Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-14

THE PLAYGOER'S
WEEKLY TALK
Dissertations on Plays and
4 Photoplays of Interest to
PhiIadeIphians

PhLtddelphtdHS
TIME impressive Edgar Stillman Kel-
ley musical accompaniment is an
important feature Of the performance
of ben Hur."
1t is both orchestral and choral. For
The latter, passages were selected from
the prophecies of Isaiah concerning the
coming of the Messiah, where the Saw
iour is referred to as "the light to
Tighten the darkness of the people.
The music of this number begins with
the theme of the prophecy, trumpets
and trOmbon6s, and is built upon the
ancient musical scale peculiar to the
Semitic people-Arabs and Hebrews
in which the interval of the augmented
second is prominent feature. This is
taken up by the invisible male chorus,
announcing the vision of Isaiah. Fol-
lowing is heard Il suggestion of The
Star of Bethlehem" theme. After a
somber passage. For. behold the dark
. ness shall cover the earth" the Or
chestra takes up the theme of the Star,
while the chorus chants the text: THE
Lord shall arise upon thee. and gem
tiles shall come to thy light and kings
to the brightness of the risings." The
curtain rises on the opening tableau
showing the Wise Men in the desert
beside their kneeling camels awaiting
the appearance of the Star in the East
As the first Shimmering of the Stars
light becomes visible suggestions of the
Star theme are heard. developing into
orchestral fullness as the light increases
In its intensity. As this incident of
ha ~ ala th,,N e .
is simulated by the orchestra, suggest
ing the journey of the Wise Men over
the arid waste of sand to the city of
David, where the Child is to be born
whom they seek and would Worship.
This melody is composed in an ancient
scale common to the Egyptians and
Greeks 1000 years ago
DLAYS that dealt with the great war
4 sentimentally, melodramatically.
temporarily, have been many. Those
that treated it spiritually and dramat-
ically have been so few that one greets
with artistic qualification The Genius
OF the Marne, the somewhat mechan-
icaiiy named piece written by a former
Philadelphia newspaper man. John =.
Balderston. and published in New York
by Nicholas L. Brown, also a former
Philadelphia.
The drama. in three short scenes. is
both the symbol and synthesis" that
George Moore claims it is in his pref
ace. But it is also crisply intelligent
In its handling of character and emf
nently playable.
Genre actors wishing to take flier /
in vaudeville might look further and
fare much worse in their quest for We
hIcles. Joffre is an acting part fat"
20
implications. its humanity. are not too
refined for footlight treatment.
According to Mr.. Balderston. the ap-
partition of Napoleon visited the ex-
hausted and inwardly bewilderpd gen
eral, scolded him roundly for his indie
cision and dictated the first battle of
the Marne. The author does not pre-
cisely label Joffre as an addepate. but
he shows him as the confused human
agency of superhuman genius-the
smoky wrath of the Little Corporal.
All this is not unqualifedly tiattering to
Joffre, but it makes delicious high com
edy, written in expertly concise dia-
logue.
" Mr.. Balderston'S s little cross section
OF life in war is instinct with unob-
trusive wit. but it goes somewhat
deeper. 1t offers a reading of some of
the great distractions in concrete and
entertaining form.
WILLIAI HODGE. who returns to
w, w the Lyric Monday in his own play.
The Guest Of Honor" is not only an
actor, but playwright and novelist as
we'll.
While not generally known, the plays .
IN which Mr.. Hodge has appeared since |
the memorable THE Man From
Home, the Booth Harrington comedy .
which served as his vehicle for five sea
sons, have been written either in whole .
or IN part by the actor. They were The |
Road to Happiness" Fixing Sister, /
and "A Cure for Curables. -
At'the time of the presentation the .
name of Lawrence Whitman" ap-
peared on the playbills as the author
and 1t wasn't until recently that in
formation leaked out that Whitman was
merely a pseudonym for Hodge.
WHILE the ministry for which he
was preparing. may have lost a
prize in Charles Lawrence, who dropped
his studies at Tufts College to enter the
ambulance corps when America decided
to take part in the late great disturb
ance, it is certain that the stage has
gained genuine ''con1edy fnd'' in this
ex service chap, who is one of the
bright, shining members OF the Elsie
Janis Gang at the Garrirk. Aside from
Miss Janis, who this season is actress.
producer, writer and director of her own
show, has kick" coming. but as she
alone is responsible. her kick" is a
purely personal affair. In speaking of
her bomb proof revue yesterday, she
said: Il made one big mistake in this
show, but | cant kick, however. be-
cause | wrote it myself No one else
ever put anything like it over on me. and
l wouldn't stand for it now except that
it is my own doing. Just think Of it
] open the show, Don't that sound
funny-and did it myself. Yes, sir ee,
| open this show"
A BREEZY personality, a good ma
n tured grin and funny walk are
chiefly responsible for the popularity of
Viii lam Kent, who plays the leading
comic role in Somebody's Sweet
heart
Kent played small parts in two
Broadway shows before he came into
success. They were ''TOot Toot" and
Ladies First" According to the gossip
of the theatre lobbies he never would
have found his chance with Somebody's
Sweetheart had he not been fired"
from the cast of Ladies First"
The Kent theatrical biography begins
with his running away from home in
st, Paul about twelve years ago He
sc I. |