The Washington herald., 1920-09-05


whose chief intent, after all, is to
remark that another season is upon
US. The professional critics, like
amateur soldiers, go with mingled
loathing and elation" to their ap-
pointed tasks. Neither storms with
out nor frosts within can frighten
them or deter them from their
search for good acting, bright plays
and bon mot in the next morn
ing's review. They may pretend,
but the schoolmaster's attitude is
bit terrifying. 1t is unquestionably
nice to resume, and the fact that
you, indulgent readers, will present.
ly be seeing all the plays described
Cbut not judged) in these columns
last year ought to make this years
task more entertaining by lot.
The first and the happiest thing
to chronicle Is the appearance of a
new star in a new play by a new
author (herself) produced by a new
producer-and all these newnesses
presents-Gilda Varesi acts-"Enter
Madame" by Giula Cont and Dolly
Byrne. The latter of these is the
LdlEuLtu VIE VI LOn bgTnes i am
told. so the dramatic touch is do
mestic. The former is Gilda Varesi
herself When the fine work of this
actress was recorded last year-she
supported John Barrymore in "The
Jest" and took his place for a short
time, and also appeared in "a
Nights Lodging"-it was suggested
that some one would star her. Mr..
Pemberton, once OF Arthur Hopkins
staff, had the acumen Qittle cour-
age was necessary to do this and
to put on a very smart rather So
phisticated comedy as his first ven
ture. He seemed overwhelmed at
the thought of a success when he
made his first-night speech. He had
given Miss Varesi a good cast-Nor-
man Trevor, Michelette Baroni and
Gavin Muir among them-and had
worked very hard on the
which after the first
night (very ragged) went smoothly
enough. Mr. Pemberton is an old
dramatic critic and he knows what
ought to be done As for Gilda Va
resi- she is descended from line OF
operatic singers and she says proud
ly that her Lisa della Robbia is
mostly modelled on her mother, the
most fascinating person in the
world" All of which hodgepodge of
gossip may>assure you that bang at
the start of the season something
gay and delightful has happened.
What will happen to the Garrick
Theater with such a success run
ming and the Theater Guild. due to
open with Shaws ''Heartbreak
House" in October, is a managerial
mystery.
The old-new firm OF wagenhals
and hemper seems to have rung
the bell with the first shot. for The
Bat" is tremendously successful
play Git is barely a week
old, but success seems to be
stamped all over it,. At least half
Of this success is due to the good
faith shown by the audiences, who
are specifically and urgently re
luested not to tell any one the solu-
tiOn of the mystery. 1t is surpris-
ing. but they actually do not tell
What condolences go on between
members Of one family. what sweet
nOthings about the theater fond
lovers whisper to each other under
the moon, l know not. I only know
that in the ordinary way Of con-
versation l have tested out the Sc
cretiveness Gf that's the word) of
several individuals, asking them for
The secret. asking them who done
II and they refuse to say. As
for me. wild horses could not drag
1t from me because the critics seem
TO have been under a special obtiga-
ton. Even by comparing the re-
views and piecing together the
story. you couldn't guess it. And
the producers are frankly grateful,
for shiyers and Nightmares may
come from a play but once, and
those that know can hardly stand
the suspense of going to see The
Bat" a second time.
The season really began weeks
and weeks ago, and in all fairness
one must note that Come Severn"
by Octayus Roy Cohen biased en-
his negro stories in the Saturday
Evening PosD is running merrily
along with cast which fancies
It's dialect so much that the an
lOuncement is made that they are
all white men and women. Also
hat Opportunity" and Crooked
Gamblers" which jockeyed for posi-
ion all through a month and then
'pened on Friday and Saturday
night of the same week are still
giving the public two views Of the
famous Stutz stunt on the stock
market. So far Ponzi is undrama-
.ized. There is THE Charm
School" of which Robert Milton is
5.oducer and part author with
Alice Duer Miller, whom the Nine
.eenth amendment has probably
eft free TO do little more work..
and The Lady of the Lamp" an
oriental fantasy in which Earl Car
roll is everything. 1 should judge,
rom callbOy to star. And-but no
the list is too long and names
10 not matter after all. Thirty
.wo plays are current this week
md they are opening on us by the
lalf dozen. The Oldest play in New
FORK is "Lightnin'," which opened
l little more than two years ago.
The youngest is one which opens
OmOrrow.
The English invasion is headed by,
Miss Teddie Gerard for the New
Ziegfeld Frolic (midnight stuff. II
hope her interests will be as well |