The evening world. Newspaper, January 29, 1921, Page 9

Stage Made Picturesque By Plays Full of Color With Romantic Glamour Other Times and Other Climes Reflected in Striking Productions That Appeal Strongly to the Imagination. Yet American Comedy Continues to Hold lis Own,) and the Small-Town Variety Causes Hearty Laughter. By Charles Darnton. T is Rollo who, in the course of sowing his “Wild Oat," pauses to say J cee to his young sister, “Dag'l cry, and I'll introduce you to an actor.” Well, thus far we have been introduced to countless actors and no lese than a hundred plays, and we really have nothing to cry about, In fact, we have reached mid-season without dropping a tear, Jt has been gay rather than sad, or little more than sentimental when serious. As usual, native plays have been designed to mean nothing mora than amusement, and it must be said the amusement has been better than usual. Anything, ap- proaching a problem of life has come from foreign sources, and even then it has had a liberal sprinkling ef humor. There is no end of entertainment. Picturesque Romance. If there is one thing that distinguishes this season it is the picturesque play, romantic or otherwise, with its touches of color, quaintness, and again advemture, This is the sort of play that takes us out of ourselves and throws us Into the vivid world of imagination. Take, fon example, “The Green Goddess,” conjured up by that solemn English critic William Archer, Here is a highly-toned thriller, wildly alive with savage people against a strange background and civilized Britishers in peril of their precious lives. In the days of Third Avenue melodrama we would have laughed to see a man heaved out of a window for a bundred-foot drop to his death, but we take the violent {ute of the rascally valet with real concern, possibly because the character is acted to perfection by Ivan Simpson. With catlike tread George Arliss walks into a part that suifs him down to the ground, assuming the airs and trappings of @ snbtle, cold-blooded rajah as though he were born to the turban. Winthrop Ames has; staged this play with fine taste and skill. But Belasco’s production of “Deburau" is easily the artistic triumph of the season. Its charm ts vastly greater than Sacha Guitry’s play about the French pantomimist whose fate is foreshadowed by the dim lights when the beautiful Marie Duplessis, dressed in black, domes out of the durkness and walks into darkness again with the unlucky Deburau. The mood ef the play ie suggested by lights. or the lack of them, an@ there is always the sense that infinite care has been taken with overy Retail. As for Lionel Atwill, he may well consider himself lucky. I'm told that when he was playing in «Tiger! Tiger!” he hesitated about going op the road until Belasco said to him, “I have a hunch that a play for you will come along one of these days If you want to take the gamble, stay with me. But it means etakin + “Pm game,” said the actor; "I'll stick.” Someti every- 40 nes it ahing on one card pays to wait ; , Good fortune came the way of another actor when Holbmok BI “The Bad Man,” Porter Emerson Browne's satirical comedy of the Mexican border. Here again is a play of color and adventure, ‘then there is: Mary Nash, who flared into stardom with “Thy Name Is Woman,” not to mention “Spanish Love.” Another picturesque contribution tqgur variegated stage is “~The Prince and the Pauper” in which Willlam Yaversham revives the romantic spirit, Catching the Laugh. On the edge of the field just touched is ust where to place Cora Dick Gantt's play, romance. n found lwmself happily cast in is difficult to ly it must M, Cohan he Tavern” It though origin: Geo Know J : have had its foundations in the land of fanciful en took it, but he would not take it seriously, and so he set hims to wor! to catch the laugh, But he was weeks in catching the crowd, He advertised “The Tavern” desperately, evidently determined that his earlier production, "Genius and the Crowd,” shoyld not be follow 1 by another failure. The same spirit doubtless prompted’ him to jump into the leading rote of “The Meanest Man In the World.” Anyway, he fought off failure in nces. “phe First Year’ will probably keep us laughing for more than a yeur. has author and actor, Frank Craven has scored the hit of his life in this See ¢ early matrimonial vicissitudes. That other small-town play, y oO é Is also highly amusing in its character drawings by Zona comed “Mise Lulu Bett, F 4 the acting is capital ; a ete humor with a fine point that Clare Kummer has given "Rollo's vad Ont” the first a&t of which isa treat In itself, Equally delightful is ye oat, of Roland Young and that charming young woman, Lotus iobb. ine ea ¢ gifted Gilda Varesi an¢ one would speak of the gi In the same breath one jiful comedy’ essentially Continental in spirit Madame,” @ Wioceher enduring success, perhaps because of its mixture of Bat” [9 still ane ier and if you are looking for further amusement you wil fad It teeetittle Sia New York.” “The Champion,” “Welcome Stranger, a it in “Li New Yo rhe Chany Arraneplanting Jean” and “Tree Live Ghosts When the Ghost Hake: , casas eueanoamnen dealt to speak of ghosts witho Rose rey Tipe vanes in this Barrie fantasy it would probably have Made ined to th For me it lost nothing by having Ruth Chatterton es. deen pfuised Se a apall worked by both the play and the actress was in it excert ely broken when the “ghost” walked out to take a curtain call womewha' : are beauty, and these moments are beautifully Beparia Meeenirnes Miho has an eerie quality similar to that of realized by Miss Chatte Frances Starr 1n "One vay Margaret Anglin makes her force felt in “The In a more sim» moving her audience with an emotional power that is Woman of Bronat use of the intelligence back of it, With Mrs, Fiske it all the stronger litte she has nothing to bother her in "Wake Up, Jona- ie CLG rie husband who boasts of {aming the world when she thinks peyol than , ri him to realize that money isn't every= ready. While bringing it too tame alreacy, fun at his expense, and she makes up for all the thing she has © jane has done with the story of the giant that she tells patient liste ahe children. “ ai kind marks Manga ; padfastly , cu Re a at importance to come uptown is “The Emperor Jones, tudy of terror by Bugene O'Neill in which the negro actor, ri AE ciateebe ‘ae the play itself, ‘To the graphic nchieve- sue ‘Ihe season must be added the performance of Ben-Aml in “Samson ree inh Droustt from Greenwich Village to the Thirty-ninth Street Theatre, i . 7 7 opinion of “Heartbreak House*—and opinions ha hita Re mare trays extremely talkative’ comedy is excellently differ Mc the Garrick, English class war continues to wage in “The Skin Gane ‘of Galsworthy at the Bijou. In each case the label may have a great teal to do with the gooda offered, for Shaw and Galsworthy are names of Gerrmercial value. But neither man is up to the mark he has already set “ hile many entertaining musical plays, among them the noteworthy revival of “Erminie,” with Francis Wilson and De Wolf Hopper as the rare old jailbirds. That eye-flling spectacle, “Mecca,” has journeyed forth to Gazzle the country and left the way clear for “In th Mrs, Fiske tells this story inimjtably, Patience of a different Set Wycherly's fine embodiment of the mother In “Mixed « 3 disaster threatening her homo, yet faceg worpler to be revealed to-night at the Century, Night Watch,” the new ! RISi<e. IN WWAKE OP, JONATHANY Fo HENRY MILLERS THEATRE: re- Belasco Sees Human Trend | In the Drama By David Belasco. | NB season has been much like] O another in the last few years, the modern theme being so constantly used that there seemed no angles left to It, Many problems be- came so exaggerated that the normal perspective seemed lost. No one, either in ‘books or plays, is so interest- ing as the natural human being. Almost everyone reacts to the emo- tions expressed by such a character. ‘The trend to the romantic was bound to come, Not that it isn’t as modern as the modern—romance has no age and no period. It is always with us. Only when the neurasthenic hero or {heroine entered the theatre did it seem to fly out of the stage door. | With the advent of “Deburau, |thanks to Sacha Guitry’s beautiful play, came the chance to put human emotions and sympathies into the many big characters which entered mo the life and influence of the career of a nature like Jean Gaspard Deburau's. ‘There are almost as many theories as theatregoers for the tri- umph of this play. My belief in it from the beginning was due to the fact t underneath the surface our hearts and souls