Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-01

tit tttC NSpCNldl tilANS Vi Ia vi
which he may be master. Mr.. Schild.
kraut. who also had enacted roles
which led far from the sanctities OF
story in this film. recognized an op.
portunity and dehantly grasped it ii
the face OF possible protest. The
concept is not in accordance with
traditional thought. Yet it is some
thing to be admired as master
| stroke of the theater.
One of the most conspicuous cases
OF an unioreseeing hit in what was
| first regarded as minor role vas
| the playing of the part OF the old
roue. Chevrial, in "A Partisan Ro-
nance" The character was under
taken with an agreement tina,
I, Richard Mansfield should play it ex-
actly in his own way. 1t did not
even endure till the end OF the play,
but had a wonderful death scene at
a banquet table. Mansfield studied
it so closely and gave so startling a
performance that nothing else IN
the presentation was talked OF and
il stood long in his repertory as a
starring vehicle.
This Capital City has had frequent
opportunities OF saying Il told you
So. 1t is an arena for new produc-
tions. in which the decision indica ted
by thumbs down" leaves little hope
Playgoers allow their disapproval TO
be inferred by their absence. and it
is remarkable TO note how rapidly
the bad news gets around after a
melancholy Monday night. The
Show Boat" went on its way in alb
solute confidence OF success. On
the contrary, Playing the Game.
which held wavering course until
Saturday night, repeated its depress-
ing experience here. playing some
| times to so few auditors the house
looked as il il might have been an
economy TO refund money and save
the cost Of lights.
Eclaseo, wary OF this city, as a
first production center when he
originally put on Lulu Belle" Civ
ing Philadelphia the preference in
what appeared a periIous adventure.
puts Washington conspicuously on
his map for the current Winter. One
OF his plays will be a success already
established and another will be a
tryout Belasco has not sought as
con sistently as in his earlier career
10 base a production upon a SYSTEM
OF work and study covering months
and sometimes years. which. COM
bined with lavish financing. made
failure impossible II there was fail
ure it was the kind that was not
visible 10 the naked eye. but CON
cerned only private ledger.
Sometimes an ideaIist-someiimes
an uncompromising showman--he
renders useless any attempt 10 fore
tell which aspect Of personality he
will new, disclose; nor will any one
hope 10 understand the underlying
forces which prompt so strange a
counierpiay OF methods and pur-
poses.
Operettas Of the Gilbert and Sui.
Ivan type survive in a manner which
shows the advantage OF simple
structure dependent on opportunity
Tor voice and acting and allowing
great fexibiliiy as 10 SCENIC details.
Winthrop Ames. who has idenii.
fed himself with so much that is
important, IS finding eouaeniai and
| profitable occupation in exploiting
the Gilbert and Sullivan operas on
the stage and also III sponsoring
some highly interesting memoirs re.
aafdin2 the vi, and the musicia u
whose efforts proved 50 happy IN
| combination
| The works III the late Victor
Herbert have been put 10 pretty
| thorough test as 10 Il survival ~
| popularity. One al the most dc.
| rIdrd advances of the moving picture
ihcatcr toward 4 yaudr vile aud even
legitimate basis is the production
oi Herbert opera where the thtatcr
technically defines itself a ID motion
picture house. Herbert followed the
continental custom 81 making bat
htiie 81 The Iibtsttl>t aud the author
II Esbes in 1oslsnt" is not re-
called 30 attention Possibly il was
Glen NcDonongb or was il Henry
blossnn the man Who wrote Mile
| dOdiste"f The orchestral rendition
would have been dehgh, 10
iiefbtsi's ear. The stage perform
enre al the Fox lheatsf would have
been sad ordeal for the author
" hose taDeitrh moods arc none ion
deiily reflected
| y y
The ilbfeiiisl is usually d deyoui
lover III MUSIC aud wot slipper ol
the man Who can put II into form
! II II told 81 one of Heybeit's poe,i
cal Wofhuien Who confessed ifsnkls