The Washington herald., 1922-01-05
new YORK PLAYS
NOT OPEN UNTIL 9,
SAYS MTNTYRE
Later Theater Hour Helps
Patrons Avoid Jams
OF Traffic.
BY o. o. MCINTYRE

NEW YORK. Jan. 4.-There is a
serious agitation in Manhattan for
later theater hour. Irving Ber-
Inns Music Box. which has become
rendezvous for those who like $40
shows. Is not opening until nearly
O'Clock. NiEe Is the hour that II
Is believed will be adopted.
People are forced to travel great
distances IN many cases to get to
the theatrical district and when
they strike the traffic tides motor
ing becomes a snail-nke process
In fact. theater going has resulted
in such hours of mad haste that
producers suffer heavy loss OF
patronage.
New York welcomes any little
leisure In its rushed existence and
such fashion will find a perma-
nent acceptance. The chief objec-
ton VIII be made by the actor. And
so highly organized is the actor
these days that he has his way. So
far. however, he has not recorded
protest against the plan.
Old fashions. too. are returning
to the theater this winter. The
smartest people rattle to the play
In farces. And the promenade. ="
popular in the days OF crinolin and
hoopskirts. has been restored.
Young bloods after a leisurely
dinner on their own drop in to a
musical play for an act and at the
entr'acte indulge in polite and in
consequential chatter with the
debutantes. The stroll around the
aisles becomes a handshaking car
nivsl.
H. Ia Ill .Ire ~
who has not?-brighten the tagging
moments with whatever the TASKS
may hold. At one theater the other
day l saw Two boldly-frocked young
girls join two sdolescents. All
lighted cigarettes. An usher stepped
up alphabetically to explain that
there were ladies' and gentlemen's
smoking room in the corridor.
Cant smoke in this theater?'
said one of the girls. isn't that
priceless?'-and she walked down
to her seat with her cigarette in
her hand. waiting for some one to
\ start something. The smoky de-
voices OF nicotine are growing re-
sentful at any effort to curb them.
In one of these superintendent
parlors on the Avenue-the kind
| that displays only one scarf or one
pair of gloves to a window saw
a walking stick that was the most
magnificent thing I had ever seen.
Not as a prospective purchaser but
| to satisfy curiosity stepped in
and asked the price. 1t was
marked s1S5. The clerk explained
that one had to be very careful
the handle was very fragile. And
putting it back in the window as
I was leaving it slipped to the
floor. didn't remain to See what
happened. But the cane wasn't in
the window the next day. I'll give
them Sl.S5 for it now, anyway.
A Japanese sat in a window on
Forty-second street demonstrating
a collar button. Outside one OF
those shiny serge bankers was try
ing to corral a crowd. 1t was
restless moving crowd that sought
something more exciting. Finally
in despair the barker shouted
hoarsely: Keep moving along.
This is private exhibition-not
for the public" And in ten min
utes the sidewalk was blocked.
There is a poetic beat To the
name OF a floral shop in the tun-
neled depths of one OF the railroad
terminals. Odink Florette and
Trinkie the nomenclature. Another
rather poetic name is that of
lunch room on Sullivan street. 1t IL
run by Wow Dow and Cow. They
should advertise Good Chow"
John c. Fisher. who made a for
tune producing "Floradora." fell
lifeless on a Chicago street the
other day. A few days before he
started West I met him in the
alter lobby. He was recovering
from a long illness. It'll see you
when you return" I /mentioned at
parting. Yes. I'll see you," he
said-and he added IF I return"