Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-30
New National.

IN the laughable and artistically pre-
scented comedy, ''The Concert at the
New National Theater 1t is shown how
easily. a perfectly nice, everyday girl can
make raving fool of herself oyer long
haired genius who deals out tempera-
ment from piano. Incidentally it is
shown how a delicate theme can be ham
died with fine comedy.
Matinee girls who would just love to
know the 1ong-haired, piano-playing per-
son who enthralls for $3.50 a ticket could
get a lesson and q laugh from 1.-THE Con-
cert" The contention of the author OF
the comedy is that matinee idols COM
mercialize the idolAtry Of their worship
ers. and that the pink. perfumed notes
are worth so much per in an advertising
sense. Gabor Arany. the piano-playtng
genius Of 1.-THE Concert" will cast Ian
gushing look into an audience Of young
women. and the same audience fights for
tickets for tho next performance. hoping
and praying that the supply of these
looks will not exhaust itself The girls
dwell upon his glance. and take to calling
him the 'mahster'' and pay him
$40 a lesson. while all they want is the
privilege OF groveling at his feet. He In
the meantime. calls them privately a lot
of geese. yet he kisses each separate hand
when the girls bring him variety of
bouquets.
In The Concert Flora Dallas. who il
married TO nice. comfortable. common
sense doctor, becomes a genius wOrshtper.
She forces that temperamental Gabor
Afany INTO taking her to his mounta n
bun allow. 1t appears that the girls have
habit of forcing Gabor into these bun
galow trips. which he explains to his own
fine wife under the caption OF concerts
However. this special concert tour is
hampered by the sudden appearance of
Mrs. Arany and F1ora's own common
sense husband. Just about the time her
husband appears Flora is beginning TO
realize what foolish little girl she Is
AS for Gabor, the egotist. the musician,
he always did hold that II was part Of
the piano-playing business TO let all
women make love to him. His concert
Is purely professional matter with him.
and to tell the truth, he Is very, very
funny about it,
Flora's common-sense husband Is the
smart man who frames the scheme to un-
tangle the situation. This scheme Is two
thirds OF the comedy, and furnishes the
laughs. II 1t were not q laughable thing,
then the idea of "affinities'' and '"con-
certs' might become Objectionable.
The program states that THE Concert
is produced under the personal super
vision OF Mr. Belasco. No one doubts 1t
after seeing the touches OF stagecraft
which delight the eye.
Leo Ditrichstein, adapter Of the play
and actor OF the role OF Gabor Arany.
portrays the eccentricities of genius
with fine comedy. The role Of Helen
Arany Is drawn with sweetness and in
terpreted in most pleasant and friendly
manner by Janet Beecher. William Nor
ris. as the common sense DR.. Dallas,
shows the skill Of a finished student Of
comedy. and Lily cahill as Flora Dallas
holds her own with the others of this
we'll chosen cast.
McGinnis. an Irishman. as played by
James Kearney, might have stepped right
in of the street. SO natural is the pres
entation: and Cora Wftherspoons COM
edy hit in the roe Of Miss Merks adds
greatly to the pleasure Of watching The
Concert"