Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-08

erous and acrobatic sort which
extravaganza presents to tint
delightful fooling of trained In
tellisence There is as much difference
between the two kinds of fun as ther'
is between a clog dancer and Iehee
Peter Pan at the New National reVi'eC
the impressions the play made when ii
wandered, a fantastic stranger into the
theatric world. 1t was one OF the mos
unexpected of plays. Many people trieo
to understand 1t and failed Many more
we're content simply to enjoy 1t without
trying to understand. Never before mac
so elaborate a work of vivaclous mag
ination been set up without some toucn
of satire or some suggestion OF practlcai
instruction. In Peter Pan satire IS re-
placed by sympathy. II is delicate ana
intense sympathy which comprehends the
action of child's mind. 1t ranges, a
fantasia OF ideas, through the dreams
and ambitions of the days when there
are fairies and there are no wishes SC
extravaeant that they may not come
true Miss Maude Adams Is so happily
revealed in the character of the boy VINO
wouldn't grow up that IT stands out IN
prominence before all the others she has
created.
Man and Supernan" one Of the most
sparklinsly impudent of the Shaw COM
edies. was another return visitor. Rob
ert Lorraine has found in this play so
exact medium for his talents that
there is little need for him to cast about
for others. Man and Superman' is a
highly modernized treatment of the
theme which Benedick and Beatrice dis
cuss in Much Ado" In dealing with the
question of marriage by coercion. some
like Shakespeare and some like Shaw
Indeed. it is possible to thoroughly en-
joy both. so divergent are their literary
styles 1t is with some diff1dence that
Mr.. Shaw and William Shakespeare are
coupled in comment. and it should be
frankly understood that it is done with
out Mr.. Shaw's permission
Much Ado About Nothing with
which the Sothern-Ma rlowe Company
opened its extraordinary engage
ment, is interesting example of the
idea of extreme frivolity prevailing at
a time when the theater was associat-
ed in the popular mind with the mys
terry and morality plays and when some
knowledge of early classical form was
held indispensable to authorship that
catered to the world of sport or fash
ion. Much Ado About Nothing" was
no doubt supposed TO indicate as much
frivolous responsibility lin it's day
AS ''Hanky Panky" and "Twirly Whirly'
now imply The play may have been
intended to rank production of
sheer hilarity, but it has compact
ness of plot, Il dizziness of expression
and depth of philosophy that compel
US to take 1T seriously even when we
are laughing. They were doing their
best to be frivolous and audacious in
those Elzabethan days. We have far
surpassed them in exuberant jollfica-
ton. but considering that IN Shakes
peare's time there We're no ladies on
the stage, even for serious speaking
parts, il must be admitted that they
did very Well
The series of plays at the Belasco is as
sured of patronage for another week.
The attendance has indicated a remark
able interest in these favorite stars and
calls attention TO the abundance of pat
ronage Washington provides for attrac-
tons that are to its liking. The Sothern-
Marlowe productions are revelations of
give the auditor a real return in pleas
ant recollections for his evening at the
playhouse.
So much advice. both tacit and explicit
is given to the auditor on how to behave
in a theater that there is no possible ex-
cuse for going wrong. Florence Moore.
who pranced through the audience with
gay greetings while in Washington, dis
tinguished herself in Baltimore by re-
proving a box party that came late to the
theater- This seems going a little too
far. American audiences have so far de-
parted from old English customs that no
one thinks of daring to say boo to an
actor. however deficient his performance.
The regulations as to seating late corners
only after the curtain has descended, and
the kind but firm reminders that leaving
the auditorium before the conclusion of
the performance may spoil the enjoyment
OF others, invite respect. because they
further the enjoyment of those who are
sincerely and attentively interested. But
the restrictions as to the conduct of an
audience seem to touch only points where
the actors self-esteem and comfort as
we'll as the advantage to the public are
concerned. No program contains the
warning that no curtain calls will be
permitted TO destroy the illusion with
which an act closes. No pains are taken
20 hinder the desire to come forth and
bow to that portion of the multitude that
seems most interested in an actor the mo-
ment ne has ceased to act. There is not
even the concession to sincerely appre-
ciative taste that would indicate such
times in the evening when the desire to
look the company over in propria per
soma might be gratifed at least without
he CHASTITY absurdity of bringing the
dead and injured forward after a tragedy
10 smilingly pantomime their gratitude.
The person who comes late and goes
away early is a nuisance and an in
truder. So is the person who eats spa
ghetu with too much Neapolitan season
ing; the person who tells the story of the
play; the person who huns the songs;
the person who kicks the chair in front
of him in time 10 the music. All these
should be Instructed gently in a printed
notice, and il this will not suffice. even
by word OF mouth. But the player like
wise has some responsibilities in preserv-
ing the impression art and genius have
assisted 10 create. There are times when
the curtain call is a graceful response to