Evening star., 1924-11-16
Frivolous Professionals and
Art for Art S Sake.
By Ph1ander Johnson

even a kitchenette. The compliment
of charming music is always avail
able. It's use has come to be fraught
with sad significance, for no music
competently rendered by a group of
trained nstrumentalists can be alb
| solutely bad. When the music rises
sign that the auditor is trying to
find an excuse for the rest of the
demonstration. The curiosity in-
spired by thought of seeing Miss
Chatterton in this kind of a play
was soon satisfied, and the young
man who asserted himself ad lib and
proceeded to give show on his own
account, regardless of what the
other characters were supposed to
be about, was a welcome intruder,
although in more artistic scheme he
would have been romping repre-
hensibility.
The production will not disturb
the popularity of Miss Chatterton,
although it may be doubted whether
even New York, which in its diverse
and multitudincIs populace holds
patronage for almost entertainment,
provided it is properly exploited
into special attention, will come for
ward with any enduring clientele
for THE Magnolia Lady, AS an
{ ktra added attraction Henry Miller
hvinself might possibly be perssuad-
ed to come forward and sing a
stanza or do a few steps, but
doubt whether even that would save
it for any great length of time.
It Is so much easier in the theater
to soar rapidly aloft from a humble
plane of recognition than it is to
descend from heights attained. 1t
is not easy for Miss Chatterton to
retrace her way and arrive at musi-
cal comedy. 1t is a perfectly simple
matter for Ada May Weeks to step
out of the chorus, and in few brief
months soar into the attitudes of
popular merriment, like toy balloon
at a carnival. Henry Savage has
been peculiarly successful in devils
ing musical entertainment of the
kind which leaves music consider
alton subordinate to stage embellish-
ments and personality.
!
When manager sets out to es-
tablish' new star the first thing he
thinks about is changing her name,
SO Lou-Tellegen dropped the dis
tinction of the hyphen and went
ahead with the name which sounded
as if Cincinnati or Milwaukee
friends called him Lou for short.
Lotta created great deal of re-
spect for the actress who can as
sert herself on the billboard by
| means of her first name alone. Mr..
Savage enabled Mitzi Hajos to do
the same thing. Ada May, not quite
so much abbreviated, has a merry
| Springlike sound, thoroughly in
| keeping with the type and tempera-
ment of this elfn visitor.
Leaving Walter Hampden's Cy-
rano out of the count, the season
thus far has displayed little that
comfortably accentuates itself in
recollection. The producing mana
gers have been concerned with their
business quarrels and left most of
the real work, SO far as actual en-
tertainment, to faithful assistants,
| who have utilized resources lib
orally at command in effecting con-
coctions by means of dessicated ma
terials and familiar recipes. Now
and then a personality like that of
Ada May frolics in and WHITES them,
but not often.
| y X X
1t looks as if art for arts sake
! were coming more and more strong
1y into the spotlight of popular de-
strictly professional enterprises
have adopted the word guild" as
a signal that they are trying to de-
part from the standardized product
The present temper of audiences
should make this seasons activities
of the Rams Head Players particu-
larly noteworthy. This enterprisins