the week beginning Priday at Warner's Earle. With Miss Mackaill is featured Sidney Blackmer as leading man, Julanne Johnston, Warner Rich- mond, Katherine Claire Ward and Mickey Bennett. It is described as the love story of a cynical girl novelist whose accidental interference in her girl cousin’s romance saves the latter from a loveless match and wins a sweetheart for herself. Herbert Brenon's picturization of Fanny Hurst's noted story of “Lummox,” featuring Winifred Westover, Ben Lyon and William Collier, the junior, is an- nounced for the Palace Theater for the week starting ‘Saturday. Loew's other theater, the Columbia, announces a second week of “Only the Brave.” “The Big Party,” which comes to the Fox on Saturday of this week for a week’s run, is another of the noted Fox Movietone musical farces, - with Sue Carol leading a cast that . includes "Whiémmg Jack Smith, Walter- Cat- lett, les ‘Judels ard others. Authenticity. TY THOUSAND . photographs, drawings and prints contained in the Paramount research library at the Long Island Studlo, it is claimed, would seem to indicate that settings and cos- tumes used in pictures are fairly au- thentic. This collection, it is said, cannot be duplicated and is one of the most com- plete in the United States. - One entire wall of the studio library is covered with files of -pictures showing costumes, customs and scenes hout the world. Some :of the headings under which they are caf ed are; Wind- storms, Gamblers, ips, -~ Weddings, Sports and War. = By refe to these, any event in contemporary can Mduumgfllflflummfimm en! This large collection of pictures that l‘uvewl;een clipped rmax lomestic and oreign newspapers and m: augmented by a picture-postcard con! 5,000 what is known as the “pride € ]F any labor under the delusion that the language used in ‘Journey's End” is reminiscent more of a ‘pink- tea war’ than what actually went on at the front let them betake themselves to their: English idiomatic dictionaries and find out what it’s all about.” Thus speaks Richard Bird, one of England’s notable actors, a member of the famous “West End” London thespian clan, who before he attained to spotlight fame saw active service in the war, and now, after a highly successful season opposite Gladys RICHARD BIRD. 1 Cooper in the London production of 18 | “The Sacred Flame,” is assuming what lll; he labels his “hundredth” role as Cap- tain Stanhope in W. C. Sherriff’s war old | play, “Journey’s End.” “The language I'x‘:r ‘Journey’s End’ is very strong,” says . Bird. . “And even though it hasn’t got the Americanisms GLaoys MféokMA K- At the Gayefyc that came with “What Price Glory,” that doesn’t mean that its words aren't quite as forecful. Some of it is, in fact, much stronger, if you know what it means. -The expletives used are ‘simply awful,” and quite sufficient to arouse an Englishman to the proverbial boiling point.” It seems that the word “bloody” is the high mark of indecorous British un- pleasantries. So that when Capt. Stan- hope says “You bloody little swine,” even the toughest lines of “What Price Glory” couldn't improve on them from an Englishman's point of view. This word: “bloody,” furthermore, was never heard of on the stage until a certain gentleman by the name of G. B. Shaw pulverized his country- ‘men one‘day by having one of his char- acters say “not’ bloody likely” in “Pyg- malion.’ = That,” says Mr. Bird, “was the first time such a word was ever used on our stage, and it rocked the country pretty thomuéh]y." Since -then its theatrical caretr has been fairly sub- jued, until “Journey's End” comes along to remind ‘us that it is one of the most actite bits of swearing in the English language. “Of course,” Mr. Bird explairz, “the everyday language of the average soldier could not be reproduced literally on the stage. But when, in the analyzation of this play, one considers that in this front-line dugout there are present a schoolmaster and two boys th’““ mx: h:{ type of , who talked -about his vefiufle gardens and his other hobbies right up to the time of bombardment. Before such a man & young schoolboy would be pretty apt to modulate his Ang even in the bitterest moments of ‘War.” Mr. Bird, whom Washingtonians last sew back in 1924 in “Candida,” most of the rest of the t George Jean Nathan, is hat to the author “Journey's End,” also to James Whale, who qfimefl it through the mansgerial of London for many a long day, and to Maurice Browne, who had the courage and fc ht to buy it after every one else had ed 1t down.