Evening Star Newspaper, December 13, 1931, Page 62

2 AMUSEMENTS. fiollywood Sees Problems In Cutting THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. €. DECEMBER 13, 1931—PART FOUR. AMUSEM ENTS Big Expenses H;gh Cost of Many Pictures Is Blamed Upon Waste—Stars Worth Their Salaries—General Studio Cuts of Past Week. By Mollie Merrick. omment become omi- unless 1 ) is taken ve been it pictures Selznick helm alaries of the largest king a pic- executives, made you con- f a production e to make is & that is the s and since ow any av the most chment wn of t 000 feet sheet_and 50,000 feet And gelatin strip—no secret of the istance. at wasted footage. salaries of armies of nd camera- n, who have been wo those hours of extra-footage making. the hours lost while cameras ke 14 takes, for instance, one take can the finishe yet pic- made today out for iceivable camera angle and w00se the best from 12 or 14 takes in- » best from say 3 well con- carefully planned takes picture of ‘the future, which made within certain limits e in order to save the industry stry, will have to have its be R-K-O KEITH'S—"Secret Service.” ITH the famous story of the Civil War in a stirring spy of unusual dramatic ength, with Richard Dix its star, R-K-O Keith's art its new week on Fri- Secret Service,” based on the stage play by William Gillette. film is an entirely new character- {zation for Mr. Dix, the star of “Cimar- ron,” who is well established as a leading portrayer of virile roles. In “Secret Service” he is seen as a mas- terly man who rules his own des- tiny in the face of danger. About him revolves the sharply contrasting note of romance. “Secret Bervice” brought Willlam Gillette undying fame on the speak- ing stage. S upplementary features will in- clude Edgar Ken- nedy, Raymond Hatton, an_Aesop Fable, an Audio Review and the R-K-O Pathe News. Richard Dix. ~—‘Her Majesty Love.” MILLER, famous Zieg- feld star, will be seen on the screen in “Her Majesty Love,” while the stage program will be headlined by Sue Carol end Nick Stuart, the popular young screen couple, in songs and hits, at the Warner Earle Theater “Her Majesty Love,” & First National and Vitaphone comedy, is a romance that concerns the love affair of the star with a wealthy (played by Ben Lyon) and the unex- pected developments that follow when the family opposes the match. Four of the screen’s funniest comedians are in the cast—Leon Errol, W. C. Flelds, Chester Conklin and Ford Sterling. Sue Carol and Nick Stuart, who head- line the stage activities, were stars of “Movietone Follies,” “Big Party,”“Danc- tng Sweeties” and other screen hits. They will offer a cycle of songs and hits. Other acts include Joe and Jane Mc- Kenna, youthful exponents of mirth and melody; Britt Wood, & country bo; and his harmonica; Mayris Chaney and | Edward Fox, dance delineators, and Maxine Doyle, mistress of ceremonies. Short reel subjects, including the Graham McNamee talking newsreel and an orchestral prelude, will round out the program FOX—"Good Sport.” A FOX photoplay of modern matri- mony, “Good Sport,” with a dis- tinctly novel and spicy twist to the subject—marriage—is now at the Fox “Theater and features Linda Watkins, the sensation of “Sob Sister,” with John | story is described as a frank ation of why and how light-fingered er women's husbands. iss W wife who si band another womar learns that her hus- | rred his affections to | and she sets out to dis- eover why she had failed—unsuccessful. Allan Dinehart plays the part of the wnfaithful husband; Greta Nissen and Minna Gombell are featured as gold- diggers, and Hedda Hopper as Miss Watkins' mother. Kenneth MacKenna directed the production. the stage, Fanchon and Marco offer their “art gallery” idea, staged by Leonidofl, and featuring Felovis; Ed- dle Cole: Bob, Andy and Tod; Jose- phine, and the Cachalots, Olga and Lester, Herculean trio; La Marr Broth- ers, Mavis and Ted, and Marion and Watharyne, Les Stevens and the Dip- Jomats in original selections and Fox Movietone News complete the bill. be cele- PALACE—"Corsair.” “MYS’I’ERY WEEK” will brated at Loew's Palace Theater the week beginning Friday, with “Cor- safr” op the screen and Nicola, claimed to be “the world’s greatest magician” *“Dr. Rockwell,” complete the program. “Cgrsalr” is the latest starring pro- DANCING. 3 1 MRS, ACHER, 1127 1011 Street A 88 and dance with orchestra every and Priday, 8 to 11:30 p.m_ Private 'by appointment, Met. ‘lls, Bst. ‘l e Miss Ellen Waller BN "EATTRo0M & sTAdE PANCING for B0t Tiih 0 NAY. el A futnr Y W WHY NOT o ce? ya ssons or class r management. 