Evening star., 1927-10-16
Palace

With so many new plays coming
into evidence, it should seem possi-
bic sooner or later to revive in tones
of complimentary enthusiasm the
call Author! Author!" whose abb
sence from the evenings entertain
ment has become subject for re-
iterated complaint.
Possibly it is better so.
The sight Of a nervous, apprehen-
sive man or woman exhausted of
energy and faced with a task of re-
writing for more rehearsals is sure
to be a disappointment. The hour
is a crucial one. The composer of
the play would have to be the best
actor on the entire program to simu-
late the jaunty jubilance expected OF
him by auditors who have just voted
him a success and think he should
be as serenely happy, now that it is
all over, as the winner of beauty
contest.
There has been an abundance of
material for an author display in
the past three weeks. Il would
have been a pleasure to see Alice
lDuer Miller, so we'll known through
her story writing, making personal
Acknowledgements in front OF the
~Spring Board" curtain of the ap-
plause accorded her as an aspirant
in the field of drama. Frederick and
Fannie Hatton have done so many
things of interest that they would
have been well worth gazing upon
had it been decided upon to have
them take a bow before the loot
lights. Wincheli Smith alone would
have been an interesting authorial
exhibit, and Michael Arlen enjoys a
reputation for verbal pungencies
that would make the opportunity to
glimpse him a rewarding moment.
But it was all pretty sreious busi-
ness with no time for carrying out
the graceful fictions of triumph joy
Gus and complete following the first
night. u.
Neither Synthetic Sin" nor "The
Zoo" after performance number one
would encourage a playwright even
to look moderately hopeful.
The week brought other names to
the list of authorship, some of them
not unfamiliar-Mr. Wray, the
Nugents, Miss Darlington. "One OF
the Finest" is drama of the present
day conflict between the law and
the underworld" 1t depends on
.bootlegging to sound new note of
glory or alarm. Despite present-day-
isms, it is pretty much the same old
fight between gangsters and peace
guardians that it was long ago when
that eminent play producer, Al
Woods, early perceived the value of
the underworld as text alluring to
the gentle public if skilfully treated
with scenery and blank cartridges.
X y X y
The crime play no longer insists
on "Jim the Penman" or "Rafies'
capable of lending a touch of per.
sonal elegance to the character of
crook. Why have elegance!
Everybody knows the man is. Z
crook or is. going to find it out ir
the last act, regardless of all super
fetal polish.
Better strip off all disguise ant
show the rugged humanity thai
makes natures noblemen, or wher
perverted becomes menace to man
kind.
Among the remembrances called vi
by Zone of the Finest" is the Charlie
Klein play, "The Third Degree" il
which Wallace Eddinger was slap
ped mercilessly all around the stage
1t was a marvel to many that afte
q season in the part he should still
be able to display with full com
mand the facial expression of love
Iy disposition.
A personal acknowledgment Q
applause for author of The Medi
cine Man" would have brought +
high visibility a parsonage OF i'm
portant interest.
II is an easy matter to advertis
ga new play; and an entirely differ
ent proposition when it comes. t
fv;nr the ideas and phrases int
three or four neat acts and delivei
inc the goods. When he wrote "Ih
Medicine Man" Elliot Lester prove
himself a thorough dramatist, whi
laying himself open to question cor
cerninT his researches in science.
However, it is pretty well al
mitted that if strict accuracy wei
;nsisted upon matters of science, hi
tory or modern philosophy thei
would be very little drama. a ori'
and feeting glance at All idea el
NhIcs a clever writer to deve'es con