The evening world. Newspaper, January 6, 1917, Page 9

i dia Rote Arthur, ng Criterion Payiowa, Ss Hippodrome _————— Youth Sets the Pace on Our Stage Thus Far; Book-Plays in Evidence Willing Young Heroine Who Can Cook and Look Weil in an Apron or Evening Frock Wins Sympathy— Shins and the Girl Another Matter, “Two of the Funniest Crooks That Ever Stole a Laugh’’ Make ‘‘Turn to the Right’’ the Season’s Success —Light Plays the Rule. By Charles Darnton. OUTH 1s the inayiration of the theatre, if we are b to draw any conclusion from the season that has just passed its turning point. Even David Belasco, who knows the theatre better than any one else in this country, has evidently become convinced that youth is what the public wants, for he led off with “Seven Chances,” in which we saw love's young dream realized by a young man who found himself compelled to marry some one—any one—before a certain day in order to inherit a fortune. Happily, an Interest- {ng and amusing type of American youth, Frank Craven, made this play entertaining. But in writing “Too Many Cooks" this droll actor with an essentially native sense of humor proved that he could do more for himself than Rot Cooper Megrue did for him with the play to which Belasco gave his valuable trade-mark, The Girl-and-Boy Play. Everything else aside, it !s significant, {f not impor- tant, that Belasco hag recognized the appeal of youth to theatregders, Having found !t profitable in “The Boom- erang,” he apparently has no wish to bump his head against the wall of the box office. | “Little Lady in Blue” is a pretty Iittle thing tor Frances Starr, even though this keenly Intelligent and accomplished actress has proved herself worthy of a better play. The point 1s that youth has set the pace for the theatrical season thus far. From “Turn to the Right” to “Come Out of the Kitchen" you will find it triumphant. The girl-and-boy play leads the procession 1 put the girl first for the simple reason that she rules the theatre. Usually she is a poor little drudge who wears an apron only to take it off and put on the latest style of evening frock before you can get into your coat It 1s even possible that she knows how to cook. She may break a fresh egg into the frying pan every night and at the usual matinees. And any old egg means so much these days! At any fate, she ts sure to win the sympathy of a hard-working wife and the affection of a contemplative husband across the footlights. The girl is always effictent, the boy inevitably buoyant. You may be compelled to wait until the last act to know they wil! be married, but you go home feeling that all ts well with the world “Shins and the Girl.” Another chapter In the history of the season might fittingly be entitled “Shins and the Girl,” It cannot be said, unfortunately, that the favored actress 1s inclined to dress herself simply. Young or otherwise, she is disposed to follow the fashion of the day, ‘The stage manager, apparently, never governe her tgste. As a result, short skirts have made more than one play of the season not only hideous to the eye but ridiculous, We have been treated to a display of shins and feet ugly enough to ruin the best play ever written, To sit In an orchestra chair and look up at this sort of thing (theatres are built that way, you know) is disenehanting, to say the least. Can you Imagine an playing a tearful scene in a high-water skirt and same time hoping to touch your emotions? t would be quite as easy for her to stand in a puddle of r, with one foot raised, and stab herself to the heart vith a eanoe paddle. One of the things about Elsie Ferguson that I liked actres at the weit] SATURDAY, JANU Knickerbocker rley Kaye” was her long, graceful way of dressing herself. Unlike some of her sisters in “art,” she did not resemble a walking lamp-shade, And yet Miss Ferguson, | dare say, would look beautiful in anything. There is no occasion to go into a serious review of the plays that make up the list under consideration, George M, Coban recently explained he had put off writing his annual burlesque because all the plays alont Broad- way were burlesques. For that matter, Nght plays have easily won promt- nence, As everybody knows, “Turn to the Right” 1s the of the season. Its success, to my mind, 1s due to the fact of the funniest crooks that ever stole a laugh, While orle ity ls to be found in “Turn to the Right” and again in “Cheating Che Max Marcin's ingenious crook-play, it must be sald that book-plays have been given new life by writers with an instinct for the theatre. For example, there is ‘The Man Who Came Back.” For my part, I can say nothing tn praise of a play that has a hero who gets drunk and @ heroine who takes drugs. It doesn't matter really that they are “regen: erated,” for the theatre has nothing to gain by showing the victous side of life, 1 do not know how much Bayard Vetller owes to Will Irwin's stgries for “The Thirteenth Chair.” But