3 to 10 p.m. week Pa._ave 13 te 2 ‘The | g through | young manufacturer | planned by experts be- shootng begins. These mat- ters should be as vitally considered as the moves of an army on the eve of Then, when the actual making e wre begins, 1t may be done a crew that is a mere fraction of nount of people used at the nt time, and the resuits will be e waste@ footage, less time lost in ing (for it requires far less time to hoose between 3 significant takes and dozen or more insignificant ones) and a better picture in the long run There are two men in the industry | today who do not overshoot. Ernst Lubitsch and Lewis Milestone shoot the minimum, have less takes per scene and better results than any other di- rectors in Hol What they do others can be taught to do. Pro- ducers can insist on an end to wastage and can have better pictures for less money. ‘The first ducers to mportant fact for pro- milate is that the public has lost the habit of motion pictures. The radio has provided people with entertainment at home, the motion pic- ture must provide them with ‘unusual entertainment out of the home and at prices which they are able to meet un- der_present conditions “The habit of reaching out and sign- ing up wholesale is another which must be abandoned in studi Hollywood is to find her feet on A fine character actress »man—may make a picture 1 the salary paid if that sa paid for that picture only. But if the character actor is signed by the year and only is mevsaA for fhat one picture, it becomes another macter entirely. A star who pulls people into the box-office has never yet been an extravagance, regard- less of the amount of money paid “When Clara Bow was at her height in pictures we could make & story with her in it and gross & million and a half, where another actress would gross half | & million in the same picture and with the same cast. “We are, in the motion picture in- dustry, no more able to get away from the personality element in art than is the (ieater. A play with Ethel Barry- more, Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne and a pumber of others in the theater would ‘go better than the same play with different personalities. Star sal- aries are generally worth what we pay for the star’s personality and drawing power. And directors’ salaries are more than worth their value when the di- rector can cut mentally and save wast- age in time and strip.” | (Copyrignt. 1931, by the North : Newspaper Alliance, Inc.) worth American duction of Chester Morris, with Thelma, | Todd in the Jeading feminine role. The | story concerns & young man who starts in to be a gentleman pirate with a number of reported exciting escapades | as the result Fred Kohler and Wil- liam Austin are seen in the chief sup- porting roles. RIALTO—"Nice Women.” | QIDNEY FOX, Universal Pictures’ new star to be seen at the Rialto | Theater this week in the screen version of William A. Grew’s famed play, ice Women,” adapted and directed by Ed- win H. Knopf. The supporting cast in- cludes Frances Dee, Alan Mowbray and Lucille and Russell Gleason. The story concerns the matrimonial difficulties of a young working girl, who, to save her family from ruin, finds her- self confronted with the problem of | marrying & millionaire. It is said to be a new presentation of a situation that | never loses its interest with audiences. Miss Fox is afforded an excellent oppor- tunity in “Nice Women,” which it is confident, was made after her sensa- | tional work in the Preston Sturgis play, “Btrictly Dishonorable.” Supplemental features of the program include a short comedy, the Talking Reporter in Universal News and selected short subjects. METROPOLITAN—"The Age for Love.” ILLIE DOVE, in her first screen role | 2" in more than a year, is featured at | Warner Bros. Metropolitan Theater this week in “The Age for Love,” & United | Artists Picture “The Age for Love” is described as a bold and sophisticated treatment of a | modern subject—love and marriage, adapted from a “best seller,” by Ernest | Pascal, with dialogue by Robert E. Sher- | wood, noted playwright. Supporting Miss Dove are Lois Wil- | son, Charles Starrett, Edward Everett, | Horton, Mary Duncan, Adrian Morria and Betty Clarke. Selected short reel subjects including a new issue of the Paramount Sound | News and “Relativity and Relatives,” starring the sugar-coated philosopher, | ‘Dr. Rockwell,” complete the program. | COLUMBIA—"The Big