The Washington times., 1922-07-09

the whole secret Of success Of q
giving the people what they WI
The Belasco Players In Washing.
ton are this season proving very
distinctly that there Is no need for
keeping the doors OF the playhouses
locked and bolted during the sum.
mer. II the offerings are made
sufficiently attractive the public
will swarm to get in. The whole
problem. like any problem Of busi.
ness, resolves itself into diagnosis
OF the public taste.
The Belasco Players, to be sure.
have q physical asset Of real i'm.
portance--the beautiful Belasco
{ Theater. one of the largest and
coolest houses In the city. But n
theater itself will no more draw
crowds than will an admirably
planned store, without merchan.
disc, draw customers. There must
be something inside.
Arthur Leslie Smith, who estab-
lished the Belasco company. Is re-
sponsible for the unusual list Of
attractions that the company has
been able to offer this season. The
verdict Of the Washington public
has indicated very clearly that Mr..
Smith has solved. to the satisfac-
tion Of this city, at least, the prob
lem Of the summer theater.
Mr.. Smith has held from the first
that fast-moving farce and mystery
melodrama are the primary re-
quisites In catering to the tastes
Of the summer theater public.
Both are able to hold the interest
from the start-they do not permit
It to lag. Farce leaves no prob.
lens to be worried over after the
theatergoer gets home. 1t pro-
vides q thoroughly enjoyable eve
ming, with no aftermath. 1t isn't
necessary to hold a post-mortem
after a farce or a mystery melo-
drama.
=, As a second feature Of his policy.
Mr.. Smith decided to stick pretty
closely, % far as circumstances
permitted. to the idea Of presenting
for the most part plays never seen
! in Washington before. That idea
has also proved it's worth. Due to
Mr.. Smiths efforts, Washington
has this season witnessed a num-
ber of plays that have entertained
New York and other cities, but
which had not yet reached Wash
ington in their travels.
THE success\ of the policy has
been indicated not only by the
popularity Of the Belasco Players.
but by the fact that Mr.. Smith has
this season made two records never
before made in Washington thea
ter history. He is the only pro-
ducer who has offered in the same
season two plays here, each Of
which has run two weeks, and that
feat In the more notable because
Il was accomplished in the sum-
mer. The plays were THE Boom.
erang' and Getting Gertie's Gar
l ter" The second plays run con-
'stituted the second record-for
"Getting Gertie's Garter" last
evening concluded its third con-
secutive week in Washington,
thereby achieving a run longer
than that Of any other play for the
speaking stage ever presented
here.
The company at the Belasco Is
made UP of actors and actresses Of
established reputation, players in
Broadway successes. The company
is headed by Earle Foxe, one Of the
most popular leading men on stage
and screen. He is especially popu-
lar In Washington, where he is
widely known and where he has
appeared often. Indeed, his prior
appearances in Washington long
since established him here, and fol-
lowing his engagement in this city
two years ago he Joined the zieg.
field Motion Picture Company to
Srepeat in the films the success he
had won on the stage. His tan
mail" after he had appeared in his
first picture, was no large that he
was promptly elevated to stardom
in the pictures, and It is probable
that he eventually will return to
them. Mr.. Foxe has, during the
last three weeks. won new laurels
by his Interpretation Of the role Of
Allan. the butler, in Getting Ger
ties Carter" a character entirely
unlike those he. usually portrays.
and In which he has proved con-
spicuous success. He will. Of
course. have an important role In
the current offering. Ladies'
Night" " ?.
Henry Duffy is another artist OF
distinction. q man who has had