Evening star., 1927-10-09
MARGARET (MIcKEy0 0MeKEE- Fox
Plays Passed Without a
Struggle.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

u
thoroughfare without time for shoes
or suspenders. They stood forward
with minds dramatically unclad.
They bravely tried to make the
best of an adventure, thinking, no
doubt, of Messrs. Arlen and Smith,
in an echo of the old verse, How
happy / might be with either were
t'other dear charmer away"
Mr.. Young appeared particularly
eager to grasp the fainteSt hope of
projecting some human interest into
the evening. He lurked behind the
scenery, hoped out suddenly now
, and then, and tried to look unutter-
able things: unutterable, indeed, since
there was nothing there to utter.
There were just two reliable styles
of action through the dialogue
standing up and sitting down.
"The Zoo" was one of those plays
which early in the first act set an
auditor thinking up little plot of
his own on very usual and long
established lines. Then he settles
down to the prospect of enjoying a
frothy superficial story. in which
sprightly personal style in acting and
felicitous phrase constitute attractive
broidering, however flimsy may be
the background material.
That old friend husband, who has
fourished so shamelessly in this
years theater, is again in evidence.
1t looked for moment as if the hus-
bands best friend were to back his
eloquent pleadings on behalf of the
errant male by making love to the
wife and showing her how weak
human nature may become in the
presence of great temptation, thus
moving her to forgiveness for her
fellow man. 1t was a good enough
old French farcical plot. 1t probably
had occurred to every habituai the
atergoer. No shred of it was re-
vealed and everybody who thought
of it sat with the crouch of a dis
appointed playwright.
1t looked like an example of too
much assembled expertness in elimi-
mating familiar material. The crea-
tion of an absolute vacuum is an in
teresting laboratory experiment. But
human nature in an auditorium
abhors it.
1t is perhaps the first time in the
history of this city i'll which two
theaters displayed SO much energy
with reference to play contest to
decide which had the worst play.
Both plays were announced for ex-
tended engagements in New York.
Experts soon regarded the prospect
as limited to run of six nights and
two matinees.
A breath of gossip brought cheer
to those sympathetically interested in
the destinies of Synthetic Sim" The
story is that before the manuscript
was delivered the motion picture
rights were sold for $4,000.
! synthetic Sin" is a good title. No
doubt a husky chap with a mega
phone and puttees can construct
enough scenario behind it to protect
the investment. 1t looks, however
like speculation.
Speculation in titles might not be
an unlnteresting feature with the
pond and stock markets as they touch
upon theaters. THE Zoo" is a first
rate title. implying all kinds OF social
types viewed from a standpoint OF
supercleverness and merciless analy-
SIS The Zoo," too, might have a
iuture if Mr.. Arlen and Mr.. Smith
could arrange to collaborate with the
man with the megaphone.
X X X
Occasionally personality comes tc
the stage capable of disre2arding the
formula of the playwright and step.
ping from one class of entertainment
to another with entire security. One
OF these is Beatrice Lille. She with
a gilt of genuine fun, yet with q
background of mental quality tina,
gives her performance an air ol
badinage and condescension. 1t i:
not merely the revelation of an &c.
= centricity. Her appearance enabled
kclths to claim distinction of beins
really the home of legitimate comedy
for the week. The big motion pic
lures arc repeating wonderfully wei
: as the speaking thcater welcome.
and dismisses one experiment aftel
another.
At time when producers are be
, ing hard oressed fer material If i