Evening star., 1926-04-06


There was an atmosphere of 'old
home week" at the National TheateI
| last night-one of the pleasantest
| nights that the house ever has en-
joyed. The occasion was the return
Of Leneta Lane John Warner, Billy
Phelps. Ronaine Calender. Dorothy
Tierney, ct al.--the National Theater
Players-for their second season ir
stock in Washington.
Was Washington glad to see them?
Well, there wasn't a sparsely settled
spot In the house when the curtain
first rose. and the audiences pleasure
was manifest in loud and long hand
clapping as each faVorite OF last
years troupe came before the foot.
lights. 1t was a happy evening-for
the players and the audience. And
the newcomers of the company were
also made to feel welcome and fully
at home.
The company. presenting Avery
Hopwood's farce, THE Alarm Clock, y
took up exactly where it left off last
September. To it's splendid following
no more need be said. To others, who
will miss something really fine If they
fail to fall in line, let it be said that
the best road companies would be
hard pushed to run a close race with
the National Theater Players in their
work
Judging by last nights audience,
Washington is fully conscious of the
advantage to be gained by starting in
at once with it's stock company. 1t
knows Cifford Brooke and it knows
the splendid aggregation Of players
that he has assembled. Speaking of
Clifford Brooke, he did his part in
giving last night "old home week" at
moSphere In q curtain speech at the
end of the second act. Mr.. Brooke s
contribution was a delightful Bit in
class prophecy"
To get to the individual members
of the company. Leneta Lane, again
the leading lady, a better actress than
before, came in for rather volcanic
applause when she made her entrance.
Then John Warner got his. Then
kathryn Givney, the Winsome favorite
of everybody; Billy Phelps and Dor
othy Tierney, juvenile and ingenue,
came on to prove that they, too, hold
a mighty warm spot in the hearts of
the company's fans.
The new players made an excel
lent start toward getting themselves
solidly established. They include
Siieli is5o IldIHpucll, ~. W OOQDurn, MrS.
Hibbard, Percy Winter and David
Munro. Mrs. Hibbard and Hampden
had big opportunities last night, and
neither missed a chance to score.
To satisfy those who believe the
plays the thing, The Alarm Clock"
is a bit by Avery Hopwood disclosing
the farcical redemption of q rich man
about town by his "hick" relatives
Homer, a nephew; Mary, Homer's S
flancee, and Mrs. Susie Kent, Mary's
mother, who come to town to take
care Of uncle" and in about a month
begin showing him new wrinkles in
New York night life. Mrs. Kent, who
once wrote oratorioS for Cams Cor
ners Church delectation, produces a
masterpiece of jazz entitled I've Got
What You Need" She visits the night
clubs and never gets up before noon
Mary casts aside her rusticity, and
the uncle falls in love with her-who
wouldn't? Homer drops teaching Fill
ipino and elopes with a chorus girl,
which leaves the way open for Mary
and uncle" Mrs. Kent catches the
uncles pal. Nobody is hurt. Every
body is happy
John Warner is the uncle and does
a good job of it in a Bruce McRae
role. Leneta Lane Is Mary-ever SO
delightfully."-. Billy Phelps Is cast as
Homer the dumb nephew. who gets
a great deal out Of a rather insub-
stantial role Kathryn Givney is fine
as the wife of a senatorial friend, who
administers constantly to the uncle S
troubles.
Bestowing praise where praise is
due. one could not close without say