Evening star., 1928-02-26
New American
Opera Comique
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

It was the first time this city
had an opportunity to see Dennis
King since the Summer season a
half dozen years past when he
might have been seen week after
week at very much less cost per
ticket. Aside from his stage WORE,
about which there can be no ar
gument in the face of approval so
emphatic and universal, he man.
ages a curtain speech better than
any one who has attempted this
kind of demonstration in many
seasons. It is usual for a curtain
speaker to adopt either a patron
izing line of glib jollification or to
affect a modesty obviously fic-
titious. The latter attitude was
feared for King when he allowed
one curtain call after another to
pass while taking bows, seldom
alone, but in company with others
in the cast. His appearance alone
after long delay was frankly with
the air of one who had desired
only to make sure that he was
really wanted.
He had none Of the ungeniality
which players show when a native
city or an adopted home town has
failed, in time past, to make quite
such pets of them as they consid-
cred rightful. He chose rather tc
remember the loyaltieS ana
friendships of that time and tc
laugh in good cheer at the hard
! ships. II was an occasion OF ex-
temDoraneous dash without a
trace of selfconSciousness to mar
the episode In which he stepped
out Of the role of the boyish Gas
con to be his own self with a
touch OF seriousness.
In his Interpretation Dennis
King makes a special point OF
D'Artagnan's boyishness. The role
resembles that OF Juliet, as 1t has
been cynically referred TO: "a
player old enough TO grasp its full
meaning may be found no longer
young enough TO give 1t befitting
manner and appearance"
AS a fighter no figure could be
more graceful or more swift In
movement, and he almost sue
ceeds In wrestling his triumphant
encounters with any number OF
foes from the pages OF fiction and
| in convincing the imagination Tor
moment that they may have
been true.
Light- hearted and ingenious az
they seemed, the little touches by
which he reveals D'Artagnan, the
country lad, taught by his father
10 fence, but with no other polish
than that which a courageous
heart, fortified by native wit. can
boast, show a close and scholarly
study OF the role. The artificial
ity which Dumas himself did not
entirely suppress Is here toned
down and humaniZed.
Friml music has a standard oi
it's own and it Is not possible n
believe that the performance OF
the orchestra on Tuesday nlgh'
was in accordance with the pre-"
else ideas OF the composer. An
orchestra employed for accom-
paniment is one Of the most deli
cate and ezacting mechaniams
It's highest function Is TO sur
rer.der itself completely 10 thu
soioigt, On Tuesday night q mass
number thoroughly rehearsed FOL
great volume could hold It's own
And 80 could a singer like King
possessing the magnetic master,
enabling him 10 take the situation
| In his own hand and PRACTICAL,
direct the orchestra itself.
Katherine Cornell has a new
play by Somerset Vaughan. Will
emotion and meiOdrama combined
In forceful effect, but not linked
together with the smart dialogue
necessary 10 make IL a rival t0 IT.
predecessor i'm the Cornell repor
: tory, The Green Hat" II is wei
cast. hut 1t follows a too frequen
custom Of selecting a capable
, woman 10 bear the entire burdei
; ~ the evening In an appeal TO tn,
seas.bilitieg Of an audience,