The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-05-05

Helen Aackellar act the chief roles
there is a scene in which Miss Mae
kellar prepares Il supper for the
two friends who are losing interest In
each other in the same ratio that they
find interest in her. The stage man
ager. upon an appeal from the cast
VINO are required to partake of these
viands, which they have done already
more than zoo times this season
sought To vary the menu, and sue
ceeded "a the extent OF causing Mr.
Rendei and Miss MacKellar to lose
interest in their succeeding speeches
whsle they tested the new gastra
nou.c feast spread for their scene.
Children. as playgoers, have come
suddenly To the front Children. "a
piaygoers, too, have won signal sue
cess this year. Indeed. some OF the
most pronounced artistic successes
were scored by the little ONES. which
gives interest to Nancy Van Kirk and
her courageous determination TO play
for the Riddles and make il possible
for them 70 have their own play
house Thus far she has been emf
uently successful. and II Is worthy OF
note that her latest program includes
episodes Of the Puritan days, a period
now being celebrated by the grown
ups.
Miss Van Kirk has succeeded
where So many have failed in this
determination. Children's plays in
tho past have bordered closely upon
the highbrow Hauptmann'S The
Sunken Bell which has been sug-
gested for a childrens play is so
deep Iii symbolism that adult play
goers are themselves divided as to its
import Miss Van Kirk eschews such
plays. and gives her entertainment in
rhyme with frequent musical accom-
paniment.
Grown-ups find their greatest de-
light at her chiidren's hour in watch
ing. not the entertainer. as attractive
and charming MS she may be. but
her audience. The children them
selves furnish an entertainment OF
rare delight. When they especially
like a number they have most eff
rective way of securing an encore.
Instead of accomplishing this end by
applauding. they resort to the ex-
pedient OF bawling until Miss Van
kirk consents to repeat 1t. And a
theater full of bawIing children is an
appeal that cannot we'll be denied
Echoes Of the late strike of actors
represented by the Actors Equity
Association continue to float along
broadway, Marie Dressier. whose
heart burned with indigns.I5n be-
cause the chorus girls were not paid
enough and treated we'll enough. is
herself the defendant in innumerable
cases alleging these wrongs: Walter
Hampden who was the protagonist
of the actors theater scheme, and
whose denunciations of the methods
of the "commercial' managersswers
livid. had two tries at his scheme
and the money lost has not yet been
reckoned, Francis Wilson, the presi-
dent of. the associa ton. has found
the shedding very hard when he
sought to establish circuit of play
houses and has even failed To in
tarest managers, commercial or
propositions Ed Wynn. who was far
funnier on the stage than off when
he led the strikers, has his own show
on broadway, but he has failed to
cause undue enthusiasm The critics
complain that the ingredients OF 90
per cent Wynn and the rest east does
moi argue for success. vt
The performance Of Alice IN
Wonderland, directed by Rachel
Barton Butler and Boyd Agin as a
part OF their children's theater
scheme. almost came to an end one
afternoon because of the sympathies
OF one small tot The Dormouse had
been unceremoniously ducked into
the teapot by the Mad Halter and
March Hare. Such treatment was
revolving to the mind Of this little
one, and she walled long. long ana
lugubriously. and this was continued
until the unhappy Dormouss was
withdrawn from his unpleasant pcsl-
ton, wherennon the play nEoaaaAeA