Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-13

z IN RETROSPECT. the last season ha,
been one of surprising excellence for
so.called "slump year." both from
On artistic and financial standpoint
One OF the prominent managers of the
city is quoted as saying that the three
X 3ouses under the control Of his organi :
otion have done exceedingly we'll. The
4 mistake, he says. that most theatrica!
4 men have made is to compare the pres
$nt season with the food tide Of 1919
Ind 1920. Naturally. the returns were
lot 10 glowing. but, for this city at
4ny rate, those returns have been salts
factory.
Last season, the golden food wa,
still rising at the start, but collapsed
about mid-year. and cbbcd up 10 spring
slime. This year. the season began none
800 hopefully. but except for spell
Fduring February and March. never
reached the low level prophcsicd. Next
4all Is another story again. Few pro-
s0ucers have made plans for 1922 1923.
and it's not likely they will until that
season comes around. One condition that
u likely to prevail is a booking ar
I rangement by which the duplication in
certain types of shows which have
stood for bad business in the last two
reasons, will be done away with.
,ShakespeareaR repertoire engagements
treading on each Others heels. musical
/. comedies occupying five out of seven
houses. dramatic stars Of the same
general type in adjoining houses-all
! these are problems that must be met and
! solved.
II The price situation showed Il distinct
change here during the last season.
more. probably. than in New York; Tn"
average top price began ut $50 in
stead of S3. and it was a daring man
ager indeed that attempted the latter
scale. THE Follies' made no prctensr
ct a 81 or s. rate, and even such
pretentious performance as The Cir
cle," with John Drew and Mrs. Leslie
Carter CO. starred. stuck TO the $50
admission. AT least a dozen even tried
to introduce ;hc 81 show. but in many
of those cases the performance itself
was so distinctly cheap that the re-
duction failed to pay. In fact. thea
itre- -goers seemed instinctively to fear
the low priced show, the reason being
that they had become used to paying
the wartime rates.
+ A Nd now. considering the season from
= the standpoint of the worth of the
plays themselves. there is again evil
6ence that Philadelphia Jared more thar
well in relation to the national produc-
tion OF theatrical entertainment.
sl In the first place. for those who do
their theatre going By name of star
AM1v fhic nitv hDi visits from tlp
Faithful Old Guard. as represented by
Otis Skinner, John Drew. Mrs. Carter,
Frances Starr, Ethel Barrymore. Mrs.
ffske, Sothern and Marlowe. Manteii,
Henry Miller and Blanche Bates. Leo
Oitrichstein, William Hodge, William
3illette and Tyrone Power.
z In fact, there have been few of the
fisin~ generation of players on whom
3Ae burden of the future must rest
Represented III this years crop here.
Ruth Chatterton. Mckay Morris,
Nenken, Joseph Schildkraut. Eva lie
Gallicnne. Elsie Ferguson. the TobiA
girls, Billie Burke and Alfred Lunte-
they about complete the list.
w Among those veterans who have only
recently achieved stardom. or even II
they have not done so. are we'll remem-
bered here, there have been seen Hoi-
brook Blinn. Robert Warwick. Olga
Dctrova. William Morris. Fred Tiden,
Lionel Atwill. Laura Hope Crews. Hale
Hamilton and o. =. HeSgie. :,
4 Those lists are exclusive OF musical
comedy favorites. the Irish players,
s.,., ave the inimitable "White Headed
Hsy.- and that splendid co-ordlnanted
cast of English actors who presented
AsThe Skin Game
E7vERY form of dramatic entertain
II ment has found it's way to some
Philadelphia house. That includes
comedy in all its possible phases. from
iantastical (Or whimsican to "tragi'
tas in "Thc Skin Game - drama
Y 10th society and exotic: farce, bedroom
md Its kin; spectacle, Extravaganza;
revue, musical comedy, operetta ana
graud opera.
An attempt will be made next week
to catalogue the best of the year s
offerings and to list an opinion of the
ten or twelve best Il is hardly
likely that such list would agree en-
tirely with the apparent opinions of the
public as expressed in the long en-
gagements, but il is interesting to note
that the past season has been notable
in one long run. close 10 record. Tn"
Bat which stayed nineteen weeks ar
the Adelphi. Ladies Night" fingered
nine weeks at the Lyric. "liliom' tiv"
Mt the Adelphi. The O'Brien Girl
nine weeks at the Garri"k and ''Wel :
come Stranger and Lefty Pepper
at least six each, gained in two en-
Sayements.
AfELODRAMA, as pointed out last
Nx week. has been noticeably active
here with 'Coinered. The Bat.
Bulldog Drummond,' Drifting.
s'BloOd and Sand "Haunted' unG
ssThe Dream Maker" as examples.
h The last named, which opened Mon
dey at the Broad, is one of the best o
the lot. 1t is a remarkable example o
IN idea worked up 10 the limit o
smooth and plausible production, in
teresting and intelligent dialogue ant
the right emphasis on the thrills.
The masterhand of William Gillett
4 1s seen in every phase of the play
y presentation. In addition TO giving
most delightful impersonation himself
< ~ has surrounded himself with
8 last that. with one exception. give
Il wonderfully rounded and admirabl
il 4neformance.
ssThe Dream Maker" is one of thos
4lnys wherein every doubt or criticisl
the audience is deftly forestalet
Just as the Amateur Mystery Pla
N Writer in Row u. seat Il. says. 'Ah
n, that's a slip. That thing could nevt
have happened there's no reason ft
V H." at the same moment, the autht
Dutg into the mouth of one of b
y Characters remark that explains tn;