Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-12
Crime Waves That Are
Polite and Otherwise
BY pHILANDER JOHNSON.

decorous theater. draws the dis
tinction between physical shock
and a psychological stimulation.
It is revival on its own account
of the stage when pistols were
used and mines exploded in ap-
peal to audiences Injured to abrupt
effects.
| One defamation was usually
enough to provide the climax for
an entire evenings entertainment.
Two big noises" were SO liberal
as to require skill in their man
agement to prevent the idea of
overlaviShneSS. More than two
would be dangerous. as arousing
question Of whether the show was
not getting too rough, even for
the tastes Of patrons who enjoyed
great emphasis.
There has been from time to
time more or less whimsical dis
pute between romping residents
of Chicago and New York con-
corning an assumed rivalry on
the part of each to rank as the
wickedest city on the continent.
The difference has never been set
tied and It's discussion Is being
transferred from the columns,
which dealt in ar1iable satire, to
the stage, which handles 1t with
rough and tumble exuberance.
After seeing THE Racket" and
Chicago" as exemplifying the
abandonment into which the Lake
City's underworld has fallen. New
York, using the title Broadway"
/ comes forward with revelation
Of forwardness that makes the
Atlantic seaport a powerful con-
tender for total depravity laurels.
Just what type OF player will be
developed for future seasons from
the underworld study now re-
CURED is problematical. An actor
who spends his time niemorizing
/ the lines OF the classics, whether
Of wit, romance or tragedy, edu-
Gates himself TO standards OF
taste which may be considered as
among the compensatiOns for
arduous and not always well re-
Warded toll. The dialogue OF tho
crime play calls for emotional
energy. but vocabulary which,
even az IL relapses into atrOcious
mutilation OF grammar, leaves the
ear thankful for q respite from
shrieking profanity.
Yet broadway" is very hu-
man play, with a detective In 1t
who Is capable OF genuine inteili-
gence and honest sympathy, and
with no reporters" who chatter
AZ people who know little Of the
tribe imagine they might talk IL
they were youthful Journalistic.
There Is q splendid emotional
role In broadway" and 1t Is fine
~ enacted by young woman
whose work has not hitherto been
known here. Her role, that OF
the sweetheart Of bootleg leader
who has been murdered by rival
gangstcr, is one calling for the
greatest artistic restraint TO pre-
vent IT. from being only an empty
affectation Ut emOti0nality. What
she is likely 10 do In the future liz
even more interesting than what
she Is doing At present.
A success in crime play is no
bar 10 a career In the classics.
This Is shown by Jane Cow, whose
striking portrayal of the leading
character VI within the Law"
did not prevent her from being
recognized later as the greatest
Juliet of her time. OF course,
broadway" Is much tougher in
lts dialogue than Within The
Law" and, therefore, may make
The transition to poetic cadence
more difficult IL In curious that
both plays utilize the Maxim
slleneifp device In the hands Of
The punman This In quite likely
10 be regarded by the hupersti~
Li1us literati III Broadway az
something of "a mascot,
One Ut the irritatiOns 0f the
theatfr Nv the practice 80 general
| ~ followed III emitting all descfip~
live references from the cast Of
characters ana referring 10 per
sons Ut the drama only AS listed
IN the order III their appearance, d"
: IL Is often almost impossible 10