Evening Star Newspaper, November 1, 1936, Page 15

Traveling Around Londoners Discuss Parties and Theater, Not War and Unemployment. Prosperity in table talk . .. .« « Time for a soda between lines of some Duke of Gloucester of the English plays. (No. 6 of a Series.) BY I WILLIAM HILL. Staff Correspondent of The Star. ONDON.—We were sitting in | the “salon de the” of our ho- 5 tel, eavesdropping. If there was an American in a group, the conversation was pretty eertain to involve war, unemployment, currency rates of exchange or the dole. Not so the English. They secemed to have a patient contempt for such passe and mundane matters. Their own conversation was more per- sonal, more subjective. What People Talk About. ‘When a country is in the middle of pard times, it seems to us, people spend their time talking about it. But when things begin to straighten themselves out conversation under= goes a change. In addition to pro- viding little for historians to record, w happy country offers inadequate material for talk. Personal matters become more important. Thus, if our theory is correct and the con- versations we overheard were rep- sesentative, England must be begin- ning to prosper, for the English were talking about themselves and other people, about music and art, about parties and the theater. “But who will be there?” a dow- ager asked of an elderly gentleman who was discussing a party. The gentleman named names. “But who's the party to meet?” worried the dowager. “One certainly doesn’t give a party unless one has some one for the guests to meet.” Theaters Make Conversation. About then they wandered out of earshot. The next group was dise cussing a play, “Mademoiselle,” pro- duced but not written by Noel Cow- ard. All about a governess, it de- veloped, who lavished her starving mother love on the fllegitimate son ¢f the daughter of her employer. And so it went. The theater par- ticularly provided topics for talk. And well it might. We went to nine theaters ourselves, some with new plays, some with plays that had been | Funning & year, but they all had one thing in common. They had full houses. There is money in London, money enough to watch it being spread about both in the production of new plays and by the public at the box office. But the plays themselves. We were talking to one of the most popular playwrights in America about them, and he told us why he thinks the English stage lags behind the Ameri- can. Because he is s0 popular in England we hesitate to name him, but this is what he said: “English direction is bad. Charac- ters aren’t even required to know their lines until three or four days before the play opens. Hence the di- rector never has the opportunity to | think of timing, and the play pro- ceeds too leisurely, to undramatically. There's often time between lines of dialogue of a London play to slip out to Selfridge’s for an ice cream soda.” Slow Dialogue Apparent. ‘The playwright exaggerated, of ®ourse, but the slowness is apparent. Its effect is this. A play that should be highly emotional only succeeds in arousing your interest, and & play Model SIE—$395 Fun with an “L” sign by the that intrinsically is merely interest- ing gets nowhere at all. “Aren’t Men Beasts,” the Vernon Sylvaine farce playing at the Strand, is an exception. It unwinds a lu- dicrous plot with the speedy abandon of & phonograph record set at 100. The plot concerns a dentist, Herbert Holly (played by Robertson Hare), whose surgery is invaded on his son's wedding morning by & beautiful French girl. The ensuing scandal postpones the wedding and involves both the son and his prospective father-in-law with the French girl. It is interesting largely because the English seem to love its wild panto- mimings and unrestrained burlesques. ‘We never heard such laughter over & device like tying up a dentist and hiding him in a grandfather’s elock. Incidentally, if an American producer ever needs a man to play James A. Farley without benefit of make-up he should import Alfred Drayton of the “Aren’t Men Beasts” cast. Plotless Play Pepular. “After October,” the Rodney Ack- land play at the Aldwych Theater, is one of the most popular in London and one that appeals more under- standably to the Britisher. It is & plotless presentation of a family wait- Avtumn sparkles with bracing days CHALFONTE "~ HADDON HALL FawL is truly exhilarating by the sea. At these great Boardwalk hote! 1f, riding, and biking a: convenient. Squash courts. Health baths. Long Ocean Decks. Food with the flavor your appetite craves. Moderate fall zates. Let us reserve your accommodations now. Loeds and Lippincolt Compeny ATLANTIC CITY OR the first time Capehart is making s radio buile to fit the needs of discrimie mating people who mot enly w: a radio receiver of un~ wsual performance, but alse s cabinet acceptable s o piece of furniture. This new set is available in 19 or 24 tube sizes either in Eighteenth Century Englith or Twentieth Century Moderne both em- bodying the ideals of fine furniture of their respective record changer in a small pliin cabinet can be added at any time to make this set into the finest type of combination. KITT’S 1330 G Street . THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., NOVEMBER 1, 1936—PART ONE. ing for the playwright son to pull it out of debt after October. He doesn't, and things ends where they the English seem to Two current London productions serve to illustrate one way the Eng- lish theater surpasses the American. ‘They seem more fresh, more topical— possibly becanse production of & play in England takes less time than.in America. Timeliness has no time to become stale. The plays are Walter Hackett's “The Fugitives,” at the Apollo, and the musical comedy “Swing Along,” at the Galety, “The Fugitives” concerns the Span- ish War, with s jewel thief seeking to escape from Spain before being killed