are atfke. In human experience all |spond to the same fundamental pi sions. Life, love, work, play, death— alike to all men, perhaps with different forms and faces, but all come FLASHING STARS AYRES 1 "FORBIDDEN FRUIT," RAV h ow | AVAKAWA in > HE FIRST BORN ° a erra ‘- Champion, tehell, wha ha a ars IN “THE WOMAN OF tionally | GRANT MITCHELL | CARRIED. A SPEAR enti fe A\ |$5 Film Plays — Are Predicted By Griffith By David Wark Griffith. OTION n of gain- tures energi privile great fo foes natur would bread which theatr Ane long m theref a big hep in pe is the time | work | duet | will ger never with different meanings. So the play that | most human, that] ORR RS phe hum: heart most deep- iy, is the drama Americans weal MARGARET ANGYIN, 2 E THEATRE whether they wear red velvet evening BRONZE% FRAZEE s cloaks or red coat sweaters. = oe oo Iam glad to have found that the} ' nieas exen vision of the playwright, like that of Neumtee tecanumiae fe paar el the actor, has deepened. Audiences| we sway to rhythm. uripides to-day are more analytical. There] gay. ho things that muat) be anv fore ‘they seek logic back .of the] steahgely sreate emotions. “The Cae ae Ee tee) MDaburau" is wot aw standard, ar] Amt want so much to-day as good pls nd for though Exit the neurotic problem,” sade shad SOmAnG IOP HOME public is tired of it. The trend of th Be AN eR opt | new pieces will be to represent normal | jeen siispelleal. tt it hed wanda human beings as they are, not too! jef tn jis greatiess. wi Rei NG emotional, not too suppressed; whose| chanwed, It ia one o! hed: actions will spring from their chare-| qu) thingy 1 have ever Ned p ters rather than from the unskilled! Lite is depicted a Ml author's idea of serving the plot splendid to vw Int words of Deburau, tell you!) react to the mre’ 1 | t's an art ils springs in th wharacper 1 i heart of all n nkind.” George Sand ‘ | 1 Some say, Why, Deby s lines Chopin, Gaut M i} are made up of poetry; we get) the others all ‘soon re Acard the rhythm.” Of course they can,| emotion of meort ty w Every great thing in literature Eppeal of “Cymenn,” Teneo and d rhythm, whether written in prose or|et" and "Du Barr Lid it mierh in verse, Often in prose one is un- new epoch in the Americ drama tT N THE S There CRE that on : ROTH CHATTER-TON IN Y MAR Rose” EMPIireE THEATRE PICTURES ace and a mistake, And whether a ci are good. At least the pictures represent an ic effort to portray Itfe with uty as And they have in double measure, the industry would of reality and b other art form. ges as any any new ally gttract. And, again, th foes any new inedium of expression meet. But to-day they represent the meat, of the amusement food of the public; at once the most popular entertainment and the fitth and potata command, mounts to a position from s can be flung to the chall American producer. Anothe condition operating fo better motion pictures is the inalina- tion and interest to run successful productions a longer period in th have been called &n art, a craft, a men- If they are a mistake they are a popular one. AS to a menace, the printing press was long called one, and by “our best peo- aft or art, the public cares not as hong as the pic- —— Theatrical Season Shows Effects of the Post-War Readjustment in Prices Business in New York City Excellent, With Chicago” Second, but “The Road” Is Strewn With Wrecks. Expenses of Touring Companies Too High, With ' Public Demanding Cheaper Tickets, Though Outlook Is Promising. By Bide Dudley. HB present theatrical season has so far proved a most unusual one from the standpoint of financial returns. While business for attrac. tions in New York has been @o good half a dozen of them have found it fruitful to put In extra matinees, the road has been strewn with the wrecks of productions, | Shows that had long runs on Broadway last season went out early ip September and failed. At the present time there are numerous attractions trying to keep their heads above water on tour that are doomed to hit the rocks. Of course, there are others that are doing tremendous business on the road, but they are either the big spectacles, like “Chu Chin Chow” and “Aphrodite,” the big girl shows like “The Follies,” ‘The Greenwich Village Follies,” “Sinbad” and George White's “Scandals,” or are the 100 per cent hits, both dramatic and