Evening Star Newspaper, November 30, 1930, Page 65

Stage and Screen News and Gossip ey Part 4—S8 Pages JAck OAKIE ard LILLIAN ROTH- “Ses Legs” Palace Here’s a Howdy Do By W. H. Landvoigt. where. Just what it is and where to look for it doesn’t seem quite clear. Sherman said, in the long ago, it was war. And judged by what has happened since the world conflict, Sherman may have been right. One thing of “all others is certain. The theater that has been threatened with destruction since” first the commercial spirit entered the heart -of humanity is still with us. And how! Moreover it Is still as elusive as ever, or| criticism is no art. Washington, thanks to a sudden flip that did not favor Princeton, the home of the great university, has had an American premiere of a Pirandello | lay, And under the auspices of rhe Professional Players, which, as heretofore explained, is not composed of actors of the stage, but of that portion of the gen- eral populace that craves worth- while plays played by players who are highly skilled in the art of acting. These worthy folk have an experienced leader who knows what is what and where to find It. Moreover, it has.been explained, the Messrs. Shubert, well known roducers, have promised him and hem to find what they want and to produce it, even if it doesn’t pay to do s0. The Pirandello play is one of the things they have found and produced. Mr. Joseph M. Gaites, also a well known pro- ducer, is said to have had a hand in the business. Except, perhaps, that it was made at all, there is no fault to be found with the pro- | SOMETH!NG is wrong some- duction as shown here. But some- | body ought to take Mr. Luigi Pirandello aside and. whisper into his ear that something is wrong | T with his play, unless. And there’s just where the muddle | comes. It may be the Victorian | spirit still lingers in the mind of | tge astute critic. And it may be that the critic is not, as the young folks often tell their elders, keep- Ing up with the times. But surely the Messrs. Shubert must know, if Mr. Gaites doesn’t, that the Victorians are not all dead yet. Sk . A CYNIC whose name has been lost in oblivion once said that Humanity cuddles more than all its other possessions the virtue of Hypocrisy. Other cynics whose names were not worth preserving | have heaped all the blame for| latter day criticism of the theater upon that gift. “What’s the Con- stitution among friends?” they have asked. And none has been 80 bold as to answer the inquiry. Doubtless it was that very spirit | of hypocrisy that used to make the Elizabethans who went to see their plays call play-actors vaga- ds and outlaws; that made play presentation, after it was wrested from the church, a griev- ous offense, and that even made the crities of the leading papers of Washington, as it has been re- cently explained, take a whack at “The Great Divide,” William ' vaughn Moody’s famous play, when Henry er first presented it in the National Capital, leaving a gem of purest ray serene to be rescued from the arid waste by a eub reporter. Who knows? It maust keep up with the times. A reason for this may be that some folks are very reluctant to give up what they have once gained. They want to hang on to it, even if it be a sense of decency, forever and ever. It must be all wrong. If this isn’'t the correct solution of the problem, a new Mahomet is needed to enlighten the world, for surely we are turn- ing Turks in our -calculations about Paradise, if the theater is really reflecting public taste, pub- lic desire. * % X % ERHAPS the Pirandello play lacked the farcical spirit of “A Kiss of Importance.” If so, Mr. Pirandello may be able to provide work for his comedians and so modify the effect of his play that, if said with a smile, the worst it has to offer can be accepted with- out a qualm. The smile, even the loud and raucous guffaw, was strongly in evidence in Arthur Hornblow Junior’s adaptation of the French play. One thing is certain—if we are to have many of these rough romances, some- thing should be done -at once to provide the smile that our inno- cence may not suffer. While it has been suggested that many who denounce a play out-of-doors really laugh the longest and the loudest in the theater while it is being presented, it should be re- membered that the audience is entitled to a sort of something akin to poetic license. However, as the statesman once observed, |God_reigns and the Government at Washington still lives. St A ‘HE current week will regale with the