Evening star., 1927-10-16
VVONNE OGMAPCOS-
Palace
More Calls for the Author.
BY. pHILANDER JOHNSON.

Iplications, with his own imagination
| as the principal factor in the prob
lem. In discussing phases of inter-
est which overwhelm current
thought the usual effort is to be gay
and cynical. "The Medicine Man"
while himself light-hearted char
lacter, moves through plot which
is entirely gloomy and cynical. Mr..
Lester bases a situation on theory
by no means fully accepted. In
] neglecting even to mention to dis
| tressed group of people the efhcacies
of thyroid treatment his hero proves
that. in addition to the ignorance OF
medicine he confesses, he has not
even taken the trouble to read the
| newspapers.
It must be considered that in es-
| tablishing a motive for character S
line of conduct the dranlatist is
called upon not so much to regard
actual fact as to disclose the char
acter's own mental attitude, which
makes all kinds of imaginings,
whether erroneous or not, very. real
and very compelling. But forS the
| happy-go-1 lucky medicine man the
play would have been as sullen and
sordid as "Desire Under the Elms."
He has a buoyant gayety which
| threatens to clash with the morose
mood established with so much
elaborate care.
One of the subtle considerations in
play preparation is the determina-
tion of how far it would be safe
to wander from the key established
either for mirth or melancholy.
ISometimes an audience becomes so
thoroughly happy in rejecting the
grief on the stage that it would be
cruel to intrude upon its delightful
sorrow with even the shadow of a
smile.
| When the village girl leaves home
| with the medicine man he tells her
he doesn't believe he can be very
devoted husband, but he will make
an effort, educate her to be snake
charmer and introduce her, when
they are not following the wagon
trail, into the night club and cabaret
atmosphere of the metropolis.
Very possibly they will jog along
! in domestic tranquility, thankful as
so many nomads of the mimic world
have proved, when they found a
dwelling and a mate.
(From a pile of old photographs in
scattered disorder, the faces of the
English actors, Mr.. and Mrs. Ken
dali look forward. Near them are
Herbert Kelcey and Effie Shannon.
No money temptations could induce
these pairs to separate even for a
brief tour.)
The chances, however, are against
} sequel constructed on the lived.
happily-ever-after" model. A more
probable epilogue would be found by
turning few corners and seeing life
; mad, capricious life, where people
, dance to monographs, compose
cocktail out of the rawest OF raw
; materials, tell stale jokes, lnistakine
state of approximate inebriety fol
dawning sense of humor.
~ \
In "The Wicked Age" appears al
last the autnor.
Our hero!
! To be precise it should be "Ou'
Heroine"
Mae West never allows the OBJ
servers in front to forget for a mo
lment that she wrote the play ant
that she is going to say and dt
p whatever she likes in addition t
S wearing the finest clothes. the mar
n ket affords; with costuming designs
: which suggest one moment thu
:. feathery ostrich and at another th'
r coy and neckful giraffe.
i 1t would be wrong to sacrific'
: without a struggle the hope tina
: the country girl who leaves hom'
to become snake charmer will far
{ the feeble spark of romance which
: closes the play into warm glow o
o sentiment, with vineclad cottag
: and a commuters ticket. 1t is
wildly gay career that Mae Wes
e is leading-but the nerve strain mus
: be dreadful.
O X Il \ X
o A season that has progressed be
= yond mid-October is unique in re
e vealing so little dramatic inspiration
d The National Theater in all cando
lie admits on the billboard that tn
l. quality of entertainment thus ia
has averaged below standard an
J. halls Mr.. Jessel in "The Jazz Sing
re er" as the first of the big stars an
s. established successes to visit Wash
re ington this season. AS they say j
ef the circus, Remain patient, ladie
n and gentlemeni The best part c
a. the performance is set to Gomez
A