Evening star., 1926-10-24
Players Rejecting Traditions
of the Standard Drama.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

mood since the night when at the
same theater he stepped forward as
one of the country's greatest mana
gers when he produced THE Chris
tian."
A veteran Of the theater who has
made the standard drama his peculiar
speciality is Robert B. Mantel. who
comes to this city with nothing new
! in his repertory. but with decided
novelty in his scale of prices, The
large seating capacity OF the Wash
ington Auditorium makes it possible
to play to liberal receipts. even when
the highest priced ticket calls only
for a dollar, which. considering the
diminished purchasing power Of a
dollar in other directions, means a
bargain indeed. Mantell waited
long time for his poetry-loving public
TO come to him. since his advent in
America as romantic leading man in
the play "Fcdor9 " play that be-
came so popul;. that hats were
named after il. He used 10 play
meiodrama. and once remarked in a
apologetic way: Why should
I not D ay melodrama? Even Henry
Irving plays it." He made his
Shakespearean endeavors cautious
" at first. usually reserving one
night a week for classic play while
he was doing thrilers- such as 'Corsi-
can Brothers" and "Monbars." 1t
was not until he had become indeed
a veteran of the theater that he COM
,,,;++.j I,;e &araer unrece~vedIy 20 h .
roles of the POETIC Enclish-spNaking
stage. His success came brilliantly
and was fitting reward for the pa
tience with which he had survived
an era when shakespeare spells
ruin" was one of the axioms of
Broadway. While strong in the ira
ditions Of his art. he does not hesi-
tate to plav prank with it in pre-
seuting Hamlet" in evening dress.
He reports that it is one of the per-
formances that the public finds most
interesting. ANY who saw him as
the hardsomest of leading men i'll
PLAYS then known as society dramas
will find a gratifying interest, even
though the "Hamlc t" may not be
greatly priced. in seeing Bob" Man
tel again in evening clothes.
The confidence now manifested in
Shakespeare makes it peculiarly re-
erettable that the late Charles B.
Hanford was compelled by i'll health
to give up playing just at the time
when the Shakcspearean tide came
~ with a rush 1t is theorized that
the war had influence in establishing
new appreciation of fine poetry and
deep philosophy.
There is many link of sadness in
'he chain which binds the present to
the past. It is all too often that the
current news has to tell of some one
time stage favorite who has been left
behind to struggle in fricndless
neglect. The annals Of the billboard
are often but feeting and the friends
Of high-noon success do not usually
linger into the twilight of life. 1t is
a who esome and happy thing to
know so distinguished an exception
to this all too general rule in the
life and character of the late Charles
Hanford. When he found that
health no longer permitted him to
pursue the calling to which he had
devoted himself with such brilliant
success he gratihed a longexpressed
desire as he returned to the home
and the friends whose association
meant far more to him than the
feeting triumphs of the p ayers art.
He said TO q friend of his: When
the time comes for me to leave the
stage shall try to make my exit.
with becoming grace and enjoy the
triumphs OF others without a regret
that can no longer have an active
part" He lived up to this fully. en-
joyed the life Of a useful and re-
spected citizen with plenty to do III
furthering the projects of those who
are striking into paths in which he
could afford such expert and authori-