Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-05-01
THE PLAYGOER'S
WEEKLY TALK

"
NATIVE literary artists, from Whit
lN tier to the late Joyce Kilmer, have
treated the subject OF snow. POLITICALLY
but Il remained for a Polish dramatist
TO theatricize II. Stanislaw Przybyszew-
ski does not see in the theme a wintry
efflgy for babies delectation or some
thing that blocks trains. His snow is
shroud over such love, but only to
keep II warm, so that II may come TO
life again, more ardent and passionate
than ever"
In Snow" (Nicholas L, Brown, .puo-
Usher, New York; 'ardor" and pas.
sion" run away with the plot.race Of the
four-act play, with ''yearning' good
third. One may affirm that no such
glut of peut-up desires has hitherto been
accomplished in a four-act piece for the
theatre. All the characters walk around
In thick despair they talk elliptical
mysticism. They cannot make the most
everyday remark without the most
1orid imagery. II one of them thought
she were catching cold she would give
forth: 80 intense are the swirlng
vapors of November that stnusitis I'M
pends !" When the more wretched OF
the couples tthere are ,two) decide 10
drown themselves you think irresistibly
written Ui'VfSVsr by the early Maeteriinck, There
is no small touch OF Miss Ashford; too,
visiters wyh did you not take leaf
from Ethel Monticue anG solve It all
with a double bridal trip TO the "Gaier-
,ty' Hotel of Cracow?
Otto +. Thesis brave and straight.
forward English version battles gallantly
with the obtusities Of the story the peo-
ple and the locale. But even Mr.. Thesis
talent can hardly make readable a sym
bolism which is so vaguely general as
20 be fatulent; an emblematic female
whose sinister designs are strikingly
like those of movie vampire and two
moonstruck heroes. who in the fell
clutch of circumstance not only. cry
aloud but take 1873 pages to do II in.
lacking sufficient high verbal quality for
the library and crisp theatrical treat
ment for the iootlights, SNOW, one
hopes. does not represent the peak of
modern Polish drama.
Doubtless Snow" is a very great play,
though in inverse proportion to the un-
pronounceabllty of the playwrights
name. That Is the ratio and measure
the norm, they'd say so-of Judgment
OF some Of our cultists and culturines
in appraising modern drama And most
of us are like the populace in the fairy
story of the Princes New Pants
We see what we're expected to see, lack
ing the candor OF the child who dis
covered that the prince lacked even
denim overalls.
A Nd, speaking OF overalls!
"A The exquisite satin pajamas worn
by Hazel Dawn in the second act OF
Up IN Mabel,s Room" have, created
something of sensation since they We're
first seen here. Clasps of feminine inter
est greet their appearance, and envious
sighs are heard throughout the course
of the act. Mis- Dawn has received
many requests for permission to copy
the pajamas, but this. of course, is not
possible They are as much part of
the production as the dialogue itself,
and while 1t is not possible to copyright
or patent them. they are carefully
guarded and are seen only for the brief
est moment, and that is just before the
actress kicks eff her boudoir slippers and
Jumps into bed.
USUALLY we hear only OF parental
~ objections 10 stage careerss for
progeny. The inverse angle is the case
with Eddie Cantor, comedian with "Zieg.
field Follies." which comes to the Forrest
Monday. He is obligated to his father
Cantor, who was born in New York
twenty-five years age. earned the dis
tinction Of being home comedian. He
possessed the habit OF telling his father
funny stories at the breakfast table.
One day he handed the old gentleman
such hearty laugh that he turned TO
his son and said:
Eddie, you are really funny. why
don't you go on the stage?
II will" replied the boy, provided I
can get an engagement
The following day Cantor made tour
of the booking agents offices and sue
ceeded in inducing ono to arrange a
"tryout" Cantor scored at his first
performance and was given vaudeville
route fover the Orpheum circuit One
debut with "ziegfeld Midnight Frolic.''
and he is now one Of the important mem
bers OF the cast OF the 'F'ollies." He is
to be starred next season under the
direction of Flo Zegfeld.
There must have been a good many
parents OF the senior Cantor type. Easy
recollection brings to mind the Drews,
Barrymores. Sotherns, Henry Millers.
Salvinis. Cohans as examples of hered-
itary hstrionism which parental bar
Siers, II there were such, could not block
IITHEN one secs Airline Gardiner. the
w bizarre figure of Take II From Nc"
the gay musical show at the Shubert,
one thinks only OF the charmed circle
and the life that is painted in lurid or
ylamourous Coors.
But, backstaGo, in a boXlike dressing
room, Airline Gardiner rests between
cues. and II there Is a visitor. as there
sometimes s he hears conversation from
n prosaiC person who talks about poetry
philosophy and logic, and the serious
things of life.
These fleshings arc made of satin"
said Airline Gardiner. "and this blond
hair never saw wig shop. Now. what
else can I tell Nou?' she asked. still
N0yIJ ANOTHER WEEK