Parade.” |«T"HE BIG PARADE" that created motion picture history as a silent production some years ago has been brought back to the screen with sound and will open a week's engagement at Loew’s Columbia Theater Friday. John Gilbert appears in the leading role with Renee Adoree, Karl Dane, Ho- [ bart Bosworth in the supporting cast. It was this production that established Gilbert as a star, and many claim he has not since equaled his performance as the doughboy who joined the Army for fun, A selected group of short subjects will complete the Columbia program. Cromwell's Mask of Cornell. RICHARD CROMWELL, motion pic- ture star, made a mask of Katha- rine Cornell ‘from life, which Joan Crawford bought and now keeps on her dressing-room table. When Miss Crawford and her hus- band, Douglas Fairbanks, jr., came to New York for the premiere of Miss Crawford's film, “Possessed,” the first play she saw was “The Barretts of Wimpole street,” in which Miss Cornell Dow s sppearing in the Empire T At the Gayety Bee Cunningham a featured plaver at the Ninth street burlesque theater. Balieff's “Chauve-Souris. ¢REING the son of important manufacturer and man of af- fairs,” says Nikita Baliefl, “I was des- tined to enter my father's business Deep-seated within me, however, was an insatiable longing for a theatrical career. Alttough my angry father shifted me from school to school, 1 continued to organize amateur theatrical perform- ances. Even when I was graduated from Moscow Academy and taken into my father's business I started a dra- matic soclety in secret among the em- ployes. For this I was banished to the Caucasus For 10 years I performed the duties of a “mime,” in which I never uttered a single word. Growing tired of this, I nd & small cellar by the capable of seating about 40 per Here 1 heid a sort of midnight an sons. cabaret, where current plays were bur- | lesqued. The artistes merely enter- tained one another, Only persons be- longing to the theatrical profession were admitted. Later the fame of the place spread, and the general public demand- ed admission When choosing my first cellar, a pe- culiar thing happened. Out of the darkness a_bat flew into my face took it to be a good omen and named the place the Bat Theater, or “La Chauve-Souris.” The first performance was given on February 29, so we can only celebrate our jubilee once in every four years. That was 23 years ago now, and for the last 10 years I have wandered in exile. Dix Helps War Heroes. OLLYWOOD has a heart. Richard Dix proved it recently. The star learned that three wearers of the Congressional Medal of Honor were at their wits’ end to find work. Two of them had been unemployed for months ‘The ironical side of this was that they had only their medals to remind them | of past glories—medals which lay in drawers with the defiant eagle symbol- izing liberty and the pursuit of happi- | ness staring up at them. One had a family to support. His medal hung upon the wall—a golden symbol, too. It had earned him noth- ing save bitter memories, although 12 years before it had promised a different harvest. He had no work and little food and faced threatened eviction Dix heard of their plight and placed then as extras in “Secret Service,” his latest R-K-O-Radio pictures, now at the R-K-O-Keith Theater. The Congressional Medal of Honor men befriended by Dix are David E Hayden of the Marine Corps, who won decoration on the bloodstained fields of Belleau Woods; Robert Von Schlick of the 9th Infantry, United States Army, who, while severely wounded at Tien- tsin during the Boxer rebellion, success- fully held the Chinese rabble at bay for ‘four hours, and Joseph Leonard of the Marine Corps, who won his medal at Vera Cruz. Moscow NATIONAL—"“The Wives of Henry VIIL” ORNELIA OTIS SKINNER wiit precede her illustrious father at the National Theater this week with her new solo dra matic performance, “Ths Wives ~f Henry VIIL" tonight and | tomorrow night.” She will precede this closely-kiiit dramatic sequence with 2 |group of the character sketches from her own pen with which she has mad: | her_reputation on the stages acrot America and throughout the British | Isles as well as over the radio on both sides of the Atlantic According to the announcement Miss Skinner's complete program, inace by her manager, James B. Pond, the | group of five character sketches, which will comprise the first part of Miss Skinner's program both_even: be as follows Eve of Depart |& Gondola, Homework, | Carlo” and “A Lady Explorer.” “THE