sical, like “Kast Is West,” "Abraham Lincoln; “Lightnin’,” “Irene” and “Mary. Road Feels War’s Effects. Various reasons are set forth for the failure of the road to accept # larger percontage of the attractions sent out, but the blame is generally put on the post-war reaction. Everything is coming down in price, more workers are unemployed and people are more inclined to hang onto their money. At the beginning of the season producers sent their shows out with the players getting the same saluries they received last season. Railroad fares had been advanced and ali in all the expense of a production was larger than it was during the year previous, To meet expenses the prices of tickets were kept up. The road, how~ ever, was found to be ready for a reduction in admissions, which could not be granted without endangering the lives of the productions, Prices being maintajned, a percentage of the theatregoers stayed away. The result wan it was necessary to withdraw many touring attractions to stop their losses. Before the road can be mare profitable for anything but the biggest hits, for which people save uy r money to attend, the exorbitant sala- ries pald some players must down; railroad fares must be cut and the manager must be given . chance to make money on a reduced top’ price for tickets, In other words, there must be a readjustment of outgo to conform to a curtailed income. s New York; as sald above, has not suffered so far this season, but it must be remembered that about 600,000 visitors come here every day from other points, and a large percentage of these must be entertained nights. They have money to and they want to see the shows. If 100,000 of e|these visitors were tS go to the Broadway theatres the same night the’ houses would be crowded without assistance from a single New York repident. Add 25,000 New Yorkers to the number of visitors who buy, tickets nightly and there is your reason for Broadway's continued success, Visitors Help Chicago. Chicago has ranked next to New York in theatrical success this dea Chicago, however, also has its influx of visitors daily. There are son, industry—colossal, awkward and in-| thousands of Westerners who never get to New York, but who run down teresting. to Chicago several times a year. Philadelphia, Boston and several of the Better ple ee 8 are . paral and pier cities have proved good for good shows also, but the ratio of failures nece y development, he pro-/in these cities has been much more ‘onounc a ‘ork Jigal demand for pictures of chance | Chicago, BR PU BO aS be: quality Is over. The warts gift of a New York, with ite fit - Aho 5 ¥ y odd legitimate theatres, would seem pretty well Buuets pop igaert OTonas. isons supplied to the layman, and yet half a dozen new ones will ye pee is stirring itself into firm jdentity as [fore the season ends and half a dozen} more by the first of next Sep- a source of pictures as well as a mar- | tember. * feet for then The Hurcpoan proniven Every day one hears people predict that/the olty will soon be over- with his cheap production cost and |stooked with such theatres, and producers of plays feel they will not have the great reservoir of talent at hig |dfMoulty in getting houses for thelr ventures, But theee predictions do not seem able to come true. Suppose twelve legitimate theatres are built in New York each year, and the population of the greater city increases half a million—will there not be need for the increased number of pilay- T | houses? And then while these houses are being constructed perhaps two or «| three old ones are being torn down or converted Into stores or garages, © instead of the constantly|While possibly halt a dozen of the big legitimate houses are being used by he programme that has so|feature films. ‘Thus it is seen that an excess of theatres does not always obtuined. ‘The theatre owner| threaten when signs apparently point to an oversupply, i more and can pay the produce cer rental, in time permitting rodueer 10 spend more money necting his production. ‘Time costly factor In production and 4 the prime necessity for bette In will r them future 1 ha «long runs in eltte, bolieve it to pay for then: Ihe theatres housing thi { jyeduction — exclusively I 1 to the regu Pr hy and 4 cor programm: money out of them, pro- standard that reasonable | | In the