Evening star., 1926-12-05

ater the more interesting
its discussion becomes. The
: Il present time is a difficult one
for those who have assumed on such
arbitrary terms the responsibility OF
providing the public what it requires
in entertainment. Old recipes fail.
** **
The method of depicting virtue as
triumphant. however severe the or
deal, even though the triumph must
consist in some sort of spectacular
self martydom, is as worn out and
useless as the old-fashioned bill
board paper which still fingers as a
sort of fossilized incident in the
perfunctory theater mechanism. a
mechanism which has grown to such
proportion as TO overwhelm the
means of original production.
Even the revue. which became a
eut-and- dried affair dependent on
scenery and girls. with here and
there a reputation made either on
the stage by a director or of the
stage with the aid of the police. as
a touch of apology to the brain of
the auditor. is compelled to face a
discriminating attitude on the part
Of a highly sophisticated public.
For a CHEEKY while it looked as if
every revue was good revue. some
revues being perhaps better than
others All that seemed necessary
was for an enterprising manager to
secure enough capital for the lavish
adornment of his stage. This ex-
pensive and easy type of production
now faces comparisons that grow
constantly more exacting. even IN
the sheer matter of gaudy resplen
dence. 1t seems quite possible that
in a short time two or three revue
producers will get together in vener-
able melancholy. re-echoing the com
ment Of the famous old-time "legit,
There are only few of US left!
~
The Nationa! Theater had nothing
new to offer for the week; fact
which rejoiced the hearts of many
who welcomed the clever dialogue
and the two or three examples of
expert comedianship the production
affords. The Mrs. Cheyney play is
a very neat example of the process
Of evolution now believed TO be go
ing on which gradually replaces the
crook play. with its c'attery mecha-
nism, with the smoother type of
drama demanding some hnesse in
managing the relationships of words
to ideas.
-
There is a suspicion that when
Frederick Lonsdale got his manu-
script through the managers Office
it was approved mostly on its merits
as crook play. and that the dialogue
asserted itself in public presentation
so brilliantly as to create surprise
that it had not been previously dis
covered.
The second season for so delicate
~ constructed a piece OF work as
Mrs. Cheyney was necessarily an
ordeal. There must be few sub
stitutions in the cast. and few play
ers are able to carry the original air
of sprightly spontaneity over to the
following season after a long hard
Summer vacation. Mr.. Young and
Mr.. Dale are performing chival-
rous act in carrying much of the
real burden Of the performance. in
which neither enjoys the distinction
OF being a star.
The Nobody Home" sign had to
be hung out where Standing Room
Only" was confidently expected in
connection with an entertainment in
which the names Of Belasco and
Sothern are linked to make one Of
the most imposing showings the
billboards have recently disclosed.
Both are veterans of the drama. now
capable of temperamental adjust
ment. regardless of silly juvenile
questions as to whether Belasco-in-
small-type shall present Sothern-n-
large-type @or whether Sothern shall
assume the actors usual privilege of
having his name magnihed not mere
~ once, but always. The fact that
the play. What Never Dies" could
not open during the current week
was matter OF public dsappoint-
ment, but both these men appear to
be ~ thorough accord with the old
Relasco tradition that the few dol
lars involved arc not worth enough
TO warrant lifting the curtain on
production not securely set to be
shown at its best. In the meantime
an admiring public will hope for re-
suits as good as those attained in
the previous cooperation. when the
Brieux play. Accused" was offered
with SO much distinction. On that
program David Belasco presented
E. H. Sothern in exactly the same