The Washington herald., 1916-01-23
BY GEORGE JEAN NATHAN.
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I haven't the slightest notion in the
world as to who 1t was that staged
The Pride of Race" piece currently
observable upon the stage of the Max
Inc Elliott Theater. for the identity of
the party was not disclosed by the
play bill. but ! desire TO do my little
share toward bringing the modest fell
low from out his present obscurity TO
the attention Of a world that is ever
ready Cat least alphabetically to well
come a man with new ideas and an
original point of view. II has been
long time since my auditorium eye
has detected a manner. OF staging at
once so fresh and daring in fancy and
so completely irresistible. True, the re-
suits of this producing gentleman's
fancy may not be entirely the results
which he anticipated and hoped for.
yet the fact remains that. whether he
estimates himself at his true value or
whether he does not. this producins
gentleman is. in the way of new ideas
and original viewpoint, the champion
staging comedian OF the year. The cir
cumstsnes that the fellows comedic
triumph Is one somewhat the reverse
of the sort OF triumph he planned does
not diminish the aspect Of his talent
(slbeit an unconscious onel for achiev-
ing some Of the most comical stage
pictures OF his hour. day, and genera
tion.
The curtain Of this gsntleman's stag
ing OF the play-s play written by a
Mr.. Michael Landman from a story by
Wallace Irwin-lifts upon a spectacle
described upon the program as The
Midnight" Supper, Yale Glass of IS,
New Haven, Conn" The ear learns
that the eye is engaged with the ten
year reunion OF the class In question.
In order to achieve an atmosphere en-
tirely accurate to such a reunion. the
stage producer in whose praise this
critical paper is being written got the
Gas every one who ever went to Coz
lege or Harvard knows) Is of course
the way the boys always adorn them
selves on evenings OF their reunion
week. Sitting round the table after
being thusly decorated the boys were
then directed to inject the reunion
spirit of wild deviltry into the picture
by drinking a single glass Of beer
apiece. During the desperate hand-to-
ehand engagement with the glass of
| beer. the boys were caused further
every few minutes to stand up ana
either make speeches or, give noisy
vent to their class yell. The second
scene OF this first act showed what
the play pamphlet designated as Mrs.
Calhoun's Summer Home. Greenwich.
Conn" The eye, upon the ascending of
the curtain, observed a sturdily fur
nished semi sun psrlor. semi-reception
hall. the general artistic and opulent
effect OF which was heightened by the
presence of a paper calendar tackled
on the elaborate vainscoating.
But enough. I believe 1 have indi-
Gated the staging gentlemsn's inn
aginative powers with a sufficient
measure OF concreteness. A sufficient
measure. that is. to persuade you to
sense the fellows peculiar ability. I
could. true, continue and inform you
OF a character who Is made to come to
a city house bearing. for a lady who
has just given birth to a baby. a huge
funeral bouquet OF deep red roses under
the apparent impression that n Is the
mode always to carry such large flu
neral bouquets through the city streets
to the bedside of new mothers. /