MERCHANT OF V JEMERGING from a retirement of 33 < _ vears, Maude Adams will be sesn as Portia to the Shylock of Otis Ski.i- ner in Shakespeare's comedy, “The Merchant of Ven- ice,” at the N7- tional Theater for five days only, ba- ginning Tuesday evening Miss Adams has signalized her turn to the by assuming for the first time one of the most ad- mired of spearean though rales, she bas = number other Shake- speare heroines including Rosalind Juliet and Viola during her remark- Maude Adams able career. Mr. SKkinner brings to the stage the Shyloék which has won him applause | and critical praise many times in his |long and notable career. For this cel- ebrated actor, honored &s the dean of the American stage, “The Merchant of Venice” carries memories and intimate assoclations with such monumental fig- | ures of the stage as Edwin Booth and | | jeska and the beautiful Ada Rehan. The engagement of “The Merchant of Venice” at the National is part of an_extensive tour which Miss Adams and Mr. Skinner are undertaking under the management of Erlanger Produc- tions, Inc., prior to the New York en- gagement of the production, the date of which has not yet been determined. Much interest is being evoked by the new acting version of the play which Miss Adams herself has prepared for this production. It is notable in the fact that it has been arranged with an eye to the splendid comedy values of Shakespeare’s immortal play. Under Miss Adams’ supervisioa, alse, special music has been arranged to fit the me- dieval Venetian setting of the play This task was placed in the gifted hands of the Russian-American musi- cian, Theodore Zarkevich, in collabora- tion with Harold Morris. Mr. Zarkevich has been musical director of Eva Le Gallienne's Civic Repertory Theater during the five years of its existence, and for “The Merchant of Venice” he has made & complete departure from the usual score, avoiding the little Elizabethan tunes that are commonly used, turning instead to Ttalian sources, consonant with the background of the comedy, even to Jewish folk songs for certain of the Shylock scenes. Zarke- vich is particularly at home with the problem of fitting music to Shakespear- ean performances as a result of his ex- perience with a_number of such pro- | ductions at the Civic Repertory Theater. | including “Twelfth Night” and “Romeo | and Juliet.” | "Miss Adams and Mr. | bring a notable supporting company, In- | eluding Jerome Lawler -as Bassanio, Charles Francis as Antonio, Barry LO'Nelll as Gratiano, Martin Burton as Washington’s Players What Various Dramatic Organizations Are Doin( and Proposc to Do. “MINICK"—American University. RADUATES of Washington high schools will appear in the cast of “Minick,” a modern comedy, the first dramatic production to be presented this season at American University, next Tuesday night at the auditorium on the campus, Massachusetts and Nebraska avenues. The play is by Edna Ferber and George 8. Kaufman, ‘The role of Mrs. Pred Minick will be played by Mi Ruth Martin Simp- son, a graduate last Spring of Central High School, where she appeared leading parts in two operettas and played the feminine “Anne’s lead in Little Affair.” Miss Barbara Plerce, a graduate of Western High School last Spring, H.” 8s 11 Kerpa- han, a Central will a Annte; Ruth M. Simpson. B M. Smues. High Sohice! gradi- ate, will be Dietenhoffer, and Miss Eleanor Waite, Tech High School graduate of 1930, will play the role of Lil Corey The title role, which was originally played by O. P. Heggie, will be pre- sented by Carlton Skeggs of Mount Alry, Md, who has made a name for himself in dramatics at American University and is president of the Dramatic Club, The play is concerned with the situ- atlon created by the arrival of the 72- | year-old Father Minick in the home of | his son and daughter-in-law. and fs | under direction of Will Hutchins, pro- fessor of art at American University, COLUMBIA PLAYERS—Friday. THE Columbia Players announce ‘1 opening their season with an even! Thc‘PrhleiN"onwf }loma! At MIIER in First National-Vitaphone Hit “HER MAJESTY LOVE" —On_the Stage— SUE CAROL b NI EK: STUARTM oreen’s " s Ino:'{omu ic Couple 3—Other Acts—3 Also on the Screem BING CROSBY Lid Modern Marriag 8 Howara Hughes' “THE AGE FOR LOVE" b Lo IT Homton 7 Dr. Rockwall Vitaphone 8 Touna Rews ", in | of one-act plays, all of which have been written by members. Priday evening of this week they will present three plays written by Dorothea Lewis, Mrs. Armstrong and H. R. Baukhage, respectively. The first two have been previously presented in Wash- ington, but the last named was written especially for the occasion Meanwhile, the second productior | the season, “Lady Windemere's Fan in rehearsal. Casting for the old mele- drama “Lady Audley’s Secret” will be- gin after the holidays. |~ The three original one-act plays an- nounced for this week will be given at Wjlson Normal College. No tickets will be issued in advance. Admissions for non-members may be secured at the door. Miss Lewis and Mrs. Armstrong are directing their own plays and Orris Hol- land is directing Mr. Baukhage's. WESTERN PLAYERS—"“Scoops.” 