Evening Star Newspaper, February 22, 1931, Page 43

WStagé News and Scréen and Gossip AMUSEMENT SECTION he Sunday Star. Motor, Avi ation, Radio Programs Part 4—10 Pages WASHING TON, :D. ©., SUNDAY oy MORNING, TAGIE and SCREE GRETAGARBO ard ROBERTMONTGOMERY- mn”> lnsprration BusTER KEATON- Columbia na Scere #om *Parlor, Bedroom and Bath” Rsce Sundry Observations By W. H. Landvoigt IKE the saintly Joan of Arc cf the French long ago, Ethel Barrymore is going to sally forth and restore some- thing to the American theater. In this instance, perhaps, it is the outlying province professionally designated as “the road.” If suc- cessful, it promises to be a won- derful achievement for the mod- ern Jcan, who, unlike her illus- trious fredecessor, springs from “a royal family of Broadway.” The famous John of the same lineage might be expected to take part in the expedition, but, alas for the ways of mice and men, John seems to be enamoured of the cinema life, and it is likely he will lag sulking in his tent, like Achilles of old. The immediate occasion for this outburst is the announce- ment that Miss Barrymore, famous among the famous of the acting profession, and, as has been well said, “one of the finest, fullest and most glamorous troupers of the theater,” will lay aside the color- ful drama, “Scarlet Sister Mary,” postpone her proposed second roduction planned for Broadway in March, and, within three short months, set forth upon a tour of 50 cities of the old South and the earning Midwest, with “The Love uel,” the Hatvany Hungarian drama, which was adapted by Zoe Atkins, and which was played from coast to coast during the 1929-30 season. She will do this because she has not been able to visit the South since her tour in “Mid-Channel,” and she really wants a public that has been all but abandoned to see her again. 8o sincere is she in her undertak- ing that she will not sairk even the rigors of one-night stands. INCE her debut in her grand-| mother’s (Mrs. John Drew’s) company at the age of 13 the now famous Ethel Barrymore says she has ever regarded the entire United States as her field of action and equally deserving of her best endeavors in everything | worthwhile in the theater. The timid, doubting Thomases in New York, who have the faltering in- stituticn now in their grasp, may sit idly by, if they like, waiting with Micawber for something to turn up, but a fearless, intelligent woman is now prepared to lead the way and show them the error of inaction. In this instance i happens to be a woman with faith in her art and faith in her audi-| ences which supplies the courage| to do battle in the four corners of | the land, even against the rivalry| of a cheaper, shadowy counter- | part and the high cost of trans- | rtation. There isn’t a lover of | he theater in all the length and breadth of America who will not wish her the fullest measure of success in her undertaking and the resuitant glcry that will be hers if she succeeds. It is gener- ally conceded that if the American | theater is to regain its place in the preference of the public that now seems to be secure in the possession, with outlying fortifica- tions, of a rival with interloping propensity and gifted with eye- filling glory, a roufh and rugged road lies ahead of the effort to put it there. However, it will be remembered, the French Joan had much the same sort of situations to contend with. And who is there to question the courage, the in- genuity, the art of Ethel Barry-| more, our modern theatrical Joan, to cope with her problem and to master it with equal, if not greater, success, x % ¥ % JANE COWL gave an exguisite performance as Viola in “Twelfth Night” during the week. | “githerin’s” that keep thousands, | | like Bottle,” which hardly seems the osort of play with which that de- lightful actress of classic mold should be identified. Furthermore, however ridiculously amusing the possibilities of the theme may be, | the playwright manifestly sl\pped‘, in his effort to graspy his oppor- | tunities. “Strictly Dishonorable,”| which seems to have been classed | by someone with the 10 best plays | of the season, came to town her- alded by a gaudily colored poster, | a full yard square, containing the | encomiums of the play by the| critics and dramatic writers. Louis Azrael of Baltimore, as ‘“guest re- viewer” for the New York Tele- gram, summed up his opinion in the following terse comment: “To | put it graphically, ‘Strictly Dis- honorable’ is like a good, dirty Rabelaisian tale told at the tag end of a respectable party.” At least, so said the poster. Called a “gay comedy,” the wisdom em- bodied in this column sized it up as a fascinating concoction of laughter and license, of innocence and shamelessness, of biting wit and chummy humor, consum- mately and kaleidoscopically in- terwoven by Preston Sturges, its young playwright. It seemed like a satirical joke at the expense of the modern girl who is disposed to be daring, but decent, and the ofera tenor, who may be any and all things. That it is highly enter- taining cannot be doubted from its reception by large and eminently respectable audiences that crowd- ed the National during the week. That it must have been