The Washington times., 1921-12-11
OTIS SKINNER IN
ROLE OF ESPADA
AT NATIONAL
Famous Star Coming In "Blood
and Sand" from Novel by
lbanez-Sothen and Mar
p lowe at Polls in Classic Plays
BY LOUIS ASHLEY.

By LOUIS ASHLEY.
IT'S SKINNER comes to the
National Theater next week
- in BLOOD and Sand.' Tom
Cushing's adaptation of the novel
by Blasco Ibanez. the Spanish
writer. According to those who
have seen Mr.. Skinner in his role
Of Juan Gellardo. the famous bull
fighter. he has finally succeeded
in finding a play which may
eventually equal his "hismet."
Mr.. Skinner spent some weeks
in Spain last summer. seeking cos
t. -, properties and furniture for
his production. The costume he
wears in his biggest scene was tho
actual property of two Of Spain's
greatest bull fighters. Ell Gallo and
Granero.
Tho songs and marches are those
played at the Plaza de Torres last
summer at a charity-given torrida
In Madrid, which was attended by
the Queen.
Cathrine Calvert IL Mr.. Skinner's
leading lady this season and prom
inent in his support are Madeline
Delmar, Cornelia Otis Skinner. the
stars daughter; Elsie Frederic.
Edith Townsend. Octavia Kenmore.
Clarence Handysides and +. Cecil
Butler. There are twenty-nine
speaking parts In Blood and Sand"
ToIN oLDMIXON LAMBDIN. in
his well. written column in the
Baltimore Sun last Sunday has
something nice to say Of Washing
ton, carrying in its lines q vivid COM
parison between the Capital and the
Monumental City. II you missed It,
hero It 10:
On Thursday last was in
Washington. having gone over to
see Walter Hampden's Macbeth"
which has Just been added to this
interesting actors repertoire. but
which will probably not be shown
in Baltimore for long time because
the company is on its way to tho
Coast and does not seem to be book
cd here. On the same afternoon
Richard Strauss, Elisabeth Schu-
n md
willem Willeke were appearing at
the National Theater in "a festival
of Strauss music" Concerts In
Washington take place at a late
hour-they are not even supposed
to begin until 4:s0 p. m.-so after
the Shakespeare tragedy was over
at the Garrick, I wandered down to
the National for the last half Of the
festival and was able to hear q
full hours music. But I experterfced
some difficulty in getting into the
theater because the lobby was block
ed with people who were besieging
the box office, the queue" extend
ing out into the street and all the
way to the corner Of Thirteenth
street, an entire block. These were
people patiently awaiting their turn
to buy tickets for "Declassee," the
seat sale having opened on Thur1-
day. There had been a crowd like
this all afternoon. and after the con-
cert. at $50. the line had not dimin-
ished at ALI There were Just -
many people waiting to buy tickets
for "Declassee" as there had been At
3 o'clock. Perhaps this explains
why 20 many Of the best" plays 20
to Washington. There IL an audi
once for them there. Only tho circus
creates . similar interest In Balti-
moro.
TONIGHT Charles 8. Gilpin offers
"The Emperor JONES'" an un-
expected and lasting hit In the No
tropolis, at the Shubert- -Garrick and
1t seems safe to predict large houses
all week. This play IL a marvellous
= study Of fear a. portrayed BY
Charles 8. Gflpin in his role Of for
mer Pullman porter. 1t had ono per