'rHE Trilla B. Young Bible Class of the Western Presbyterian Church will present a three-act comedy, “8coops,” under the direction of Mr. James Shore, the new church, located at Nineteenth and H streets npx;lh;vesr,, Wednesday evening at 8 o'clock. GAYETY-BURLESK Benny (Wop) Moore ana His GINGER GIRLS Shake- | Lawrence Barrett, with the great Mod- | Skinner will | departure from their usual custom | N\ BILLIE HOLMES CORNELIA OTIS SKINNER THE WIVES O Preceded by selections of Miss Skinner's Character Sketches “Few crowded stages are better worth watching t! walks alo; 5 DAYS ONLY—BEG: TUES NIGHTS & SAT. MAT. $r00 to $8.00—WED. MAT. 30c to MAUDE,,, ADAMS , SKINNER WM. SHAKESPEARE’S COMEDY "The Merchant of Venice” Under the Management of RLANGER PEODUCTIONS, Inc. ATIONA $2.30, $2.00, $1.50, $1.00 & B0e TONIGHT & MONDAY “More real entertainment than can be found in most of the play houses —John Mason Brow! | Lorenzo, Audrey Ridgewell as Nerissa, | Cynthia Blake as Jessica and Alf Ht ‘ ton as Old Gobbo. BELASCO—Baliefl's “Chauve Souris.” | | INIKITA BALIEFF, one of the-few unique personages ~ upon the | world's stage, and his famous “Chauve Souris” will be the attraction at the Shubert-Belasco Theater this week, be- ginning tomorrow evening Ballefl returns after an absence of two years luareled with another tri- umph, it is announced, more daring in its design, more brilllant in its fulfill- | ment, more emphatic in its appeal and more startling in its resuit than any- | thing that he has heretofore given in this country. It was the sensation of Paris and London. “The Queen of Spades.” a fantastic story will be presented in seven epi- sodes by an all-English company head- ed by George Hayes, who will be re- | called for his excellent work with the Stratford-on-Avon Players two years ago; Marie Ault, another British pl er, well known by local playgoers, and Helen Kingstead. In addition to this feature, there are 15 other novelties contributed by the Russian contingent of the organization, which are what might be termed the real backbone of the “Chauve Souris as originally given in Moscow and Paris. Balleff, as usual, will appear at every performance and fracture the English language in a manner that has no equal upon the American siage. BENNY MOORE, a noted burlesque lineator of Italian character. announces “an A-1 burlesque entertain- ment” in his “Ginger Girls,” which enong today with a matinee at the Gayety Theater. Playing the leading role himself, Moore has assigned important portray- als to Billy Holmes, a Snappy singing and dancing soubrette; Harry “Katz’ Fields, a Hebrew jester: Stewart and | Gardner, specialty dancing team: Zella Stevens, Frank McKay, Bee Cunning- ham, & “unique dancing divinity Yvette Lane, a nifty blond ‘“blues” singer, and George Reynolds, with a chorus of 18 girls in evidence on nu- | merous occasions during the action of “Novelties.” | “The Suspect”’ & stirring dramatic sketch written by Mr. Moore, is played also by & competent cast, headed by Mr. Moore GAYETY—"Ginger Girls.” JANET RICHARDS, Tomorrow. MISS JANET RICHARDS will give her usuel review of ‘“Affairs | Political and International” at the | Willard Hotel tomorrow morning at 11 | | o'clock | From the many dramatic world interest that the past | brought forth, Miss Richards | particularly of the political and par- | tisan issues that confront the new Con- | gress; the high lights of the President’s | message, and the scene on the Senate | floor, on Tuesday last, upon the seating |of Mr. Barbour and Mrs. Caraway. Foreign affairs in relation to our coun- |try and the present situation in Man- | churia will also be reviewed. | events of week has will speak —”Gire;lrt Elayers,!Both .