Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-09
THE PLAYGOERS'
'"D WEEKLY TALK

WEEhLl iHh"
L-.,:,, NIT next week at the theatres
Wh,,,n, -, rcycal no novelty. al, ,h" ,hC
W will fT..ooctiors staying put. the
playing AFT nf bill Of the current werN
,It changes s, y. Irit some theatrical re-
have doupI.',Eir ,irawn upon by playgoerS.'
serves 10 Dp w." Abraham Lincoln Is
DrinEwh.I moving and should be seen
ripping n"si,Ion an" zion Of the right sort OF
ior Us ond Amcricanism. too, a.
patriotism nU written by an EngliSh-
though u was and emotional acting
man. 1cmsE nrJer is displayed by, fi3r. !T
Of high nI"i !, "Thc Mirage. lhr,
snce KGcu ,G This :" year are ms colortuI ana an
"Follies t,,Jj,E os ever and moro uni
''ecod ;tas'T,ustt year in qualities of on,
form, than l"', ,wifh exceptionally good
tertainmcnt. al, fancy and eccentric.
dancing "T," Tos rs innings in "Thc Son
MeIoIr,aonr"" With Lcnore Uric ana IN
paushler' with James crane.
"Oppor."oorrj vivacity mark nAs You
Fantasy ,%at delightful revue. lnen Tor
Were' Ln ,n"SS Save delayed seeing. them IS
those W"U u.cok % respectively. OF 'Adam
the Is1 light comedy with tonic
snd Eva, ,rd of THE Whirl OF the
hrnlorj' witb aIb lis array Of well-known
lo"mI%SyilIe entertainers.
ar os tho most interesting writer's
n. literary dramatic horizon
" on l., sssily John Drlnkwater, the
today II lrrnrlisb roet playwright. whose
young rus rus Abraham lincoln is
lnltla. Rroad. Mr.. Drinkwater Is IN :
at tnt not olone for what he has
teres''hhs hst for the high promise that ne
dsne " For he cyincPs an independence
oIeLs, a clarity Of thought and trce
o. luea. g.om, convention that collectively
dom ,'v'm tin, as ono amid multitude
VA Naturally Mr.. Drinkweters .abra a, :
~ lincoln" is the product that sun
uSd ..nds first in the public eye ana i.S
adG;o, as'h;oc, alone Ia warranty for lts retaln :
uv'b suU tho most Of honor in any company
p, ps, The Drinkwator quality Is shown
i..o pu, more-however, on" may rsgaru
.HV, MI ,Isy az such--in his brilliant Mary
,.e S.nayt p.t'" lust now the prime novelty
on Broadway - H.. Ala,
,,an.,ti,tes Mr., Drinkwater s gift Is
eiue,.,,,roordinsry faculty for perceiv-
ns ,Ss salient element in character
ins "" focusing upon that element
anu .na,y n nv Of light. great and tiny, that
II, writing possesses. In ms monu :
n,,,i DE study Of Lincoln II is the lone
H,s nro.s of that great soul and his stead =
..,ress .,s TO his principles despite his
,.s,,,,aordinary aloof position, that Is
..hn,;Soted with such overwhelming
.uv ..rsr In his study Of the romantic
Soo,Ssb Queen everything impinge'
Soon Wary's longing for the great love
XII she feels is her destiny.
In reading both plays one feels as
,hopsh some literary N-ray had been
srsstsd for the express purpose or dis
.n,srinr and Illuminating the one tre-
msndous fact upon which the whole
rested. ,.., 4,
nenstrate the veil that as yet conceaIS
iror, the general public the two yet
newer Drinkwnter works--deallng, re-
,nsCtively, with Oliver Cromwell anc
Nth Robert +. Lee--deClare that ir
s.cb iris curious Drinkwater gift is tc
bp demonstrated. If possible, with ever
more notable effect.
Those plavs, hy the way, are to b'
rrodurod also by Manager william
Harris. Jr.. as part Of his intent to be
hs American producer for all future
plays by this new master.
ALTHOUGH FlOrenc" Reed gets 9
a daily view of her own name in in
r,ndpscont lights over every theatre II
which she plnys. she is not inconsiS
tent in her insistence that the stat
system Of the American theatre Is one
Of the greatest detriments to its prog
Nw
The practice of American managers
in starring young girls before they have
had sufficient experience or won thu
recognition to justify it is as much ar
injustice to the girls thus distinguished
as II is to the public" Miss Reed con
fded to the PlayGoer.
~ say this as much in the intcrcs'
Of the public AS Of the theatre. sh'
vent on to declare. ''lngcnucs may
win a popularity as ingenues, but taker
out Of their natural element and OK.
plotted as stars before they are read!
10 be thus exploited is grave mis-
take
There is no royal road to a pcrma
I'Ir s"gygSS oTco9ton IN "a al" ibot rIo LearniS.
The values Of life through experience
growing through constant work int
broader artistic standards. are yer!
necessary panks to the platform of al
artist.
The trouble with some American
producers is that they get their hpar
turned BY young girls popularity II
Mme ingenuc role. and Immediately OK
pOit her name in electric lights and CIV,
her the burdens of play which he
shoulders arc too young and inexppri
'ncod to bear. As result the publ,
loses an idol; the girl in question ha
10 begin her building all over again. anc
ths manager is sadder if not wiser 70
his experience in the foolhardy prof
Oct,
1T is much better for PLAYER I,
wait until the public begins TO innu,r
why she is not starred than 70 have ,ha
public wondering why she is starred
better for her. better for her manage