Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-02

TJNHE everyday or overnight 49, theatre
L going public long ago learned this sad
truism: the trouble with private theatricals
is that they are usually given in public. And
yet a group of amateurs who call themselves
the Washington Square Players have been
turning away Broadway plaY goers every
night from a modest but thoroughly interest
ing production of four one-act plays. The
answer, of course, is quality to begin with;
but 1T is also several other things. And
those things are rather important to any
play-going community.
Quality First
TO get over the question Of quality first,
let us look at the brief facts in the case, At
the Bandbox Theatre-a playhouse on East
57th street, New York, that lives up to it's
name-the Washington Square Players pre-
scented four plays on Friday, February 10,
and repeated them or intend to repeat them
on every Friday and Saturday until the
middle of March; then another bill. The
organization is made up Of writer's. painters
and actors from the younger lights of Wash
ington Square; subscribers and ticket-takers
come from all over, and wander from Edna
Ferber and Fola La Toilette to people just
as staid and unobtrusive as all New Workers
think all Philadelphians.
The plays were as varied as could we'll be.
They began with Licensed" by Basil Law
renee, a realistic little drama of lower mid
dle-class Brooklyn, questioning and testing
some of our notions on long engagements,
Irregularities outside marriage and the
sterile attitude of some churchmen toward
these things. It's opinions are manifestly
matters for debate, but its humanity and its
art were definitely enough established by the
performance. On the whole, it was typical of
the modern spirit in social drama.
The second play was an intellectual farce,
"Eugenlcally Speaking in which a very
modern young daughter of a street-car mag
nate picked out one of his employees as a
mate, put her parent i'm his place with, why
will you insist on talking to me as If I were
a public service commission" and only re-
tired defeated before the conductors assur-
ance that a well-bred young lady already
had him in tow as a eugenic husband. In
"Eugenically Speaking Edward Goodman
was often audacious. but always very level
headed and very crisp and biting.
Maeterlinck's INTERIOR" the principal
piece, needs no word of description or praise.
The nature of its production deserves sep
arate m
Another Interior" a gastronomic alIegory,
was ingenious in itself while supplying a
bit of dancing and spectacle to round out
the bill. Suitable presentation Of the rush
ing emotions of a cocktail. an oyster. three
sauces, a meat and an Irresistible liqueur on
the dlssolvents of Mr.. Smiths
interior, calls for more dancing ability than
amateurs may furnish. But they can sup
in this case they did supply-a
scenic atmosphere.
The Scenic Side
If amateurs are u 10 anything which
others besides their friends can bear. they
must learn. once and for all, that scenery
Is not to be neglected. The ugly and absurd
warehouse relies of amateur theatricaIs sim
ply will not do. And yet hat doesn't mean
the expense of " Broadway scenic studio.
There are any number of young artists TO be
had who will supply brains instead. Ralph
a young Harvard man, and several
others, put some of that valuable commodity
the productions of the Washington
They used a simple, fiat. pale wall
and corner for the Brooklyn play. They put
4 narrow frieze OF fruit across as simple as
the wall, and with the aid Of a few carefully
chosen chairs, produced a suggestion of a
Rell-to-do home that amateurs never
achieved before. another INTERIOR was
presented by two black curtains with a red
"trip between and a hot red light from above.
While the Dissolvants danced In grotesoue
elbow and green striped mother hubbards
md chalked faces, and the rest Of the diners
lad bits of bright symbolism in their cos
interior was the triumph OF the evening
as well as dramatically. ana it
'royed just what any amateurs may do. The
fusion was perfect: the gray wall OF a
noonlt house with some garden bench in the
lalf light of the moon. and IN the wall two
args and well-proportioned windows that
hrew into relief the simple room OF country
oy within, lit by following candles. Moth
ag, however elaborate, could have caught
spirit better. And It cost $50.
and beauty are ready FOR any anna
eur society that wants them.
The evening began with An imsromnn