Evening star., 1926-10-10
Farciical Drama and
:, ~<~ Legitimate Films
BY PnILANDER JOHNSON.

depreciation OF NyraHO &c Dei ScldS
at the Wardman Park Theater. 1t
was described as heroic comedy
when first presented on the speak
ing stage. Richard Mansfield saw
its possibilities and displayed the
faith in the subtlety of American
perception, which, despite cynicism
with which he was generally, cred
tied, was one of his distinguishing
traits. Mansfeld's courageous inde-
pendence of judgment was illustrated
by his sponsorship in America of G.
B. Shaw. When to the great mass
Of theater attendance Shaw was re-
garded not as a philosopher. but as
a writer of frail me.odrama for the
purpose of relieving himself of GER
tain mental eccentricities in the mat
ter of dialogue. Mansfield Immediate
ly arrayed himself with the COM
paratively few who perceived the
wonderful intellectual audacity to
which Shaw was lending the most
polished skill.
An anecdote that was current
would indicate that Mansfield did
not find Shaw congenial acquaint-
ance. He was reported as saying in
one of his outbursts of whimsical
asperity:
"Of course, l must have good
plays But, why. oh why. do they
have to be written by George Ber-
nard Shawl"
1t was bold thing to rely on the
taste of a pleasure-seeking public,
to whom it was usual to refer as
"lowbrows" by managers accustomed
to appeal for patronage with more
directness than fnesse, as Mansfield
did in committing his reputation and
fortune to an American exploitation
of the Rostand play. But the people
saw Immediately the resplendent
poetry and forgot the putty nose.
An effort was made to reduce the
story of "Cyrano de Bergerac" to
terms of light diversion in form of
comic opera. but although the lyrics
were exceedingly clever and the
music first rate, it remained on the
stage for only little while.
* X
For the picture "Ben-Hur" to play
prolonged engagement in this city
is no new story. In order to pro-
vide for the famous chariot race
scene. which utilized a treadmill ar
rangement with an almost deafening
coar. it was necessary to do an
amount Of construction work on the
stage which would not be warranted
by an engagement OF only single
week. Special trains were run from
various nearby communities and
Washington crowded the theater
with people who in large proportion
passed the doorkeeper as almost
total strangers to the playhouse.
The habitua! theatergoer is often
mentioned with Difference by the
producer. but it is the play that can
bring out the wholly unaccustomed
playgoer that scores the great and
memorable success.
These men at the front of the
house--what a strange and powerful
| lniluCIIS dlC III IAClPHIS3 SIlN wv
ning's pleasure. Even a momentary
yielding to unreasonable provocation,
by so much as turn of facial ex-
preston. may spoil the mood and
hinder appreciation of a stage per-
formance, however great its merit.
1t has been the misfortune of play
goers here to lose two men, both of
whom. with unobtrusive courtesy
and unerring judgment OF human ma
ture, helped the crowds to pass with
out jar or crash through the gate
way which separates the workday
world from the theater. Like. SO
many Of the men of the National
Theater, Jim Evans had given
practically lifetime of service at his
particular post At one time he
wearied a little and requested to be
relieved. A very short time later he
applied for his old place because the
duties had become a part of his life
and he was becoming lonely.
No one could have given more ad-
,nirable support to the policies and
methods of the late manager. Will
liam Bowler. than did Jim" Evans.
Both were evidences of the discern
ment displayed by w. Hartman
Rapley in selecting men who could
be depended upon not only for tact
and intelligence, but for absolute 10y
atty. willie" Fowler. as he was
known to so many. was one of the
most marvelously even-tempered
and unostentatious of men. When
a complication arose he approached
it with so deft and frank an infu-
ence that it seemed naturally to fade
away. 1t is impossible to believe
that he could have realized his ex-
traordinary popularity, for no man
was ever more free from a love of
display. Among those who have
reason to be most grateful to his
memory are the men who have been
assisted in successful careers by as
sociation with this man who made
no conspicuous self-assertion. but
gained deep and wide esteem simply
by giving to each days duty the best
that was in him.