Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-20
Dancing, Scenery--and a
Few Ideas.
By Ph,1ander johnson.

THE musical play No, No, Nan
ette' met with an enthusiastic
Yes. yes" from Washington's the
alter patronage. II will share with
Thurston, the magician, the dlstinc-
ton of calling attention to this city
as two-week stand for theatrical
attractions. "Nanette" has the sub
tie touch which makes a musical
play something different from the
rest. 1t is no extraordinary achieve
1nent in wit or romance, and yet it
provides a vehicle which runs swift
IL and securely over the level road
of popular appreciation.
lula Sanderson is one OF the most
remarkable Of Our entertainers. As
sociated always with the merrlest of
moods, she preserves a gentleness
and poise. which, amid the season S
hurlv-burly OF rough condolences,
gives her secure distinction. The
lady who does the Charlestoning
with an athletic ardor calculated to
make dancing dervish go wild with
envy. instead OF dominating the PIC
turc. as so extraordinary Charles
toner might be expected to do, be-
comes all incident and is contcm-
plated with high approval yet
plaCldly.
The Merry Widow" has gone its
way through many a season and has
Al last taken its turn at the films
along with other established sue
cesses. Yet. apparently. Mr.. Donald
Brian is the same chap who danced
his way into the hearts OF the play
coers as Prince Danilo Like Miss
Sanderson, Brian has poise which
brings mental comfort to the OBJ
server. He makes no cNtravagant
demonstration. and as he sees one
athletic dancer after another frollc
across the stage he is apparently I'M
conscious OF the question arising III
the minds OF friends as to whether
his we'll seasoned art is calculated
10 meet the vigorous competition
which Terphsichore now preScrlbcs
for all who seek her benediction.
Yet when he proceeds to dance with
cOnsummate ease and nlmblc grace,
vet with restraint OF refinement. he
throws the athletic demonstrations
into the background and takes the
benefit OF contrast. The impression
he leaves is much the same As that
conveyed by the charming artistry
OF Genee alter whirlwind OF lsadora
Duncan. Ruth ST. Denis and horde
of others who succeeded with posi-
tive genius in trans forming a hop.
skip and Jump into classical signifl-
canoe.
Frank Crumit has perfectly JOY
Gus time with nothing to interrupt
his romping. Ii there j any rivalry
it is that OF the grotesque character
dclineated by Virginia O Brien in a
manner which gives her place among
the comparatively Jew genuinely
funnv stage women. 1t was almos,
needless to mention i'll the announce
1nents that the play was written by
Otto Harbach. Near y everything
Is. A touch OF novelty was con-
tTlDuIeu III d hNSdtlN SUI VI WY
oy the fact that the music was MOI
by George Gershwin.
!; !; !; X
The industry required OF a stage
contributor who scores success /:
such that he cannot reasonably bt
expected to deliver work OF unvary-
ing merit. The exploitation is sc
barefaced and the mechanical EN-
p1oyment of the arts OF news public
ity so obvious that a genuinely
promising artist runs the risk OF be
ing picked before he is really ripe
BY overcelebration at the start the
tate of the infant prodigy is invited
Being an infant prodigy is something
that necessarily passes i'll a lev
years. so far as public impression !:
concerned, but it is a condition OF
morbid self-contemplation iron
which the victim of precoclty sci
dom, if ever, RECEIVERS. A little more
expert supervision OF the theater
artistry with view to normal de,
vclopment of native material would