everybody in touch with the tb atre knows that Mr. Veiller has written a melodrama of absorbing interest. ular success hat it has two aracterization In “Old Lady 31," which Rache| Crothers yrsland’s story; and then, too, “Pollyanna” seemed to There 1s quaint ¢ took from Lou spread gladness, First place among the stars must be given to women, Even though they have found themselves in better playa at other times, Maude Adams, Frances Starr, Elsie Ferguson and Laurette Taylor have lost none of their fascination, Then too Julla Arthur 4s deserving of praise for the beautiful way inowhich she has staged “Seremonda.” Only character studies could be achieved by George Arliss In “Paganini” and OU» Skinner in “Mister Antonio.” It was a pleasure to see John Drew in “Major Pendennis,” ed that Langdon Mitchell could give little dra- Arnold Daly makes himself Interest- of Herman Bahr's tronic drama “The though it must be conte matic quality to Thackeray's etory ing in @ rather clumsy adaptation Master.” Shaw's “Getting Married” {s witty talk rather than a play, but 1s ad- mirably produced by William Faversham, This comedy, however, has something worth talking about, which is more than can be said for any play of the season by an American author. There seems to be a refusal on the part of our playwrights to face the realities of life. Yet it cannot be de nied that they succeed in entertaining ever-increasing throngs of amuse ment seekers. New Year Has Found Theatrical Conditions Excellent in New York General Prosperity in Stage Amusement Business Has Made the Erect.on of Half a Dozen or More New Theatres a Necessity. Fresh Blood Appears in the Producing Division and Spring Pians Include Many Plays—New York Now The- atrical Centre of World. By Bide Dudley. HE New Year bas found theatrical conditions ta T New York City in excellent condition. Broad- way has more than its usual quota of real hits, and so great is the demand for stage entertainment here that it has become necessary to arrange for the erection of half a dozen or more additional theatres. A year ago the cry of “too many theatres” went up, but in the past twelve months tho “many” has been sup- planted by “fow.’ Before the present year ends new theatres will be in operation under the direction of Selwyn & Co., Rush & Andrwe, Henry Miller, Oliver Morosco, the Messrs. Shu- bert and others. A. H. Woods, who has the Eltinge and the Republic here, will invade Chicago with a house. Failures have been comparatively few so far this season. Especially true is this in the case of musical shows, The public appears to be hungering for that form of entertainment and willing to pay even advanced prices to enjoy !t. Charles Dillingham and F. Ziegfo'd jr. have made a big success of their revue policy at the Century and no longer is the future of that house un- certain. Musical Shows Prosper. ‘The Messrs. Shubert have been decidedly successful this season, particularly with their musical attractions Not only have they “put over” such hits as “Her Soldier Roy,” “The Show of Wonders” and “Follow Me," but thelr road musical attractions have rendered good ac- counts of themselves, It 1s generally conceded that the principal reason for New York’s theatrical prosperity !s the European war. People are not going abroad; they are coming to the city for their holidays. The same condition exists, in a measure, in reference to Chicago, and “the road” is basking in reflected prosperity to a certain extent for the good shows. Another effect of the war has been to make New York City the theatrical head of the entire world, Whereas, London, Parts, Berlin and Vienna used to furnish this country with a large portion of its theatrical material, the tables are now turned and America ts sending abroad more then it ts recetving by a good margin Recently the Messrs. Tait of Australia sent @ repre sentative here to get plays and players. He spent mone freely, and as a result the cities of that country will noon see some of the latest Broadway successes acted by American players. “Turn to the Right,” at the Galety, is slated for early production in Australia, New Producers in the Field. “Turn to the Right,” by the way, has launched a new producing firm—Winchell Smith and John L, Golden. They are preparing to offer other plays in the New York field, ‘The present season has seen other new producers spring up also. There are Rush & Andrews, Lee Kugel, with “Old Lady 31,” and G. M. Anderson, who with L., Lawrence Weber and F, Ray Comstock has obtained con- trol of the Longacre Theatre tn West Forty-eighth Street. A word for the Hippodrome should be said here. It had a wonderful season with “The Blg Show The outlook for the remainder of the present season appeats to be good. Numerous plays are slated for pr duction, and, ff public interest in the theatre abate, very few complaints should be heard next from the managers regarding the season of 19 now current has ummer