frigh! fully shocking to those of aspen- leaf sensibilities is equally beyond mere suspicion. It is “modern | theater,” where every one in the! audience is expected to be a good fellow and laugh, but to reserve all other emotions for strictly private manifestation and contemplation. e R F sentiment sometimes creeps and VIOLET KEMB LE COOPER- /nn"The Lonely Way e Character Expression. thor of “The Lonely Way, to the National next week, have his characters speaki; monologues peculiar to Eugene O'Neil “Strange Interlude.” he does have them talk “out from” their subconscious minds. It s a method that he uses in both his novels and plays, since his in- terest is mainly psychological. Like Ib- sen, he finds the device useful in giv- coming does not near the surface with the reader, it may not be amiss to say a word | of commendation in behalf of the | cheery characterization of Seth| Parker, he of the Sunday night| perhaps millions, out of their hon- | est beds until a very late hc r,| simply in order to be pres t. Here, if you please, is one of ae finest bits of drama creation taat has ever come over the radio. So| excellent, indeed, is it that already there is said to be a notion, scarce- ly concrete in form as yet, that Seth Parker and his Sunday night companions might admirably be incorporated in a lengthier drama for the stage, one of those heart- reaching, worthwhile folk pieces “The Old Homestead” or “Way Down East.” Worse plots than this are being brewed in these troublous days by wickeder men. s e e AT this point pray permit an incident to be recalled to illustrate the heartless cruelty of nature when it gets tangled with good intentions. At the close of the final performance of “Bird in than a week ago,. Manager L. Stoddard Taylor, always keen with an eye to scoring a point, in re- sponse to a vigorous curtain call, | before the footlights, while, ac- cording to English custom, “God Save the King” was played by the | orchestra, and to make things | more binding, as it were, our own “Star Spangled Banner.” It was |a generous and geuntlemanly courtesy to the players who had provided a most enjoyable week with their artistic efforts. But scarcely before the last note of 1t smply atoned for “Art and Mrs. “God Save the King” ,u reached ' Hand,” at the Belasco, a bit more | had the English company line up| ing to his characters a richness of background in their personalities, New York Stage mn pa]amas. THE New York stage is well repre- sented in the Pathe comedy “P: rading Pajamas,” which was directed Wallace Fox Playing opposite Johnny Artk | comedy dead, is Eleanor Hunt, the the em- inine lead in the Broadway presentation | of “Whoopee,” with Eddie Cantor. She also had important parts in “Animal Crackers,” with the Four Marx Broth- ers, and “Just Fancy.” Charles Baron, juvenile stage actor, who portrayed the Walter Winchell part in “Animal Crackers,” is likewise in the cast. Baron also played with Eleanor Hunt in Joseph Santley’s “Just Fancy.” Margaret Clark brings three years of dramatic and musical stock experience to her role. Her latest appearance on the New York stage was in “New Moon.” And Ben Hendricks, jr., | the cast. | | there came from the audience a | deep, far-reaching sigh, and from | the players what seemed like a | moan that might have followed the march of the gods over the rainbow bridge into Walhalla. It was not due to anything that had gone before in the play or in the experiences of the players, nor, indeed, any sort of an intimation | of desire that the king should not | be saved. It was significant only |in the fact that it marked the fina! withdrawal of one of the completes to the players than to those before whom it has been presented, many of whom, doubtless more than once—a sort of funeral knell for a something difficult to part withe EvELYyN MEYERS - THOUGH Arthur Schnitzler, the au- | g the inner | most delightful plays of the sea-| son, which has been no less a joy| Scene From *DRrACiLA” 4 G"é'/\/e'f)/— tomorrow night. night. On the noon. | evening. evening. and evening. [**M[18S UNIVERSAL" known to a small hamlet in Mississippi Dorothy Goff, is “a quartet of beauties. Recently she was acclaimed “Miss New |Orleans” at a beauty contest in that |city; next she became “Miss America,” then “Miss United States” and finally “Miss Universal” at the international pageant of pulchritude held in Dallas, Tex., last August. Miss Goff is one of the principals in “Making Mary,” the new musical com- |edy that is coming to Washington, be- | fore Broadway, at the National Theater | next Sunday 'night. . Strange to say, | Miss Goff was chosen for her role in | “Making Mary” before she was chosen as “the outstanding beauty in the world.” Gordon and Lennox, producers of the show, signed her to a contract before she went to New Orleans to en- ter into the beauty contest there last Summer. Her talents had been discov- ered while she was appearing in & lvmdevflle theater in Macon, Ga. mrmuu’huyummd-hq JUNIOR THEATER—“Robin Hood.” GAYETY—"Let’s Go” (burlesque). This afternoon and evening. COLUMBIA—Greta Garbo in “Inspirati J FEBRUARY 22, 1931. Scene From "CIMARRON 4 RKO.Kerths EoMUND LOWE ans EANETTE MicDowaLor - {r"Dont