Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-15
EATON SEES "TEE ETERNAL
MAGDALENE' AND OTHERS
The Others, Which Include Joseph Urban's
Scenery and "Around the Map" Seem Supe-
ror to Two Acts of Dream-Sociology
By WALTER PRIcHARD EATON

| follow. His son robs bank, his daughter
elopcs with married man. his wife dies
of the shock. and incidentally one OF the
''landladies" from the vice district comes
in and defends her protession-or at least
justiiies it-by quoting statistics and mem
tionlng long list of famous practitioners,
from Cleopatra down-a catalogue of the
chips, as the old New York Sun would
have dared Numerically to call 1t.
Presently our SNUG friend wakes up
to flnd II has all been q dream, but he
is new man. He tears up his statement
TO the papers, appears to think the
segregated district shouldn't he broken
up after all. and tells his daughter She
may go to the theatre.
Now, of course, men aren't rcmade by
dreams. in the first place; and audiences
aren't persuaded by dreams In the
second. The dream Is a possibility, hut
even there somewhat doubtful eXpedient
in IA comedy such as THE Phantom
Rival" or bit of pathos like "Hannelo."
But when you wish to show the remak-
ing of a stubborn, powerful man, and
when you wish to preach n social mes
sage into the bargain, the dream won't
do. 1t takes either the shock of reality,
or else the still greater shock of vision.
not dream. In the upheaval of character
II is always a vision or a conversion"
not dream, which accomplishes the re-
suit. The mind must know itself awake.
This Is so elementary that one can hardly
forgive an author for not realizing the
fact. Not knowing that, one dstrusts
anything he may have to say upon seri-
Gus questions of human conduct. 1t Is
because authors come into our American
theatre so i'll equipped with knowledge
as well as with style and technique. that
our drama seems so second class to the
foreigner.
Perhaps Mr. Mclaughlin chose the
dream aid in this play in order to give
the supernatural flavor to the role of the
eternal Magdalene. We have no quarrel
with Mr.. McI1oughlin for trying to intro
duCe the supernatural element. Indeed, he
ought to be praised for trying TO do
something a little imaginative But as
critic, we are concerned with results, and
the result here is that he has neither
written n play which Is convincing as a
human document nor convincing as
supernatural document. Anybody can
dream about the supernatural-and wake
up to resume life exactly where il was
left off. Nobody can actually encounter
the supernatural and be quite the same
person again.
One of the latest musical comedies is
"Around the Map" at the New Amster-
dam, book by C. NJ. S. Mcclellan, author
OF ''The Belle of New York ana Leah
Kleschner," with music by Herman Finck,
MIR. Mcclellan has done better work. and
for all we know Mr.. Finck has, too. But
the great fact about around the Map
is that the scenery has been devised by
Joseph Urban. and I'm one imaginative
scene he has also been alloWed to light
the stage, without having his effects
ruined by the conventional spot from
the gallery or the equally conventional
footlights.
He has framed all his scenes with
false proscenium of jolly figured material
nd
deep sets alternate with painted drops, as
In the Platt productions of Shakespeare.
His drops are, of course. well painted,
and his deep sets are at times unusual
and striking, though not always as charm
ing as one would have expected. Possibly
his inability TO light them properly has
something TO do with this. He seems un-
used 10 painting for white light eS-
clusively
But in one scene, as we have said he is
allowed to go his own gait, and there
he achieves an effect out OF all pro-
n6rtion 10 the actual dramatic value of
the scene, out of all proportion 70 the
imaginative appeal OF the play He does
n nv color and light and grouping by
shsar nictorial charm. And the audiences
love IT, applaud 1t, remember II. curious,
mat the new stage craft should be
rnaLina lis ray on our stage not in. the
serious drama, but In musical comedy
Pba scene dt is supposed TO represent
a dream) grows out OF darkness. emerg-
mo mystery of Maxheld Parrish blue.
AZ the rear between blue hangines and
AGAINST a blue nothingness of light, are
TWO pillars each bearing aloft basket
~ fowers-also blue. At one side Is
hiah throne chair on a dais, and seated
.i,e,.,on Tannhauser and Venus Tam
banser wears green and gold Suddenly
4 shaft of invisible lavender Light strikes
ths Two baskets Of flowers, and they are
t,yo spots Of living lavender 10 feet aloft
a little sprite enters, sort or Fuek,
herriss after the hrst srost. Did you