- | WASHINGTON should experience a | thrill Tuesday evening, when the curtain of the National Theater rises for the presentation of “The Merchant of Venice,” with two of the American theater’s most notable players in roles of great distinction in the eyes of the theatrical profession. They are the roles of Shylock and Porti2, and their depth of plausible interpretation has challenged the dive of the world’s great- | est players in centuries. | The dash and coloring of the per- fected art of Otls Skinner, a veteran | in the world of artistic mimicry and | dean of our American theater, may | | easily be anticipated, because Mr. Skin- [%ier has been seen more than once as| | 8hylock, and his skill in other flelds of | ‘the drama have provided his public | | with imaginative ideals of his creation that will enable it to withstand the | shock of any surprise he may now have | to offer, even after his well ripened ex- | perfence has fitted him for a degree of | perfection in his art that is rarely wit- nessed in our drama of today. It is to Miss Maude Adams, therefore, | that the connolsseur and especially the | old-timer will turn for new delights and surprises, because the talents of this distinguished artist, who is returning to the theater after an absence of 13 years, are best remembered in their | play with the fancies of the whimsical | Sir James M. Barrie, even though she, too, acquired some familiarity with Shakespearean heroines in days gone by, and her versatile artistry in Ros- tand'’s “L'Aiglon” and “Chanticleer” is not_entirely a thing of tradition The enterprise, the creation of the production and its direction is all her | | own, apparently. She has even pre-| | pared “‘a wholly new prompt book,” as | she describes it, and her new version of the play, differing in many respects | from its predecessors, “accentuates the | comedy (rather than the turbulent and | | even tragic) elements of the famous | play-: New music nas been devised at | her command, the Shakespearean dit- | ties being abandoned, and a_concession Packed with “Laffs” “GOOD SPORT” JOHN BOLES LINDA WATKINS A ‘Wow’ of a Stage Show PANCHON & MARCO'S “ART GALLERY” IDEA LES STEVENS and The Divlomats TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY AT 8:50 P. M. of New York today.” n. Y. Evening Post. James B. Pond, presents novelty sensation of the season F HENRY Vil han that on which she hard Lockridge. The Sum. OTIS Christmas Week Films ALTHOUGH all the picture places downtown have announced entire- Ily new bills of entertainment for the current week, four of them, at least announce a change | of bill for Christ- mas week ‘Riders of Purple Sage,” turing fea- George O'Brien, Mar- guerite Churchill | and Noah Beery, is announced for the week starting Friday at the Fox Theater, On the stage, Earle Sande, king of jockeys, with songs and wisecracks, will head an entirely new program. % For _the week ginning riday, R-K-O Krith announces xgno? ‘(130 lumbia Pictures production entitled “Men in Her Life,” feat ng Charles Bickford and Lois Moran, with Victor | :a:;ronx and Donz}d Dilloway in the ast. Gary Cooper, as & two-fisted sea cap- tain, and Claudette Colbert, as a fal- len woman who is redeemed by her George O'Brien, | love for the captain and his child, in & | picture called “The Woman” nounced for the Warner Earle Theater starting Saturday of this week. Trixie Priganza, “grand duchess of comedy,” will head the stage program, which includes also Isabel Dwan, Marion Wil- ‘the girl with the twinkling s,” and four partners; Loma Worth, | the one-girl orchestra, and, of course, Maxine Doyle “Working G a story of young women who support themselves, is an- nounced for the Warner-Metropolitan | starting Saturday. The cast includes “Buddy” Rogers. Judith Wood, Dor- ;;h\‘ Hall, Stuart Erwin and Francis ee. is an- | Club Presents p]av THE Wesley Heights Players will| present two plays at the Wesley | Heights Club, Wednesday, December | 16—"His Come-Uppance, of the Tri-| umph of the Gertrude,” by Marjorie | De Mott, and “The Mouse,” by Louise | Van Voorhis Armstrong. | ‘The former | will be directed by Mrs. Wesley M. Gewehr, with a cast comprising Charles | H. Hillegeist, Mrs. Walter Gawler, 'J Austin _Stone, Miss Gretchen Daniel, Mrs. Walter Davidson, Mrs. Carl W. Mitman and Mrs. Otto Englehart. The story concerns the experiences of | Joseph, the boss of the household, until the entrance of his new infant son. “The Mouse” will be directed by Mrs. Franklin D. Jones with a cast| inclpding J. Douglas Rollow, Charles B. “Heinemann, jr; Max J. Proffitt, Royal R. Rommel and Mrs. Franklin D. Jones. The scene is laid on the outskirts of an English