Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-05-17
From Ancient Rome
To the Broadway Farce
By Ph;1ander johnson.

The theater struggles bravely on.
Even the semi-barbaric splendor of
the circus could not quite over
whelm it, and devotces of the drama
occupied their favorite places in the
playhouses regardless of the gor-
geous entertainment rendered avail
able free of charge on the thorough
fares.
There were two types of tent show
in evidence, one the distinctly Ameri-
can development, rejecting some
thing of the picturesquenes of
pioneer life in this country. 1t is,
however, gradually reverting to type
and being absorbed into the tradi-
tions Of the circus, whose very name
leads the imagination back to the
games and pageantries of ancient
Rome. The display of wild beasts,
characters, elephant herds and all
the other incidents of old magnih-
cence is bit of fossilized history
which enables US, if we choose so to
regard it, to gain a little more vivid
imaginative picture of what a
Roman triumph was like when
SdHlSo anu SplCiluOI "SlC TIC OfuCl
of the hour and the populace gave
itself over to general rejoicing.
X x
The Americanization of the circus
as presented in Ranch 101," so as
to make it reflect our own memories,
finds greater appreciation i'll Europe
than over here. Uncle Sam is a
brave but modest gentleman, who
jnstinctiveiy avoids picturesque os-
tentationS. Keen as are his utili-
tartan perceptions in most matters,
fney do not extend quite so far as
70 enable him to employ for art de-
bclopment or ornate fashion mate
rial that is beneath his very eyes.
1t needed France to show us how
the designs of Navajo blanket or
the markings on our prehistoric pot
terry may be utilized in fanciful fab
RIGS. Modernized Navajo blanket
designs are like wrist watches.
People who now use them most con-
spicuously are as unlike their origi-
nal wearers as nature could arrange.
x u X
Another distinctive form of Amer
Scan entertainment that the Summer
used to bring was the negro minstrel
show. The songsterS in the sable
scmi-circle were usually assembled
rather informally, touring expenses
were easily met, rentals were not
high and the public welcomed the
rolicking interruption OF the Sum-
mer quietude. Bones. tambo and in
terlocutor represented the eternal
triangle OF the drama, and of sports
as well-the two disputantS and the
referee.
! Gradually minstrelsy organized
into permanent entertainment.
= whose leading opponents made and
spent money lavishly. led nomad
lives. with welcome secure wherever
they chose to tarry. 1t was !. H.
Haverly who took the most impor-
tant step in organizing minstrelsy,
which, as the names of leading per-
formers ceased to figure in combina-
ton as the name of the producing
firm, gradually became more and
more standardized and less and less
interesting. until with the recent
death OF Lew Dockstader the last
OK the typical names OF burnt cork
celebrities was swept from the bill
boards. Negro minstrelsy as re-
called by Mr.. Jolson or Mr.. Tinney
has, like the circus. merged into a
setting OF European splendors less
conspicuous for any Interpretation
of ideas than for its reflection OF
exotic magnihcences.
y y y
The equestrian who manages sew
eral horses at once in the sawdust
ring was out done n bravery by Mr..
Shubert. who hitched together a
group of billboard celebrities and
paraded them all at once in The
Dream Girl" From Victor Herbert,
whose career is closed, to Walter
Woolf whose assured success is
only beginning. Mr.. Shubert has put
into harness the past, the present
and the future. Fay Banter adj
1nired as a dramatic star. shows that
49, can sag and dance when she