Bet , On\Xomern- X, o Stage and Screen Attractions This Week On the Stage. NATIONAL—“The Lonely Way,” new Schnitzler drama. Opens BELASCO—“Better Times,” new musical production. Opens to- Opens Saturday morning. Screen, NATIONAL—Newman Traveltalk, “La Vie de Paris.” This after- ‘This afternoon and EARLE—“My Past”"—Miss Patricola. This afternoon and evening. PALACE—"Parlor, Bedroom and Bath.” This afternoon and FOX—“Don’t Bet on Women”—Irene Franklin. This afternoon RIALTO—“Dracula.” This afternoon and evening. R-K-O KEITH'S—"“Cimarron.” This afternoon and evening. METROPOLITAN—*“Illicit.” This afternoon and evening. STRAND—“Birth.” This afternoon and evening. “Miss Universal.” is described as vivacious and magnetic. Her eyes twinkle brightly when she re- plies to a question, and she moves as ;m;r;gtly as a deer in the forest. She ety ¢ All of which seems very interesting. “Golden-Voiced Personality" ’I'HE old query, which weighs the most, a pound of gold or a pound of feathers, seems applicable to Yvette Rugel, one of the artists featured in this week’s Capitol Theater, New York, | s stage Tevue, Loew’s Palace. Here is a miniature prima donna, a delightful young woman with a voice out of proportion to her size, a singer whose possessions are described as a virtual treasure trove, in a setting measured by pennyweight. Miss Rugel's voice has been called “molten gold, a flood of delightful tones, made expres- sive by an unusual understanding and intelligent knowledge eof values which actually plays on the heartstrings. Miss Rugel also has the ability and an outstanding personality. J “Krinoline Kapers,” at Fox 18s PATRICOLA IRENE FRANKLIN- Fox(S799) ‘Earle (Stage) Featured in “Better Times." HARLES PURCELL, one of the im- portant stars in “Better Times,” at the Shubert-Belasco, has risen within the space of a few short years to a featured position on the American mu- sical comedy stage. Possessing a tenor voice of excellent quality and a pleasing personality, he did not find it difficult to gain a hearing in the theater of young actors and sing ers. His first part was offered him in his own home town of Chattanooga, when an actor in a visiting company plllnying “The Isle of Spice” was taken . Eventually Purcell reached New York, where he appeared in “The Chocolate Soldier.” Various other musical produ tions followed, and then came his e gagement as leading man in the Zies feld Midnight Frolic. After that he ap- peared in “Flora Bella,” “My Lady's Glove,” “Maytime,” “Monte Cristo,” “The Magic Melody, “The Poor Little Ritz Girl,” “The Rose Girl,” “Dearest Enemy” and “Hit the Deck.” Buster's Brief Biography. BUSTER KEATON, who appears this week in “Parlor. Bed Room and Bath” at Loew's Palace Theater, was born in Piqua, Kans, a town since wiped off the map by a cyclone. He appeared as a child with his parents in their vaudeville act, called “Three Keatons." His initial screen work was in two- reel comedies, from which he arose under the guidance of Fatty Arbuckle. Bur]esque Stars. THE Mutual Burlesque Association is engaged in the laudable effort to develop variety stars of the first magni- tude, for, as a rule, it is from the bur- lesque ranks entertainers are recruited for the big sensational shows of the tage. At this particular time attention is being invited to Evelyn Meyers, star of the current attraction at the Gayety, who is said to have been sought by one of the biggest revues of the season— but without avail, for Miss Meyers is not yet content to leave a certainty for possible fame in the big shows, where cne is so easily apt to be lost in the shuffle. As matters are, Evelyn, an attractive combination of beauty, brains and gen- uine talent, is said to be quite content with her hosts of present admirers and the gloris has thus far achieved. Louise GRooDY-4 > Detter Times” Belasco BARBARA STANWYCK- /n~Nliert “ Metropolitan By Percy N interesting chance to compare a French and American version of a French play was offered last week when Marcel Pagnol's “Topaze,” in which Frank Mor- gan played for several successful months in New York last season, was |put on in the original by a French company, with M. Antoine Arnaudy in the title part. “Topaze,” which has been played in most of the languages of Europe, is the story of a French schoolmaster who turned into a gilded racketeer. For more than half the play, a downtrod- den, hard-working school teacher, be- lieving firmly that honesty is the best policy and getting himself into all sorts of trouble in consequence, he becomes the innoncent tool of a get-rich-quick municipal grafter, and when, through the latter's wire-pulling, he actually gets the academic degree which he couldn’t get by his own hard work, his character flops completely. He beats his employer at his own game, and is a gilded cock o’ the walk when the final curtain falls. In the course of this frankly cynical and highly amusing varn, the author takes pot shots at all sorts of aspects of French society and politics; and makes a good many hits, which, naturally, are less deadly here. ‘The French company make the whole piece more broadly farcial than it was made by Mr. Morgan and the American company. In M. Arnaudy's “Topaze” there was none of that slight- ly sentimental, Dickensy quality in the earlier scenes, when Topaze was still the stubbornly honest and downtrod- den school teacher. Even here, M. Ar- naudy seemed to give intimations that the final transformation of the acad- emic grub into the grafting butterfly | was not going to be as startling a twist | as it was in the American version, His treatment of the role was decidedly broader and more florid. He stumbled over furniture, choked violently on a cocktail and his exit from the school | room from which he had just been dis- missed, while effective and in keeping with the character as he viewed it, was held too long and just a bit overacted, from our point of view. Contrasts of this sort are rather fruit- less, however, and of interest to no one, perhaps, except to those who remember clearly the American performance. Both the light comedy and farcical methods are possible in this case. Suffice to say that the whole plece is delightfully amusing, and in several of its subordi- rate roles more capably played than it was in the American version. Mme. Suzanne Rissler as the sweetheart of the racketeer who effected the transfor- mation in Topaze, M. Paul Asselin as that suave gentleman himself and M. Berger as the Pecksniffian school prin- cipal, Muche, are among those who con- tribute to a highly amusing evening. %% x ¢ AMERICA'S SWEETHEART," the new Rodgers-Fields-Hart musical show, is & good, workmanlike job of its kind, several jumps behind “Once in a Lifetime” in its satire of Hollywood, as was to be expected, but a genuinely en- tertaining piece, nevertheless. The dozen scenes, but for a brief ex- cursion_to the Tem mountains to Lring im the Mlssesnl'%nr a croon- ing trfo in up-country Soul n dialect, are all in Hollywood, and mogt of them center about the offices and “Jot” of the Premier Pictures. John Sheehan as the manage® the New York Stage Offerings Hammond. rather a tough time of it holding his Jjob supply plenty of robust fun, while the conventional musical comedy young lovers are handled by Jack Whiting and Harriette Lake as two youngsters who have hitch-hiked all the way from St. Paul to Hollywood to break into the movies. Then there is also the sapguine Miss Jeanne Aubert in the role of the imported French star. Miss Lake, who takes the name is a comparative newcomer who hails from the Far Northwest, and but for a bit in the recent “Smiles” is unknown to Broadway. She is pleasantly healthy and unmannered, with a jolly smile, an agreeable little voice and a general freshness which goes a long way. Mr. Whiting, as her partner, is his usual clean-cut self. To them, naturally, go the two songs that are likely to be whl.!tle% or danced to—the wistful “We'll Be the Same” d the lvelier but no less taking “I've Got Five Dollars.” The Tennessee mountain. trio of crooners are also nice, real-looking girls, with a style of their own, which gon- sists in singing “close” harmony while all are—after the fashion of some of the “blues” singers favored nowadays— at the same time singing flat. It is a real trick and has a sort of horrible fascination. All in all, a satisfactory show with no great insistence on dirt, some pleas- ant music and Mr. Hart's lyrics nearly always worth listening to. * K K ¥ FRA.NK MERLIN'S “Hobo” was one of those ill-fated pleces which seem to deserve more than they get—a piece of which all sorts of critical things could and had to be said, and yet which had so much that was crisp and enter= taining in it that even those compelled to report its faults wished that its backers had felt able to nurse it along u‘m‘u more of the public had heard of it. Its hero, capitally played by Paul Kelly, was a young he-man of a hobo whom nothing could tame. Properly speaking, St. Louis Blackie wasn't a hobo. At any rate, he wouldn't bend his neck to’ any man’s label, not even the labels of the hoboes he finds him- self with at the beginning of the play. He wants to walk by his wild lone, like Kipling’s cat. He thinks he could ‘get to the top in almost anything he might choose to try, with any decent lot of “breaks,” but he just can't see any reason why he should work. There are possibilities in Blackie’s philosophy, or agnosticism, for the boy has courage, strength, humor and the makings, as he himself surmises, of pretty much anything. But it can't be said that Mr. Merlin ever got anywhere with his young man, not even o the point. of.a definite negation of society’s usual compulsions. We simply saw him hurtled through a lot of scenes, with much rather weari- ness shifting of stage sets, and then, at the end, after he had broken out of jail, he was left in lone command of the freight car from which he had just tossed a “yellow” side-kick, riding on into the night. There was a good deal that was promising in the piece—bits of slangy give and take, St. Louis Blackie's im- perturbable confidence in himself, the swift and often humorous way in which he bluffs or_strong-arms his way out of a jam. But what Blackie wanted or was driving at, and more particularly what Mr. Merlin himself was dri film company and Gus Shy (aifed by Inez Courtney) as & comedian Hpving - at, didn't appear,