pungent wit of Britain in a play, “The AFpIe Cart,” that may stir the risibilities, or the in- dignation as one feels, or yet surprise with original humor and happy absurdity. In other quar- ters, Grace George, the delightful comedienne who is always that, will present “The First Mrs. Fraser,” St. John Ervine’s comedy that has metropolitan critics and theater- goers. It seems a pleasant outlook after a week that must have been a severe drag upon sensitive nerves, whether our spirit of hypocrisy be well developed or merely in the developing. Human- ity has other virtues besides its hypocrisy, and, in the land of the free and the home of the brave, is never slow in asserting its right to d!sfilny them as a badge of our well known spirit of independ- ence. * ¥ ¥ X “I'HE GREAT DIVIDE” came back to us during the week, thanks to the zealous work of the Community Guild’s gifted players, and with it a host of pleasant memories of the man who first brought it here and his many artistic and delightful offerings besides. Washington always ad- mired the late Henry Miller, and if the critic of bygone days was harsh in his judgment, being also now among the bygones, he should be excused on the ground that with his thoro training rter. in the ethics of the Vi days, hmmhdmp!ym’t at that time full in m.i'; greatly pleased the|S AMUSEMENT SECTION he Sunday Star. WASHINGTON, D. C, TAGE and Stene from ™ Jhe APPLE CART /- N=tionsl ALEX B. FRANCIS and 4 LESLIE HOWARD-/# NOvtward Bound “Metropdlita “ ABBOTT= bABésyefy Katharine Cornell's Play. IS8 KATHARINE CORNELL is . soon to disband her current vehicle “Dishonored Lady” to begin rehearsals in a new play, Her husband, Guthrie McClintic, left California by airplane and hastened to meet his chaimlnc wife in New York. He is en route for Eng- land to select a cast for Miss Cornell’s Brect” Tor whien he ‘bas scuren e eet,” for wl American rights. oo The play was written by Rudolf Besler and its theme has been evolved from the love lw!rly of two of England's ‘eatest poets, Elizabeth Barrett and rt Browning. In the role of the immortal Elizabeth Browning, Miss Cor- nell will make a decided departure from the type of characters she has recently been playing, for it not only demands the talents of a great emotional actress but an intellectual one as well. Rudolf Besier's heroine is not a. dim ghost of history. Hig]den Among the Humble. EVERAL unusual characters are in- cluded in the group of extras in “SBee America Thirst,” the gangster comedy at the Rialto Theater. After the discovery of Baroness Wan- deyne Deuty of Arad, Hungary, an quiring reporter found the following well known celebrities on the get: “One- Eyed” Connelly, world champion “gate crasher”; “Kid" Broad, a one-time pop- ular prizefighter, and Edgar Fortune, a former member of the British diplo- matic service in India. Featured in the picture also are Harry ll:?'don' 8lim Summerville and Bessie e. - i Mrs. Patrick Campbell. RS. PATRICK CAMPBELL, “dean of English actresses,” makes her '@udible screen debut in the Fox Movie- tone version of the noted play, “The Dancers,” by Chandler Sprague and featuring Lois Moran, now at Fox Theater, just couldn’t help himself, if he were to remain loyal to his public. Many have believed that. the drastic_criticism that welcomed “The Great Divide” also helped tly to its improvement, result- g:.ln its later ce as & masterplece of SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 30, 1930. " Motor, Aviation, Radio Programs @ \S‘C‘eflefvfl? a *SeeAMERICATHIRST 2 Lots MORAN and PHILLIPS HoLMES- In* Jhe Dancers” Fox <\ Stage and Screen Attractions This Week ON THE STAGE. NATIONAL—“The Apple Cart,” Bernard Shaw's play. Opens tomorrow evening. BELASCO—Grace George in “The First Mrs. Fraser.” Opens tomorrow evening. GAYETY—"Sugar Babies” (burlesque). evening. This afternoon and ON THE SCREEN. METROPOLITAN—“Outward Bound.” evening. R-K-O Keith’s—“Sin Takes a Holiday.” evening. This afternoon and This afternoon and COLUMBIA—Harold Lloyd in “Feet First.” This afternoon and evening. FOX—"“The Dancers.” This afternoon and evening. PALACE—Jack Oakie in “Sea Legs.” evening. RIALTO—"See America Thirst.” This afternoon and This afternoon and evening. EARLE—“Man to Man.” This afternoon and evening. What'’s It All' About. *“THE APPLE CART,” Bernard Shaw’s newest play, which is now at the Natlonal Theater, has its scene 1aid in the future—1960, to be exact. In the drama Mr. Shaw seeks to give his views of the problems which democracy will