opinion of the most prominent managers cers, ) theatrical business throughout the land will gain manpcilly, setts “seh They think the low mark has been tqiched and that Prosperity is slowly Bat aie eile from its jolt. Tis true that production plans have een curtaile Some producers, but they are merel :] Spring will bring. i eo genne tS ee eae Road produation is at its lowest ebb and there are thousands of players The small managers who send their attractions out on the one-night stands have been hit hant by the increased expense, and they are idle. 4 y pean ise te Bi itt 4 \ittle or nothing. With the readjustment of things, which Is bound ined re t now. “Phat is, [CoMe the one-night stand managér will resume his activities. This, tt ts Will iw productions correspond. |&leved, will come in time for him to speed up next season. grand opera, for which lance! Keith Veraus Shuberts. i fers must be charged oath Oe a wey |__ ‘The vandeville situation promises to be more or less complicated next a son, The announcement that the Messers. Shubert will enter this fleld s/f theatrical endeavor with a ‘string of more than twenty houses in the i] cities, means the Keith interests will have active competition almoat every- whore they hold forth. E. F. Albet, head of the Kelth interests, is a ree sourceful man, how: and will let no grass grow under hi {| Sort of competition th a en aie at will ensue may bring about lower prices for vaude= Ni pe Te hg a patronage.| Ville, and it may not. It will, at least, assure patrons of this sort of stage | F st 1 think it he tong until/ entertainment of getting the beat the two-a-day has in the way of talent, are NOL permitted to, enter Just how inany of their legitimate theatres the Messers. Shubert will ape OPE AE the Dewinniak) (urn into vaudeville houses has not been announced. If the number {s large, che troigta 7. enn ono tn the) {Me mena ny be * tightening In the legitimate producing fleld. It Is bes loved, however, that they intend to acquire new houses for thelr vai venture, except in certain instanc migeti EN WORLD EAST" Business tn the vaudeville field has been excellent al there {sno reason why it should not continue so. As to th ot continue so. » the legitimat - look, our prediction is that the season of 1921 ror the oe from @ Minancial standpoint, this country ev will be one of the beat anne weer 8 is that there is n “| STAGE DIRECTOR al qf which stars a !| this season, and Like radium, scar y makes m invaluable, ‘They van wary al SAILED THE SEA paid, for ‘personality is ect | priselens, whether in the military,| When the Messrs. Shubert de. pelites, business or acting ined to pro « | One can hardly longer blame mo- wor hii fo Produce "ta the signe jon pictures for bad stories «ince a! atch,” they reatzed that only un yf the material of the novelist and [exceptional man could stage thie ramitist of the past have been usea| spectacular drama. Not only te the Wd alee at present the nest writing | piece. highly « brains ar evoting all of their time |?” WW) spectacular, _withstag L Tee nee mie moun 9 acts Inid on board a ‘rene ture erub snd it# trial seene in tre Every bene are signs of iiealth in| third act, but at 1 4d Intense play. he motion piotures, cries of censors! go even be onut was obit ship, vulgarity, &c., notwithstanding | p berare the ost way Gboam || happen to know of one picture to-| tHe Shuberts were seeking a atage jday that will earn a than any| director, Finally they found a maa f stage plays ever shown in| wi Ave) SAGO, POY. ceNgr, . Sun Re many unique qualifications, Ih quality. but ae dues | He had been at sea in'a British shig p metion pictures the av pop. |1or four years; he had been stage die vlar entertalament eve ne {| rector for some of the biggest spec. | t shows it is what the public wani,|tMecles produced in London} he Rade J and, after all, that is a rather con-| been chssival producer and first at | vincing proof of a prouac o's mert.|director of the New Theatre, and Motion picti.ea apparently are the|had rebuilt and prepared the Hara: et talke yt vard Stadium for Perey Mackaye’s. 1 won moat | Cala ba twenty days.’ These ut AL whave th uualifations nominated Frederiete alk and fmhting of this kind the: Dhope and he was given thé Bee ls uo #gn of decay, wmuion, { e uy é seecnte ee Sia HONORA OE re,