Evening star., 1920-04-04

~UST when tho world is settling
down TO the belief that after all,
the press agent is rieht-the pee
pie do want the diapranous
- drama with jazz iuterjections or
iurid anatomical analysis of the
S'Aes-Sothern and MarlOwe emerge
from declared permanent retirement
from the stage for a very brief sea .
son of Shakespeare in America and
everybody suddenly discovers what a
shame II IS he cannot get seats TO
tls taVorite play" Mr. Sothern and
MISS Marlowe have shown a fOndness
Tor Washington on more than one
occasion. and so it seems perfectly
natural that they should cancel "a
New Jersey engagement and give the
Sha k-Spcarean admirers at the Ma
tIVndi capital another chance to reVel
~ classic drama. 1t is an i'll wind
hat blows nobody good, and il is to
~ hoped that the American managers
Nho are responsible for the SOthe rn-
iarlowr engagement of two weeks
mink of it two weeks, something
that only happens in the movies
.owadsys-whateverm may have tempt
cd them to spring the surprise. may
be tempted TO spring another.
<
ing very hard to put recalcitrant
american artists where they belong
II is limited that the stages of Great
Britain. France and other outlying
places will be ranSacked and import
I'd 10 win the fight. and, as the cost
"f living is very high abroad and the
chances for remunerative employment
IN the entertainment field more or
less limited. il would seem as if the
tght-if there be a fights likely to
he continued until something hap
pens. The story is told of a dog that
once fought an imaginary foe so hard
that il wound up by biting its own
tail. so that the huntsman who owned
II had 10 borrow another setter when
he wanted to go hunting. If only
The public. which in the fight of the
7heater is in the position of the hunts
man. doesn't have TO borrow another
setter, all may yet be well. In bring
ing Sothern and Marlowe back 10
Washington. even though but for a
brief two weeks. the fighters have
given Washington an Easter joy that
Will be remembered. And now. in the
spirit of the Eastertide-if they know
what that meanS-once again let them
smooth their ruffied feelings and en-
deavor to reach peace with honor
that will! bring about the restoration
of the former greatness of the stage.
News reports say that folks beyond
seas are angling for David Belasco.
II he is good enough for them we
cannot afford to spare him: but he is
not a musical comedy producer. nor
have sex problems thus far command
ed the attention of his genius.
The theatrical story of the week
presents amusing features. although
some of those most interested in it
may not see it in that light. once
again has George NJ Cohan. the
miracle man of the American stage.
as his press agent admiringly ad-
dresses him, put the touch of his
magic hand to failure, and at pres
ent writing ii looks as il the Conan
Comedians in The House That Jack
Built" may find comforting haven
after the house has been remodeled
and redecorated by the irrepreSsible
George. There is something. after
all, in the old injunction Let George.
Go it, Three Showers" brought
real Easter joy in their wake, and
those who did not or could not sat
isfy their craving for the Bard of
Avon found grateful content in the
little musical play of southern atmos-
phere. Bide Dudley was less fortu-
nate with "Oh. Henry The Little
Whopper" is joyously running its
course elsewhere. Somebody once
said il was bad policy to swap horses
in crossing a stream, and another
that the shoemaker should stick to
his last Bide wrote the lyrics for
'"The Little Whopper." 1t was the
other fellow who wrote the play it
self What is the sense of breaking
a winning combination just for fames
sake?