have to face in the days to come, and he offers certain startling prophecies as to what will happen. In view of the fact that Mr. Shaw has made prophecies before and that they have been accurate with a star- tling uniformity, his sprightly utterances concerning 1960 must be looked upon as coming with authority. Since . Shaw'’s play, far from being fantastic, is a reasoned and witty forecast of what the author expects will be actual conditions, Lee Simonson of the guild was unable to fall back upon the wild fantasy that is usually the Samaritan of stage designers in a like situation. He had to forecast what was actually going to happen in the }myflul world also, just as Mr. Shaw orecast what was going to hap the social, economic and political. ‘Two of the scenes are interiors. One laced on a terrace overlooking the logical conclusion. There are wide plane, surfaces and a minimum of those Jjarring angles that mar much of the resent mode. The terrace is crowned y formalized urns, supported by metal ornaments, thin and extrefely plain. This attribute of formalization and elimination of all conventional details will be, according to Mr. Simonson, the most marked characteristic of 'the future in architecture, furnishings and even clothes. ‘The most striking interior is the council chamber of King Magnt England, the central figure of the play. Interesting use is made of vertical and horizontal lines on flat-colored back walls that are decorated only by line ornaments in metal. The en cor- ners of the room are units of lighting behind heavy ground ‘The door is solid, with no of the business suits . Men’s clothes, very little fact, only 1812, when ‘chief chare details HAROLD LLOYD - /r & scere fmm * FEETFIRST” Colymbia FrED KEATING - Earle (S79e) A Ready Wit, 'ONSTANCE BENNETT, Pathe star of “8in Takes a Holiday,” is reputed t0 be one of the readiest wits in the mo- tlon picture colony. Recently several reporters sought to test the claim. It was at a reportorial luncheon. One sob sister of the press gushed over the costume Miss Bennett was wearing. Miss Bennett thanked her for the compliment and remarked quite casually she had designed it her- self. The reportorial lady's eyes grew round as she exclaimed: “Why, how surprising that you of all people should go in for designing your own clothes. I've always heard that Patou, Boue —" Miss Bennett interupted, quietly: “I'd like to tell you a little story. A few years ago I was in Montreal. At the same time the Prince of Wales was there. The debutantes were making a great fuss over him and talking royalty this, royalty that and royalty every- thing else to him. He stood it as long as he could and then—with obvious de- liberation —drew a letter from his pocket and read part of it. It was from his sister, Princess Mary. She was teélling him about a new hat she had. The hat had been designed and put together by her mother—the Queen of England.” “So you see,” she concluded with an amused smile, “I'm stepping along with the best of them.’ i Rooney Sand Dancing. pAT ROONEY—the inimitable Pat— with his son, young Pat, now at ‘Warners' Earle Theater, has revived his old-time and ever-popular “sand dancing.” A It has been 25 years since a Rooney danced in sand. And in those 25 years modern theater-goers have practically forgotten what it's like. Pat's father, the original Pat Rooney, was one of the originators of this kind of rhythmic, fast, soft shoe. “Sand dancing” isn't as intricate as it sounds. All it requires is a piece of linoleum and a cupful of hard, fine sand. Veteran patrons of the theater will remember it. ‘The two Rooneys are here in a brand- new offering. Marion Bent, Pat's wife and the mother of young Pat, however, is ing. As a member of the Rooney “firm” for years, she retired recently Of | after an illness and the two Pats are on hand to carry out family tradition. The 1931 Bob. ’I'Hl new 1931 national bob has reached Hollywood via Emile Beau- vals, president of the National Hair Dressers and Cosmotologists’ Associa- tion, who selected Irene Dunne of the Radio Pictures’ studio as the first woman to wear it. He personally dressed the actress’ hair. He also placed his stamp of ap- proval on authenticity of the hair dresser from 1889 to 1930 worn by Miss Dunne in_*“ ,” the screen ver- ston of Ferber’s novel. as trus by the- Radio All Piotures ALLaAN ROGERS - Palace (Stage) Riato i LuciLLe Powers-/ NMon o Msn* Earle CONSTANCE BENNETT 370 KENNETH MACKENNA-/7"SinTokes & Holidsy R.k.O keiths Ziegfeld Makes