Evening star., 1925-02-08


He does not fight. He only works.
Cape Smoke" is another, demon
stration of the uncertain touch with
which melodrama is approached in
the current theater Incidents are
obstructed with trivial elaboration
and spontaneity is sacrificed to the
spirit OF practical joke. 1t has no
reach into realms of familiar inter
est and dallies with chronological &C.
centricities in manner that is often
dangerously within the scope of low
comedy. The snake doctor is
weird creation as artificial as the
snake itself, which only comes to life
when industriously wiggled. James
Rennie struggles along with visibly
fading courage in one of those roles
Of an American who, in the imagi-
nation of the author. must, to be
truly American, become slightly un-
gra rammatical
"White Collars" found approving
audiences and suggested possibilities
of a success approaching that OF
"Abie's Irish Rose" since it is
very homely play, in which impulses
are frankly revealed and the COM
monplaces of life shown with re-
morseless disregard Of elegant We
neer. The story is brought to 4
conclusion with a rapidity which
seems a shade impetuous. 1t lacks
Abie's broad comedy and is rather
direct in its censure of the white
collar mans attitude toward society,
which may not be relished as the
| avoidance of censorious observation
is what leads people to insist on
white collars in the first place.
Earl Carroll, one of the youngest
men prominent in theatrical produc-
ing circles, is i'll in Baltimore. That
he should have done such prodigious
| work under circumstances necessa-
rily involving anxiety without fail
ure of health is remarkable. On the
other hand, Florenz Ziegfeld. an old
stager, calmly and comfortably
Comic Supplement" and takes the
train for Miami, Fla, where he will
plan future productions. Both Car
roll and Ziegfeld have faced storms
of disapproval, but Ziegfeld has the
physical endurance of a veteran and
Mr.. Carroll will, no doubt, return
to the scenes of that queer Broad
way struggle not only restored in
health but better fortified in those
PHILOSOPHERS of which a Broadway
producer stands so much in need.
x x K x
The attacks on radio by organized
theatrical producers and organized
actors are incidental and inevitable
demonstrations as new methods
arise of conveying ideas from few
minds to many. When the phono-
graph came into attention there was
bitter wall about canned music in
terfering with the market for tunes.
The phonograph rapidly became a
valuable adjunct to the music pub
| lisher's business, and now joins in
the apprehension that a still newer
and farther-reaching device will
hurt business. Motion pictures were
viewed with horror. Marc Klaw
solemn1y reminded actors that the
films would have them appearing at
thousands of theaters at time and
all for one salary. This came true
enough, but if the indefatigable and
voluminous press agents write even
a percentage of facts in the matter
the salaries have proved prodigious
and very soothing. Radio is en-
deavoring to adjust itself to re-
lationship with the theater, which,
after all, must remain the source OF
supply for entertainment material
| X X
Radio has up to this time shown
no creative value whatever and has
| been somewhat depressing inau-