Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-14
G2ozh J2aee
YH 80 e<'%

A&He
ENOR the second week in succession
Virtually at the outset of the
season, Philadelphia will have only a
single dramatic opening next Monday
in Edward Claik's melodramatic
farce, ,"Not With My Money." at the
Broad. The solitary new Offering dur.
Ing the past week was Anne Craw.
ford FleIner's enterta lining but ordi-
ns<y mystery play. The Blue Pearl"
The next few weeks do not at present
hold the promise Of much greatei
variety at the Legitimate" house, \;
first glance II seems incredible that
although we have more theatres and
a vastly greater and wealthisr popu-
lation than ever before. We nave fewci
new productions from Week 10 Week
than in former years.
GENERAL reasons have consp!reG
~ to produce this anomalous s!tua-
tion. The huge addition to the c!ty's
4 population has directly stimulated
long runs. Thus do we par the pre-
OF increased metropolitanisn. in de-
creased variety. The truth is that !.
long runs are TO be the o"deI o. the
day. Philadelphia needs still more
theatres to provide the variety that
is manifestly imboSSibte IN or seven
dramatic thcatreS II the tendency
toward lengthy engagements continues
to. develop. Until II season or two
ago, the traditional length OF an en-.
gSEement here was two weeks. with
such long runs as those Of The Mah
from Home "ENperieuce Nld the
distinctively local Willard Spenser
operettas conspicuous chiefly through
their divergence from the rule. But
this custom has been shattered by the
longer pubic patronage Of entertain
ing offerings. and even more funda-
mentally by such special wartime con.
ditions as the present de4rth of good
Attractions for the greatly increase
number Of New York theatres and the
excessive cost of touring today. This
last item appeals to the theatrical
managers with special force, since
more than ever before the men who
own the theatres also own the shows
and consequently seize eagerly upon
long runs as q means of dodsing the
high expenses Of the road
ALTHOUGH The Blue Pearl IS
4 \ obviously modelled after The
Thirteenth Chair" it is not destined
TO enjoy the long engagement achieved
at the Adelphi by the earlier mystery
play, for another attraction is an
nounced for that house for september
50. Little need be said here by way
of later comment OH The Blue Pearl"
since it makes no pretentlons other
than ephemeral entertainment. II IS
,--sefter than The Thirteenth Chair
II, that il is not SO palpably star We
hicle; the contributoiy Characters are
drawn with more careful detail-us.ns
that term purely in relative SENSE
and it has more humor. But II is III
ferior to it's model in that its dramatic
clifnaxes are weaker. At no time,
however. is the illusion SO deftly cre-
ated or adroitly maintained: the spec
tator is never permitted t. forget its
theatrical character.
TNyEN SO fortnight an entertain
{ ~ ment as mystery play may
achieve illusion successfully If the
right attitude is adopted and consis
tently maintained. The great trouble
is that the managers have never de-
vsloped and applied any definite the
ory of stage presentation. That, a.
any rate, is the opinion of Arthur
Hopkins, himself a producer, who has
already been well represented here b!
such plays as The Poor Little Ricl
GirlyD "On Trial" Good Gracious An
nabelle," "rhe Successful Calamity
The formula is simplicity itself. Ute
naturalness in the player and presen
tation will do more than anythin;
else to create the illusion in the spec
tator's rnind, believes Mr.. hopkins. ]
must oe the unconscious speaking t
the unconscious" both in the play
wright's lines and in the actors inter
pretation. The process calls for con
plete unselfishness. Thsse must be II
distractins exploitation the ind
vdual at the expense of / play.
stNTY FEELING about the birth {
a AVA play is that it gradually be
comes an individuality, that it be
comes personality OF which the diff
ferent actors are organs or members
says Mr.. Hopkins, discussing hi
theory in a monograph smartly bu
quite insccurately entitled How
Your Second Act?" Goodman. Il d
not see ten or twenty individuals moy
ing about. see only one thing made c
ten or twenty parts that is moving
So long as it moves properly I al
totally unconscious of its parts. III
moment ] become conscious OF pal
and lose the movement of the who
know that something is wrong. 1t