as a capitalist by the Com- munists and a Scotland Yard detec- tive trying to catch her before she es- capes to places unknown. It has proved very popular, due largely to & fine performance by Marion Lorne, supported by a man who could very easily pass for President Roosevelt— Godfrey Tearle. A Gag by the Duke. “Swing Along” is a musical travesty on the vari-colored shirt wearers in the political melange of Europe. It recounts the pursuit of Xabiski chief of the “Yellow Shirts,” by the “No Shirts.” They catch up with him finally in & Paris mansion. To escape them he dons a cheesecloth wedding dress and, telling them he has just married Xabiski, appeals to them as Prenchmen to defer his capture until after his wedding night. They accede. He enters his bed room, then opens the door to put out a pair of mules and a pair of military boots. Clos- ing the door, he opens it again to put out a “Quiet as requested” sign, and finally hangs out a white sign with & red “L” on it. This didn't mean anything to either when we saw it. It was afl ward we found out that such signs must be displayed on all auto- mobiles being driven by a learner. Incidentally, that gag was suggested to the producer of “Swing Along” by the Duke of Gloucester. Nezt: An'English cinema studio with Roland Young. —— e — Champion Is Blind. Roy, winner of the international championship at Ayr, Scotland, as the world's best sheepdog, is blind in one eye. SOROPTIMIST CLUB PLANS STYLE SHOW Card Party to Be @iven in Con- junction With Display Satur- day at Willard. Furs, afternoon dresses, dinner clothes and evening gowns will be among the apparel shown at & style show and card party to be held by the Washington 8So- roptimist Club in ¥ the large ball room of the Wil- lard Hotel Satur- day under direc- § tion of Mrs. Flor- ence M. Meara, chairman of the Committee on Ar- rangements. Jelleft, Inc., will stage a style show, which will range from Fall sports wear to a complete bridal e party wardrobe, Mrs. ¥. M. Meara, all demonstrated by models. Patrons and patronesses for the af- fair include: Mr. and Mrs. Larz An- derson, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Lewis, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hoffman, Mr, and Mrs. Johin Bennett, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Everhardt, Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Gans, Mrs. Eleanor Patterson, Mrs. Caroline Stephen, John Remon, Miss Ella Wer- ner, Mrs. Florence M. Meara, Mrs, Harvey Wiley, Dr. Lulu L Waters, Ar- thur Newmyer, Mrs. Lorraine Good, the Venture Club, the Willard Hotel, Richard Gesch, Miss Mattie Gibson, Miss Margaret Gollan, Miss Dalsy ‘| Reed and Miss Grace Thompson. - COSTS LESS BECAUSE IT LASTS LONGER “ITS REASONABLE PRICE WILL SURPRISE You!” Pontiac, worker of wonders FOR, 1937 z, in_the low-price field, is about to thrill America again. The 1937 Silver Streak PontiacisAmerica’s finest low-priced car. Watch for the sutomobile industry’s most important 1937 announcement. B/C[R CARS BETTER VALUE GREATER ECONOM ‘Aboue is a reproduction of a charcoal draw- ing “HOME.” by the great artist M. Leone Bracker, courtesy Federal Housing Admin- istration, with whom we are coo ating. Consult Mr. O'Neill at our Main Office tegarding & home improvement loan. Fix Up the Interior of Your Home! Small quantity prices are listed below; larger quantities are sold at lo\;or prices. Let us estimate on your complete list of lumber and building materials, French Door 8oft Pine. 15light. All sizes, priced low. 2.8x6.8. 5535 13-in. thick... Kitchen Cabinet Wall type, glazed. Assem- bled complete with hard- $Q.15 ware, Priced from..... Dining Nook * Tine “vormantin, $1 425 assembled oo..c.000.t Enjoy Good Pedestal Lavatory T rmome i 32285 L i T $13% white seat...esveinee Fun in the Basement! Ping Pong Table Top Top only, fir plywood. Bize 5 11.x 9 ft, % in. 54.25 Wallboard For walls, ceilings and partitions, sq. n?‘ z 31/2C Free Deliver} Phone Orders ATlnfic 40 ROCKBOTTOM PRICES Fireplace Set Beven pieces including andirons, folding screen, . poker, brush, shovel and $5.49 Andirons Solid Brass. Beautiful Ball Top Pattern. 17%-in. $8.35 high. Per pair Shelving .5¢ Soft Pine, 12-in. wide Oak Flooring Lays easily over your old floor. 3x1% in. 71/ Peebditt .5l 4C Paneling Knotty Pine, 12 in. . Maki - R e L Flat Paint Soft pastel shades for beautiful walls and ceil- $2.15 ings. Gal..... Wall Paint “Monad” ' Half-Lustre. A quality product. Wash- able and sanitary. (Qt. $3.25 95c) Gal Plumbing! Sink and Cabinet 42n. Drainboard Sink with chrome {fittings and gleaming white convenient undersink $32.% > cabinet ... Sink Fixture Chrome combifation, swing spout faucet with $2.95 soap dish tesessssiseiane Apron Sink o 42in. drainboard type. $'| 9.95 Chrome fittings...... Newtile - Asbestos sheet tile. A replica of finest e w v e 3715He 2x4 Framing Dressed Pine, 8 ft. to 12 ft. lengths. Bd. ft.__ Panel Door 5-Panel Fir 133" thick - - Brighten with Better Lighting! Complete Displays at Oue Four Stores! ‘Moderately priced, beautiful electric fixtures will enhance the value of your home. Selec- tion ranges from the inexpen- sive to the finest. (Pictured above) 8 Pieces Modern and artistic ensemble for six- $ .45 room house com- plete, less bulbs. Fixtures (pictured above) may be purchased separately: (A) Living Room Pixture. ...$2.57 (B) Dining Room Fixture... 257 (C) Kitchen Fixture .. 7 (D) 2 Bedroom Fixtures, ea. .59 (E) Bath Fixture ......... (F) Hall Fixture .......... (G) Porch Fixture ......... 197 Complete Stock Electric Fittings! BX Cable, cut any length, ft... 3¢ Toggle Switch, single pole. ... Fuses, per box of 5... 3%c 2088 §3 .45 (Other Sizes Priced Low) Main Office 15th and H Sts. N E Phone AT. 1400 'V¢ ¢ Anacostia 1908 Nichols Av. s E Phone AT. 5600 “°* ™° Brightwood 5925 Ga. Av. Phone GE. 4600 N‘w' othand € Su. S W, Phone DI. 6700