seafaring town about 1750. The pirate captain “don’t like mice and don't like women no better.” He is “afeared of 'em,” and with good reason, as the play disclos to the Italian locale and atmosphere of | the play has been infused The greatest interest, however, likely to develop in the qualities with which Miss Adams, the Peter Pan and spirit of eternal youth of other day: clothes her sister Portia, a youthful de- | velopment of wisdom, which is looked for rather in the elder and, perhaps, mas- culine character, than in generally irre- sponsible maidenhood. Critics have felt at times that Peter Pan is not so very far | away when Miss Adams’ Portia appears. The engagement promises easily to be the most important of the year. ‘ | | A Sidney a New Star. IDNEY FOX, starring Wemen,” at the is Universal Pictures' “new find.” She has played in “Strictly Dishonorable” and will play in “The Murders of the Rue Morgue.” ! “Silk Stocking Revue." JFRANK X. SILK and his “Silk Stock- ing Revue” are announced for the Gayety Theater during the week, start- ing next Sunday with a_matinee Norman Frauenheim presents his pupil Betty Kate Stone Pianist Barker Hall, Y. W. C. A., Tue., Dec. 15., 8:30 _Seats_Wilson-Greene Concert Bureas in “Nice Rialto Theater, - [ECKET “ JERVICE = BFLA 506 MGMT. LEE AND One Big Hilarious Week MIRTH — The NIKI WHO PRESENTS His Incomparable Self and 45 Artists in THE MOST UNIQUE ENTERTAINMENT IN THE WORLD BALIEFF'S CHAUVE SOURIS 1Y NEW FEATURES INCLUDING T #RSOLIELTION OF PARIS AND LONDON 16 lnSevanTahleauxWithGeurge_lhyes,lariekult WEEK | BASIL SIDNEY and MARY ELLIS in | WEEK OF MO, DEC. 230 | VHE JEWEL WEEK RETURN of the W The Unmatchable Musical Masterpiece BLOSSOM TIME o, send It 1s not too | | | the | | | SHUBERT IEENS Prices, 50c to $2.50 lPicking the “ | Of New York’s Past Year | Ten Best” Cream of the Lot, However, Are Called “Spilt Easily Be Erase Milk"—Two Selected Plays That Mifil’n d From the List. By Pe rey Hammond. URNS MANTLE s & refutation of the belief that habitual play- going warps the soul, weakens the character, destroys the mind and gutters the standards of those who practice it. As a daily newspaper reviewer he has been an associate of the theater for more years than I care to enumerate since I am closest to him in the list of veterans. Despite Mr. Mantle's long and continuous contacts with the perils |of the stage he remains as created— a bright, serene and knowing dramatic critic, as well as a bright, serene and knowing man of the world. All of which is a fraternal introduction to his latest | yearbook of the drama, entitled “The Best Plays of 1930-'31.” It is one of the best sellers. Mr. Mantle’s aim in these annual vol- umes is to isolate ten of the better plays, and to reward them with his benediction. Thus he selects-for anoint- ment this year the following expositions and displays, most of them spilt milk “Elizabeth the Queen.” “Tomorrow and Tomorrow.” “Once in a Lifetime.” “Green Grow the Lilacs.” “As Husbands Go." “Alison’s House.” “Five Star Final.” “The Barretts of Wimpole Street.” “Grand Hotel.” “Overture.” Perhaps you as well as T would make changes in Mantle's catalogue. Iam sure | you would erase from its items such a Stupid affectation as “Alison’s House. which, though it was awarded the my: terious Pulitzer prize, was nothing but an overprecious tableau. ou will cross out “Pive Star Final”' as an angry, exaggerated and delirious melo-~ drama, violently expressing in no ar- tistic terms the brutal grudge of an ex- tabloid journalist gainst tabloid jour- nalism. scribers, put my blue pencil through “Green Grow the Lilacs,” in the sus- picion that it was just a moderately uninteresting Theater Guild stunt. * kK % MI SS HOPE WILLIAMS, the star of “The Passing Present,” and Ar- thur Hopkins, its producer, are more friendly to that drama than is Miss Gretchen Damrosch, its author. Miss Damroscl is still, in_ her proscenium efforts, awkward and amateur. The play there- fore is rather an old-fashioned muddle, saved by Mr. Hopkins and his actors | from being too routine. The hitherto orchid Miss Williams is now & bouquet, | and a fragrant one, as she represents the four-square sister who rescues her gambling brother from disaster by bor- rowing money from her married sweet- " | heart. Mr. Hopkins' clairvoyant stage direction is to be seen at its best at the end of the second act. Upstalrs and beyond the view of the audience a crisis is occurring to this old and | theatrical Fifth avenue family. You hear