Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-08
THE PLAYCOER'S
WEEKLY TALK

HyHE two literary societies OF the Uni
A.versity of Pennsylvania. the Philo-
mathean and the Zelosophic, are plan
ping very interesting offerings for the
benefit of playgoers Interested in come
thing more stimulating and informing
than the commercial theatre. For sew
eral years both societies have varied de-
batting oratory and other standard ac.
ttvlfies with dramatics. and some of
their revivals of the classic, early Ameri-
can or poetic drama have been of gen
uinc artistic quality, as well as edlfyrng
nom the educational standpoint. The
selections this year are especially inter-
phlio. organized in 1918, will give.
series OF four one-act Irish plays In the
Academy OF Music on the evening OF
May 10, William Butler Ieats's Land
Of Hearts Desire" n high-water mark
2 os Gaelic imaginativeness and symbolic symbol.
Lady Gregory's slight but moving In
terlude. ''The Rising Of the Moon, es.
pccialIy appropriate now on account OF
It's patriotic motif, will be another. IL
was received warmly in this city at the
time of the first local visit OF the Dublin
Abbey Theatre players. The singer,
tie Irish republic. the poet and Gaelic
educator who gave his life for his cause
In the Easter rising of 1916. will be pre-
scented for the first time in this city;
It II said to be poignantly prophetlc OF
his fate. together with that Of Joseph
Mary Plunkett, Eamonn Ceannt and the
other Milesian melodists and scholars
asyociated with him The fourth pay
Glen" "a.
zclo, which will soon celebrate It's
centenary, is to continue Its custom OF
vV'ns Nus intrins,o ms N Worth. This year THE
Broker of Bogota, by Robert Mont
goniery Bird, a prominent figure N loGai
annals when Philadelphia was the Lii mti
arnry center of the United states. VIII
he produced under the general super
vision of DIR. Clement Foust. TO whose
repearch is due the authoritative biog.
raphy of Bird and also the rescue OF
several of his plays. and, their initial ,IsI
presentation on the printed page Ihis
Is one cf the several dramas OF Blrd -
which Edwin Forrest, the greatest name
n the history of the Philadelphia stage,
presented successfully. 1t is said TO De
not at all of the dry-as.dust tvpe' put
10 have keen characterizing, dramatic
ssnasions Ss Swan and tSs
Ballroom on the evening of May Il. Ihe
Zeiosophic Society, by the way seVeral
years ago produced a number OF PLAYS PAYS
by Lady Gregory. Yeats ana the other
neo-Irlsh playwrights.
VAUDEVILLE Is responsible TOT
" bringing before the general public
r,any notable artists and noted person
aiifies. but II is doubtful II 1t ever has
presented a more interesting ana mover
feature than tn, appearance o. Sa-,neriy me,en
dumb woman. who comes to keith
Theatre next week as the headliner.
Born in the South thirty-nine years
sr,ecch at the age of less than two years,
Misp Keller has been the pupil OF ailne me
S,fIIivan CMacy). who was sent 10 ner
through the. advice OF Aisxanoer ara Ira
Miss Keller learned lip reading and the
Braille, system of finger reading IN
1897 she matriculnted at RadchHe'
rsor several years Miss Keller has
been on the lecture PLATFORM, Sn" Sa,,5aa
writer OF wide reputation. AS vauue-
vile star she has prcyed poS.tNe srst
1nnortunity in years to see this re-
markable woman
rryHo would ever think that being
w funny was serious business?
welI. take It from Tom ,McNaugh'oT'
riotous comedian OF the Masm o',s
vocst,ons in the world. Tom McNam"Mton
NV. Ere ncis Wilson was right In When
Nixhts Were Bold" when he said:
"oh. my noble lords and ladies.
Testing isn't joke
=. McNaurhton Is veteran and
world's champion In his class at the
game of being funny.
"r treat nv rehearsa's just as a
6xhter treats his training course NC.
Naughton admitted Renearsais r,, daw ihs,
from eight to ten weeks. and every daV
consists OF about sixteen hours or work
workouts for me. because ] run, punch
the bag. box with Tod CKid'D Lewis.
ex-welterweight champion OF the world,
and do gym work and take rubdowns
every day. When I rehearse | actually
work and train. 7 have gone through
eight full encores TO one NUMBER IN
sThe Magic, Melody at every rehearsal
and never skipped bit OF business.
n fact, | couldn't. enjoy 1t all too
much. You see We have n company or
over 125 and in small rehearsal nan
they make a good. discerning auolenGe.
and we all really enjoy the comedy
situations in the play at rehearsals ana
al keenly as first-night audience does.
This furnishes the inspiration and makes
the workouts beneficial
Making people laugh Is no funny
matter. II takes energy, alertness.
quickness of mind and body and yoa
must be physically Mt to stand up 70
that schedule. That's why ! say being
a comedian is no funny business-tts
mighty serious but I'll confess mighty
pleasant. too ,.o,,
tolxes while they are in the theatre. but
IN England they don't laugh until they
ieaye the theatre" was Toms parting
shot TO the Playgoer. lie likes America
with the exception of the eighteenth
amendment
roHN DRINKWATER, English poet,
81 playwright and author, whose drama
"Abraham Lincoln" has been the theatri-
csi sensation of New York and wash
ineton, the only two cities In which It
has appeared. pays the following tribute
10 '"rhe Follies":
s.The composite mind that produced
fha iZiegfeld Follies' show. that I saw is
a master dramatist with superb gift.
MFR Ziegfeld II I may name him so,
has a vivid and personal zest OF grace
and wit and foOling. II Is clear that he
Immensely enjoyed making this drama
~ -pattern and vernaCular, and II is as
clear that he can please a great mis-
reilaneous audience. Here ] saw for
theTfirst time what have always felt
ths revue might be And when We get
IL we have some cant in our minds II
we pretend we dont't like It.
cit is the sham intellectual drama
that presumes to be serious without a
/, Kiimn1er OF what seriousness really is
that debases the theatre, not this wholly
sincere kind of gayety. ! cannot do
with solemn chatter about love on the
stage that is salaCiousness trying to
keep company with its betters, but |
adore a spectacle like this OF pretty
women who know how to move, even
though they sometimes imperil illu-
when the so-called comic type is thrust
into a play to relieve one tedium with
another, but my wife and ! laugh about
the decorum OF an American audience
(that's a genial retort from England)
urhan Eddie Cantor and George lie