Evening star., 1924-12-07
An Exploration and a
Discovery IN Laugh Land
By Ph1ander Johnson.

Out i'll the cold, dark night look,
ing for laugh
The old free lunch route. which
even statesmen of rcnown have trod
has disappeared from the map, where
It traced its joviai course from the
Botanic Garden along PennsyI-
vania avenue northwestward to-
ward where now stands so many
OF our hotels. 1t is the laugh
hunger that now seeks to be
Soothed. Habit fixes definite and
circumscribed route. Belasco to
Polls and thence to the National
It becomes an eternal triangle paced
off on the paves with geometrical
precision. 1t is followed almost as
patiently as the triangle domestic
comedy is followed from week to
week across the iootlights
En- route to the triangle stamping
ground, the lure of the Rams Head
Players is denoted in the distance
by the sparkle of lights through
leafess branches, amid imposing
architecture against a moonlit sky.
1t suggests the setting for an old
time melodrama and not for a mod
ern society comedy played with all
the zest that comes from artistic
devotion and close, loyal admiration.
But who shall judge by the outside
of the thcater what is inside?
= = x
THE New York Idea" was long
ago revealed when the popularity of
star was sufficient to give a play
substantial support, even though it
was not particularly striking speci-
men of drama. The New York
Idea" left no yearn behind it to see
it drawn from the pigeonhole and
displayed with something the same
faint interest that attaches to turn
ing over of the pages of an old-time
fashion magazine There are treas
ures in the theatrical garret such as
the Sheridan plays and other Eng
lish comedies; American comedies.
too, like ''The Almighty Dollar"
Colonel Sellers" and even "a Texas
Steer" which would be valued as
heirlooms and not merely regarded
as unServiceable, ill-built furnish
ingS.
Passing on, there is a blaze of
electric lighting through another
vista of trees and noble govern
mental architecture, where Keith's
proclaims with luminous enthusiasm
its absolutely reliable list of attrac-
tions. At the Shubert-Belasco The
ater the benign visage of Louis
Mann bids US pause. He seems
about to speak Che often does) in
order to tell the passerby not to
believe a word OF what irascible
stage managers used to say about
his being hard to get on with at
rehearsals. But he remains silent
and leaves the billboard to make all
announcements. The title suggests
defiance. "Milgrim's Progress" is a
villainous pun and relates to the
really effective work that Mr.. Mann
does-alwayS does-because it is
suggestive of pathos in its efforts
TO pace along with the dash and
spirit of the hour. Mr.. Mann weeps
abundantly and explains the reason
in the same quaint dialect that COM
bines our native humor with a study
of the metropolitan melting pot.
The types Mr.. Mann portrays are
closest in interest to the citizenship
not fully absorbed into this Western
social scheme 1t is drama on the
European, and not on the American,
plan; profoundly important when it
reveals such play as Friendly
Enemies" in the midst of a world
of wartime discussion, but dependent
for its palatability in the present
instance strictly on Mr.. Mann's SUI
perior personal accomplishments as
theatrical chef.
Il = x
Little Jessie James" well
groomed and prosperous musical
show, points the contrast between
how the bandit was musically inter-
preted in opera and how he now
serves as suggestion for musi-
cal form largely dependent on syn
copation. Fra Diavola was ex-
plotted in the Auber opera by name
and with some biographical respect.
Jesse James serves only as title
inspiration for some episode of hsart
highwaymanry. 1t gets the new type
of comedian we'll into action with
none of the old-time extravagances
of wig and nose putty once consid-
cred essential to musical comedy.
X + y y ~
The hich no;nt of the fria nrr1Ia r