the groans and the muffied shrieks of patricians in despair as it becomes known that the son of the housesold is an_unsuccessful stock promoter, and that the daughter has sold herself for money and love to a rich, sentimental broker in Wall Street. Learn to Fiy $100.00 Kinner-Powered Cabin Plane This offer is limited to Ten Students. R. Kerr Congressional Airport Call Atlantic 0046 after 8 P.M, FIRST CONCERT PHILHARMONIC SYMPHONY SOCIETY OF NEW YORK DEC. 15 4:30 3" Artro TOSCANINI conducting Adolf Busch, violin soloist Tickets, $3.25, §3, 52.75. $2. $1.50, $1. T. Arthur Smith Bureau. Nat. 3700 In Homer L. Kitt Co., 1330 G st. aw. FRANCES ALAN e mow; YERS :'4‘4,5‘ MATINEES s‘: At 2:30 Thurs- day and Satur- J. 3. SHUBERT day,. B50c to $2 DANCING — MUSIC! One and Only TA BALIEFF ./'b SPADES And an all English Cas¢ BBERY | OF MON. oy b DEC. 28th WEEK OF MOK. ORLD SUCCESS I, as one of Mr. Mantle's sub- | although born and reared in | an atmosphere of art and its technique, | | MR VAN DRUTEN writes with:a sad detachment about us and our elders in “After All," a pensive though not despondent comedy treating of the ever conflicting generations. - Th youngsters in it desire to break home ties and, throwing their fetters off, to seek the illusions, facts, dreams and aspirations tempting to adolescence Their parents, staid and fiftyish, mildly | deplore the exodus, but suffer it, h |and puszled. The boy in the play | wishes 1 bave his own flat so that he can assoolate with actors and artists | The gi:i announces that she admire a marviad atchitect with a dying wife | Both youngsters appall their father who pines away and dies, leaving th | mother to wonder pathetically what is all about, until she, too, pines away and dies. It is not Mr. Van Druten at his best. Six to One Not Significam. QIX blondes and one brunette are seen in the principal feminine roles in “Good Sport,” now at the Fox Theater. This preponderance of the “pre- ferred” variety is not Intentional, how- ever, but is due simply to the fact that Director Kenneth MacKenna chooses his players for their particular suita- bility to their roles and regardless of their hirsute coloring. | _Thus it happens that Hedda Hopper, the heroine's mother, is the sole rep | resentative of the brunette school, while the leading lady, Linda Watkins, Greta | Nissen, Minna Gombell, Claire May- | nard, "Betty Francisco and Eleanor | Hunt—all support the blonde faction. JANET RICHARDS Affairs Political and International Every Monday Morning at Eleven Willard Hotel Admission 5¢ BARYTONE, METROPOLITAN OPERA Constitution Hall, Mon., Dec. 14, 4:30 (IN PERSON) Seats Mrs. Wilsem Greene's Bureau, Dr 1300 G st Dise oawse TODAY AT 4:00 CONSTITUTION HALL NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF WASHINGTON, D. C. HANS KINDLER, Conductor Prices, $1.50, $1.00, 75¢, 50c Boxes, $10.00 l!:‘“;..nufi{g-‘; :ox office. hall, aftes " TICKETS NOW ON SALE NATIONAL SYMPHONY - ORCHESTRA OF WASHINGTON, D. C. HANS KINDLER, Conducter CONSTITUTION HALL Thursday, Dec. 17, 4:48 %y LENT SYLVIA VIOLINIST Prices $2.75, $2.00, $1.50, $1.00, 7S¢ Mrs, Wilson-Greene's Concert Buream Droop’s, 1300 G street; District 6493 STANTON 5%, *2d C 8is N Finest Sound Equipment Continuous from Matinee, 3 P.M. ALPH_GI ES. bl 18th and Col. Rd. Warner Brox” €8 s NE G A GARB RETA\SAREQng CLARK GABLE, Wainer Bros.” Conn. Ave. Wit s fcKinier SE. D. 0. AINES. - QUICK. waLLINGFORD T IO r Bros.” €45 Pa. Wagpe; g\[tgur. GRAND %% ks SROWN. “LOCAL BOY ‘Warner Bros.” RAL Oth St Bet. D and B WARNER | BAXTER and EDMUND LQNE GG IS DANE aud ‘Warner Bros. COLONY Ga. Ave. & Farragut St, GRETA GARBO and CLARK GAB! =¥ SU%‘ATPQ‘ gnE N’vN oXxX. S‘Poi& HOME 1230 C St. N.E. w‘Blf%L R OGERS, ““AMBASSADOR ‘Warner Bros.’ SAVOY 14th & Col R4 N.W. JOHN GILB] hy RIS POR TS s, ¥ SPORTSLANTS. No. Warner Bros.” TIVOLI 'its & Park Ba. Nw. WARNER BAXTER. “SQUAW_MAN." Warner Br YORK G Ave. & Quebee 8t. N.w. w Hxi[l:L ROGERS, “AMBASSADOR FAIRLAWN S8 3.8 _NESS.”_with CHIC SALE. DUMBARTON ™ s o= SRt MU T, 1 ELY MAR! News, Talkertoon. SYLVAN MAREATNF. JOAN CRAWFORD, NEIL HAMILTON. Comedy _and News. % - CIRCLE 3195_P, Aves ¥o—w_ oo CIRCLE HCR."S: 8¢ wirror INA “RE- E, ROBERT AMES, BOU% HIPPODROME rofimnon, Four Marx Brothers, “Monkey Business.” CAMEQ ™42 e, 45" Four Marx am;‘i“"i?:;%’?'-fl'"fi.. 'our X . ATTS) 3 . ‘Tomorrow-Tuesday RICHMOND #£E824. 2 Ed. G. _Robinson in ‘“Five CAROLINA ™5 Teck saupan . DA ROBERT AMES and INA REBOUND™ g HSE NE c. 2600 ALFRED HUNT & LYNN FONT, “THE GUARDSMAN"