Evening star., 1925-01-04

privilege of putting itself in the
place OF the most Congenial figure.
No one believes that if he had had
the luck to be in such a party he
would have been anybody short of
the prince himself. It is psychologi-
cally comforting to see the rivalries
of wit, eloquence, research and in
dustry bowled over by audacious roy
atty. The author, no doubt, intend
ed the play as a rebuke to aristoc-
racy. 1t is in reality a lesson in
wheat -and-sirup hauteur; a re-
minder of how easy it is to be "su-
perior" if the luck is running your
way.
"The Swan" was the best-played
drama seen here in many a week.
lntrinsically, it was light opera with
out music; triumph as a perform
ance, the greater because of the de-
NAL OF any obligation whatever to
singing voice or orchestra.
x x
AS Father Time sets forth the card
denoting 1925" as the next number
in our vast human vaudeville, the
stage revels in a realism complete
in all its phases. 1t has everything
the eye could wish, everything in
which the ear could find pleasure.
The scene painters and musicians
hold their inceSSant rites, seeking
with every means of conjuring, from
petition to imprecation, to recall that
departed spirit once SO gently ia
miliar and all too slightly valued
An Idea.
Washington is as good a viewpoint
as any for the observation of the
current theater. since it is favored
with confidence by those who have
show with New York record. 1t
is advantageous in having a thought
full public and in being comparative
ly free from the horn-blowing, bel
lowing publicity methods which ad-
dress themselves as much to tanning
ancient grudges as to promoting de-
Sirable modern prospects. Washing
ton does not take its theater too
seriously. A play never remains for
more than a week, and the actors
flourish is but a swift incident in
picture dominated by figures of
patriotic purpose and world diplo-
macy.
During the war the theater was
given extraordinary recognition as
factor in economic affairs. 1t was
laden with great responsibilities at
a time when it was least fitted to
support them. The best Drawn and
the best brain were dedicated to
combat. Even chorus men were
eliminated from the mimic scene
Athletic lasses tucked their hair uri-
der high silk hats and hourished
cigarette and cane in dashing mascu-
line similitude.
It was demonstration of the law
of averages. In Elizabethian drama
boys played feminine roles. In the
Kaiser Wilhelminian drama which
overspread the map, women bravely
undertook the footlight tasks of men
just as they ran street cars and
helped to regulate motor traffic
With the war at an end, the bicker-
ings between actors and managers
found no restraint of public policy.
The interest of Washington again
became detached and limited to the
hope, from time to time, of a stage
attraction that everybody can enjoy
and perhaps talk about in detail
without risk of offending polite ira
ditions.
X x X x
Such a play might easily have
been provided in Jack in the Pull
pitt" which arrived in such a state
of unpreparedness that one of the
prize weeks of the season, the week
which includes New Year day, was
sacrificed, so far as the box Office
was concerned. 1t has story along
familiar lines, but with wonderful
appeal. The boyish earnestness of
Robert Ames gives particular charm
to deviation from the too often
exploited type of clergyman who
falls from grace to that of sincere
repentent who arrives at grace, and,
i'll fact, becomes a clergyman HIM
self. 1t is good, quiet comedy with