The Washington herald., 1918-05-12
Donald Brian Here Again.

Donald Brian has been an infrequent visitor to
Washington of late, and his admirers will be anx-
ious to welcome him in 'Her Regiment" to be
seen at Polls this week. Salient facts about the
production that the melodies by Victor Her
bert and the cast includes Frank Moulan and Josie
Intropodi. Also it includes number of excellent
dancing numbers. That goes without saying.
1t is unnecessary to say anything about the re-
markable cast which will present Hartley Manners
play "Out There" at the New National Theater to-
morrow evening. George Arliss, Laurette Taylor,
Minnie Maddern Fiske-to mention only three-are
to be seen in the piece. Miss Taylor, of course,
will play her role of "'Aunted Annie" in which
she appeared in New York last year. Naturally
some of the stars" are to be in minor roles
which require their presence the stage for only
a few minutes
The production of the piece here is the event
of the season 1t is for the benefit of the American
Red Cross, and should be the best possible send
off for its second war fund drive.
Neither Mr. Belasco nor Miss Starr is to be
congratulated upon their choice of vehicle in
"Over the Hills" The production of this play in
dicates of two things: either that the Belasco
Offices are fearfully barren of material in the
script line or that Mr.. Belasco believes that the
public is ripe for re-emphasis of pictorial and
values at the expense OF the other elements
that go to make up a production.
Hutcheon Boyd's is a jelyhsh play, and its
banality is patent in almost every feature of it.
from dialogue to structure Although its theme
is indeed as old as the hills and threadbare even
for the purposes of Illuminating conventional mo-
rality in Grms OF drama, with cleverness of treat
ment it might have been really effective Undoubt-
edly it can and will be rewritten and greatly i'm
proved. There are so many obvious things that
can be done Immediately and "painlessly" that it
is hardly conceivable that they will not be done.
Frances Starr Miscast.
Master of color and shadow and detail that he
IS Mr.. Beasco has made a pictorial achievement
out OF his production that is memorable. He has
done everything possible to ''lu the reason" and
stimulate the imagination. The first scene of the
first act is masterpiece of pictorial realism. The
following of drab. dreary rural life some
where back in the mountains are haunting bits OF
stage mechanism. The acting of all the minor
roles is faultless Miss Starr alone has grievance
against the author and producer, and have grave
doubts as to whether her admirers will accept
her new manner" Even if the author gave her
something more than bald, inane platitudes to
voice, doubtful if she would succeed. With
all due respect to her technical equipment in act
ing, no would think of matching her eoquence
as a reader against that of Edith Wynne Matthi-
sons tombstone Forbes-Robertson's, for in
stance. That is not her forte.
Mr.. Belasco this season has produced COM
edy, Polly with a Past; melodrama, Tiger
Rose" and a so-called morality play, "Over the
Hills" OF these three, it is obvious that his ef-
fort to adopt the George V. Hobart Elliott Com
stock and Gest manner is the least successful. We
hope it will discourage him from other efforts in
the same direction. Incidentally when is he
going to give that long promised production
of Warfield in "The Merchant of Venice?"