a Change By Percy Hammond . T appears that Mr. Ziegfeld, once -eminent as an exhibifor of ladies in deshabille, has perma- nently changed his ways. For several seasons past this ploneer of polite uncovering has given evidence that he was weary of the “white s faces” by secluding many of them hind the screen of an extensive ward: robe. Now, in “Smiles,” the th: ringed romance at the Ziegfeld Theater, | the American girl is not to be seen in her own glories, but in those of Mr, Ziegfeld's retinue of tailors. I teleph A to ask the glorification of the female shape divine. ~Since he was in conference with his cabinet of couturiers, I was unable to get through to him, and so I must speculate as to his reasons an excuses. Thus I suspect that the imi- tative enter?rlses of George White and Earl Carroll discouraged him by their heedless audacities, making it impos- sible to advance further in the of nudity. Or he may have thought that shanks and kneecaps have lost their lure and have become monotonous. Or as a veteran employer of physical charms, he may have to search with interest for dimples and curves. Or, as the shrewdest tactician in the war of the showmen against the playgoers, he may have decided that there is success in ambush. “Smiles,” in the epigram of Mr. Zolatov, one of the reviewers, is “beat tiful but dumb.” by William Anthony McGuire is an in- spiration to snore, and were it not for Mr. Ziegfeld's flair for color and form and the Ringling character of its star per{ormers, it would be an omunental pest. lofty tradition of prosperous musical comedy. Fred Stone, Dave Montgom- ery and Elsie Janis were once a part- nership, and Donald Brian, Julia Sand- erson and Joseph Cawthorne merged their talents years ago in ay with music. The present combination Ziegfeld Theater is costlier if not more imposing, and it works wonders with an 'othm lackadaisical entertain- ment. Miss Miller impersonates & gifted Salvation Army prima donna, and the Astaires represent jolly aristocrats from | o, the azure precincts of Park avenue, New York. They dance wonderfully and sing, in a manner of speaking, ht verses penned by Ring Lardner. Mr. Lardner was summoned to be lyricist to Vincent Youmans’ casual concertina, and he answered with several col I regret, as ,"that he was eq te 3 - Guire’s doleful prose. The .of the fé:";"" shows and the one had Mr. 1 have forgotten th grown too lazy | ing Its yawning libretto | y5 accurately than the new show at the Ziegfeld. " It may be that Mr. Ziegfeld and Mr. McGuire, with their intense sense of humor, mischievously omitted the in tion point that would have christened it “Smiles?” " Nevertheless, it is one of the big shows of the season, rich, decorative and pleasing to the eye. * ok Xk *x IRAM MOTHERWELL, editor of the Theater Guild Magazine, asks me to send him a list of actors who, in my opinion, are the best. “Most of us agree,” ed | he writes, “that there aren't many actors or actresses on the American stage who know how to act in distinc- tion to knowing how to act natural. I mean actors who in addition to their natural talent have a mature technique which enables them to act various dis- similar parts with equal sureness.” Mr. Motherwell adds thdt I can be incognito in awarding my prizes. “Just typewrite the names you select on a blank sheet of paper and mail it to me before Mon« day morning,” he says. One of my ajor virtues is procrastination and ere is Monday gone by without confid- to Mr. Motherwell my anonymous pickings and choosings. I hurry, there- fore, to get them printed in other pub- lications. In the drama there is an opulence of actors and a famine in playwrights. It is not the fault of the Lambs Club or the Equity Association that Broadway strewn with ruins. An intelligen producer can cast any play perfectly from “Uncle Tom™ to “Uncle .Vanya,” and have scores of fine artists left over. The dramatists and impresarios often . betray their profession, but the actors seldom if ever. From Leo Donnelly to Dudley Digges and from Jane Cowl to Phoebe Foster, they do a good job. I could mention hundreds of them, but I shall limit myself to a catalogue of those whose names I remember at the moment of this writing: Ethel ore (may heaven help me?), Helen Hayes (ditto), Laurette ‘Taylor, Alfred Lunt, Lee Tracy, Lynn Fontanne, Guy Kibbe, Louis Calhern, Joseph Sweeney, Helen Westley, Dudley at a late hour | ¥R ducers, audiences and crif as efficient the drama might be an art instead of an antic. * ox 'HURRIED reco: