Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-23
THE PLAYGOER'S
WEEKLY TALK
Dissertations on Plays and
Photopldys Of Interest
to PhiiadelphidnS

to Phitadelphians
CHEsTNUT STREET is minus one
= Of its once accustomed mid August
figures this year. He could be spotted
infallibly by his large black leather
portfolio and his velour hat, sometimes
with a cute little black or green plume
In the band. Gle had hcarkened to the
resounding gong calling in the hay he'll
met to the hat box long before the rest
OF Us heard the faintest of chimes.
Casually passed. he would cause the eye
60 negotiate a backward once over and
the mind to speculate on his identity,
and especially to wonder il that was
what the early autumnal modes for men
would be. For sartorially he was nifty
and advanced. Oh, very advanced. As
advanced as his occupation.
He was the theatrical advance agent.
Zone sensed at first sight that this pic
turesque personality had freshly breezed
on to Chestnut street from Broadway,
bringing the fragrance Of new mown
hay to our torrid citied sophisticated
street, The portfolio carried photo
graphs of his star and interesting
stories of his stars diamonds or
poodles Cif n lady starr or athletic |
prowess (if a gentleman starr. The
velour hat was the sign of his calling.
And HE was the sign of the opening
Of the theatrical season.
"Strike, fellows, strike
We can hear Francis Wilson elocut-
Ing this passage from 'Trolius and
Cressida" (V. 81.
THE once invariable portent of the |
L perambulating press agent is lacking |
this season as Labor Day, the usual
opening date of n majority of theatres,
approaches. Whether his failure to ap |
pear is to be interpreted that the plays |
and players for whom he pioneered also
will fail to appear on the local stages a |
week from Monday is still a question. |
The advance agents are not striking |
yet, but it looks as if the walkout of |
the Actors Equity Association. which |
has closed score of shows in New
York and several in Chicago, is bound
to have some influence on the local sit
uation.
"Since we've begun to strike. we'll !
never leave" g Henry VI, ii, y, |
which seems to sum up the crisis in
New York, may have some effect over
here.
AS PHILADELPHIA is not a sum
n mer show" town, there has been no
way of estimating just what bearing the |
strike would have on affairs here. Be
tween the stage hands. the musicians
and the actors several houses have been |
in Chicago, which is sum
mer show town" This would indi-
cate that similar conditions would be
duplicated here on any attempt to open
the theatres.
However, the local house managers.
while not buzzing' very loudly, are
going on the assumption that openings
will open as scheduled for this city
before strikes or rumOrs of strikes drew
Thespis into trade unionism and set her
humming lone for all and all for
Equity" which, as everybody ought to
know, is the "Marseillaise" of the
striking actors.
Equity representatives, however, hold
that players scheduled for Philadelphia
will HE them ''to those fields where
noble fellows strike" C'All's Well,'
ii, 81.
IL Equity spokesmen are to be cred
tied, these casts are made up of Such
as will strike sooner than speak and
speak sooner than drink" Il Henry
w, 4, 2). At least there is no gainsay-
ing that good line about the drink, just
now.
TN RECENT seasons all the half dozen
4 or so first class houses here have
opened with a Labor Day matinee Tone
of the performances for which, by the
way, the actors state that they never
received pay, in their list of grievances)
This year only three houses announced
Labor Day openings.
The Shubert was to start the
season with Al Jolson in "Sinbad,"
which had a remarkable series Of runs
in three theatres in New York and in
couple of other cities, on September
/. Then it was announced that it |
would open on August 25. The latest
announcement is to the effect that Jol-
son will open the Shubert, but when is
not stated. Jolson. it has been under
stood, was one of the players who were
not allied with the Equity. Possibly |
the cancellation of original plans is due
to the fact that 'Sinoad" employs a
large chorus, and Marie Dressler is the
large head Of the large chorus of strik-
ing merrymakers.
Possibly Miss Dressler and her CO.
horts have taken their slogan from
"Coriolanus"
g 'Tis sworn between US we shall ever
strike
Till we can do no more" q, q.
uTA. LA LUCILLE" musical
II farce which made a big hit on
Broadway. is announced for the Garrick
opening with a Labor Day matinee. 1t |
is being advertised. however. for that
date, although it was forced to close in !
New York during the present week
probably on account of the necessary
participation of the chorus girls branch |
OF the theatrical folks union. The
sympathetic action of the musicians |
union also had some bearing on the case
as well as similar support by the stage