The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-06

of the theatre patronage. Why then, is New York prominently the theatrical center of the world? There is a reason. a perfectly simple reason. which because of it's very simplicity. is entirely losi ried in recent copy of the magazine of the Theatre Programme corporation of the metropolis, which has reached my desk. This article in substance says that New York people are different from those living in other localities. They live differently, under different conditions and consequently acquire different hab it's.
 All of us have e limited amount of leisure, that is practically all. Home lifo is determining factor how this leisure shall be spent. Reading Is one diversion | that develops largely in proportion tc the development of the home. New York because of its small area limited by na. tural boundaries, is of necessity a city | Of apartments, and apartment life there is different from home life in other com munities. New York people spend mos l of their leisure outside the home. Read | ing consequently becomes small fac | tor as a means of diversion. And atten. | ton is called to the fact that magazines do not have as much circulation pro rata | as they do in other metropolitan com. munties. More newspapers per persoa l are bought than in other cities, which l only goes to prove New Workers are su- perficial readers
 | It Is all the result of conditions. ''wha, shall we do now?" is the question after dinner at cafe restaurant or the del | icatessen store. The answer is invariably the play
 New York theatres are, of course pat. l ronized by visitors, but it is claimed tha | tnd hry | The reason New York is recognized az | the worlds greatest theatrical center < | that living conditions induce residents | to seek amusement, entertainment and recreation outside of the place in which | trey live.
 There were numerous plays produced | in New York last week-seven in all l | believe. Perhaps the mention of three | will cover those noteworthy. One of the most interesting was that which the or ! ganization of the Theatre Guild offered as their fourth play of the season, MT
 Pim Passes Bly," by A. A. Milne. This farce had long and happy London run Laura Hope Crews has joined the Guild stock company for this production. This on Monday night marked the first time the Guild producers have ventured into farce-comedy.
 Another of the weeks premier per
 
 l edy by Rachel Brothers, Francine Larrl- more being starred in this play, of which very favorable criticism is made There was also the eagerly looked for revival of Romance" the charming American play by Edward Sheldon. role before, enjoying both London and New York success overwhelming, Is again at the head of the cast which in-
 cludes many of the original company It is to comment upon the local dra-
 matic "goings-on," and connecting this paragraph and Birmingham with the one preceding (and with New York). let me say that this same Sheldon play "Ro- mance," will be read by Mir. Hudson Strode of the state university before the Drama league of this city on the after noon of March r at the Southern club.
 Mir. Strode is very popular in Birming- ham as reader and socially, and no
 doubt on this occasion, as heretofore,
 will be greeted by large audience. "ko-
 nance" is really delightful, and is re-
 garded by many as the most popular
 American play.
 In the near future Austin Strongs com
 edy, Three Wise FooLs,'' will be at tht
 Jefferson theatrA The fact that it come.
 here with the entire original New Yorl
 cast is worthy of note. It bears ou
 the assertion made some weeks ago iF
 this column that eastern producers art
 sending us better companies than here
 tofore. So much has been written in th'
 magazines of the country regarding thi:
 cleverly conceived comedy that it 1f
 hardly necessary to tell the story ol
 Three Wise Fools"
 Suffice to say the plot evolves around
 three courtly old bachelors of Washing
 ton square, New York. You think | {ol,
 do not mean the modern Washington
 square with it's long-haired men, bobbed
 haired woman, it's pink and green gar
 rets, it's Pepper Box" Purple Pup
 Black Cat' basement restaurants, bu
 the old square that was the aristo
 cratic center of the silk-stockingec
 Knickerbocker society. Three crusty oiC
 cronies one a retired financier one z
 doctor and the other iawyer,a "Dach
 ing together in one house have fallef
 into mode of living that is appalling 1, it's regularity. Their whole existence l:
 by rote. How slip of girl, suddenly
 thrust among them, acts like bomb shell in revolutionizing their method Q living, furnishes the basic theme of on' of the best character comedies of re cent seasons. John Golden is the pro ducer who is sending us this attraction and his name is usually regarded al trademark par excellence.
 |
 A prospect of more than ordinar. promises, always, the coming of a Shake spearean actor
 Robert Mantel supported by the love ly Genevieye Hamser, will bring tn plays of Avons bard to us again soon They include 1s shakespearean and clas sic plays in their repertoire, remark able numberi It goes without sayinl that the litterati of Birmingham and vi cinity will be interested, but we elder should encourage young people. particu larly those in school, to attend at leas several performances of these plays. The place of the spoken drama canno be filled by any substitute. The preser vation of the beauty and nobility of th' English language lies in great measur ! with the stage, and in this day of tn ] development of the moving picture. 1t safety hangs in the balance. Our high est standards must be preserved Our language and drama reach thei height in the plays of Shakespeare. Vera Gordon, who played the mothe part in the picture, stIIumoresque, an, who is called the greatest mother ii the amusement worldl' is on the vaude ville stage, appearing in skit calle, Lullaby"
 And also another pair whom W,
 always connect with the pictures be cause of their long service in scree, Bayne. are on the vaudeville stage. giv inglat present in New York the piaylet Poor Rich Man.
 Few actresses have the stanch per sonal following of Mrs. Fiske. She i