Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-21

the American people. the people of the
United states, 1 mean. But 1t will not
be a play that will express the people
OF today. We are changing rapidly in
our standards, our ideals. our charac-
tiers. We are reconstructing, reform
Ing In every phase of life-the prisons.
schools, institutions, public and pri-
vate charity, the condition of municipal
and rural association, finance, the state.
the home-but always and everywhere
with view to social justice, equity.
charity and the larger life
Rnth St. Denis-Ruth st. Denis has
studied out her own theory of bodily
rhythm and expression and follows her
own conclusions without any reference
to any school or any self-constituted
priests or priestesses of Terpsichora
Some years ago." she says, IAN
American girl in Europe-Isadora Dun
changed the face of theatrical art.
Tights and corsets. high-heeled slip
pers, hats and ridiculous fashion in
dress had so dwarfed our bodies and
our ideas that, had We seen Venus de
Milo walking down 5th avenue. we
should have shrieked and exclaimed.
Heavens. What a figure" Why. be-
cause for centuries we had eaten of
the fruit Of the tree of knowledge of
good and evil, modest and immodest.
regard our impossible standards of art
and life the real, and natural as the
unreal.
'Isadora Duncan did not give US any
thing. She revealed to US what we al
ready had. and this revelation is
expression.
PERSONALLY. I do not belong to the
Duncan or Greek school, save in the
largest sense. Ny ideas of dancing are
in another direction, my highest ideals
being the expression of not merely a
perfect outward form of beauty and
body, but a certain inward mystic state
Of mind-things going far back in the
consciousness that I believe can be ex-
pressed through rhythmical movement
but only from within and in an entirely
individual manner
Fakin's school for Thieves-That the
great English novelist, Charles Dickens
got his inspiration. if he did not in
trust borrow the facts. for the tale OF
"Oliver Twist" from the real expert
ence OF an actor. is the opinion OF
Thurston. the magician, who is also
loves to ramble through the mysterious
passageways of literature and seek
new avenues of thought and reflection.
During Mr.. Thurston's three-year tour
museums and libraries and visited the
old curiosity shops of London and the
provinces in quest of lore either for
gotten or overlooked by others VINO
have engaged in similar research.
On one such journey he came across
a volume entitled THE "reminiscences
of Michael Kelly" singer at the Theater
Royale, Drury Lane. This volume was
published in 1926. whereas Dickens
"Oliver Twist" did not appear in print
Uh
in Bentley's miscellany. This was the
year that Dickens arranged to write
The Memoirs Of Grimaldi," the great
est clown in the annals of the theater.
The school of pickpockets, which Is
the central motif in the tale of "Oliver
Twist" and which has had a romantic
appeal. was not mere figment OF the
great novelist's imagination. There Is
of the streets apprenticed to learn the
trade of scientific robbery from an eff
cheney expert. but Mr.. Thurston was
surprised to find the legend Of the
memoirs of this knight Of the sock and
buskin, Kelly Of Drury Lane.
Mr.. Thurston possesses some Of the
original texts of letters written by
he had gained even local fame as a
writer of fiction. He has great ad-
miration for the novelist, and does not
in the least attampet to detract from
the value of his work by citing the
parallel between "OliVer Twist" and
the tale of Kelly the actor.
Tells Good Stories. - Thurston. the
magician, is a raconteur-he says he
thinks a certain Chicago window wash
err deserves a medal as the most I'M
imaginative man in the world
During my engagement in Chicago
last fall" says ThurSton, II dropped in
to see friend who has an office on the
nineteenth floor of a lake-front sky
scraper. 1t was during an airshfp meet
and flock of biplanes We're cutting
figure Fights over Grant Park about on
a level with us.
"A pair of window washers came IN.
and the outside man clambered out the
window and went to work without
bothering to fasten the usual SAFETY
belt these men wear. From time to
time the man paused to watch the
skimming aeroplanes. Finally the out
side man shook his head dolefuily.
"Hully Chez he observed. I'd hate
to have q chob hke dem ieiiefs
Here's another.
While Thurston was playing Atlanta,
Ca. this season, he was Weakened early
one morning by a knock on the door OF
his room.
what is it?" he asked drowsily.
Hits me, boss, wild a TELEGRAM,
answered the voice of black beiipoy;
'eWell, shove 1t under the door,, said
Thurston.
TITS on a PLATED"
An Interesting Reuni0n.-The pres
ence in this city during the past week
Of the actor-manager. James X. Hack
cit. who came down to soc the opening