The Washington times., 1922-02-26
COPS STAGE DULL
DRAMA, BETTER
TO FOLLOW
PlebIan Cement and Iron Work.
ers In Hero" Roles Rescue
PlaHoIk From Meshes OF
. Police "villains."
BY HAROLD PHILLIPS

BY HAROLD PHILLIPS
wv AsHINGToN's first NUM-
" cipaI drama, entitled "The
Bluecoats' Incurs on" or
The Plans are All Wrong"
raised what Abe Martin might
call a right smart passed. o
havoc" to theatr cal schedules OF
the week Just ending. Only ons
Of the three Big leg innate attrao-
tons scheduled was fores!ghted
enough to pick a refuge with
strong Orders and adequate
trusses, with the result that our
theatrical menu shrunk to
rather synthetic collat on.
After the heretofore amiable
Detective Grant ARMED himself
with a sheaf Of villainous papers
and rode, Revere-like, to a half
dozen Of our best theatrical ad-
dresses. he left behind a trail OF
darhened Hobbies and puzzled
managers who thought wonders
had ceased coincldent with the
booking of the Cherry Sisters.
Things looked dank. indeed and
Aoubly d.scouraging aftA a per-
usaI Of coming attractions" that
conditions then Indicated would
not DO with US.
But Art Is bigger than Blue
prints and 1t was with ascend ng
satisfaction we noted progress OF
the battle at the National duell.ng
grounds this last hectic week.
On Monday it became apparent
10 passersby that Mr.. Fowler had
been transacting business with
dealers In building materials.
Mountainous rows Of cement bags.
lumber and nail kegs made the
landscape view from the theater
steps a total loss. Denim-clad fig
ures raced feverishly about. On
Tuesday the casualties among the
cement bags was distinctly notice
able and a considerable lumber
footage seemed to be missing.
Hal" said we, Art seems to be
fighting gamely in the first few
rounds" breathing at the moment
Q fervent prayer that such plebian
barriers to airing the playwrights'
output. as cement bags, be given
sound and permanent humping.
On Wednesday further inroads
had been made in the pile, ana to
such Wholesale effect that Thurs
day found the but.recent gargan.
tuan array reduced to few lonely
mill-ends, odd scraps Of burlap and
an old man with a broom tending
vigorously to these. The National
reopened Thursday night. and
there you have. In the fewest cpl
sodes possible, the brief history OF
the sand bag era in local drama.
What's true OF the National Is
measurably true Of other houses
closed by the Commissioners
Polls reopens March 8. The
Metropolitan and Columbia, movie
houses. hope to be quickly released
from restrictions.
Having not Jared SO badly the
week Just ending. We W II do bet.
ter the current week with George
Whites Scandals. apening Sunday
night at the National, and Fay
Banter opening Monday at the
Garrick in East Is West" Polls
will be dark for another week. re-
opening March 6 with "The
Woman In Bronze" starring Mar
Earet Apglin in an unsurpassed
piece Of acting. The play CONES
here from q long New York run.
The week coincldent to Polls
opening win find tho National
housing The Broadway Whiri Of
1921" in what the press agent
calls . four-starred musical in
toxicant. featuring Blanche Ring.
Charles winningsr. Winona Win
tsrs. and Jay Gould.
The Garrick has scheduled no
attraction for March 6.
So, after all. sAings are pork
ing up again In tho play world.
and II won't be necessary at
al. At all. to dust off the ouija
boards and other f.res.de COM
psnions to I'LL In the blanks, for
there won't be any blanks.