Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-23
sHrrRERT BELAsCo-"Chicago."

Not so many years ago Maurice Wat
kins was a police reporter in Chicago
and people took their murder trials
more or less seriously. All that is
changed now. Just how much Miss
Watkins Chicago" which has stepped
into the scarlet shoes of The Shang-
hal Gesture" at the Belasco has had
10 do with the change of public mind.
and lust how much the high-powered
newspaper publicity, which 1t so bois-
terously burlesqueS is responsible, are
questions better debated on editorial
psges But it is a fact, if it means
ANYTHING. that both New York and Chi
cage. which have staged many a trial
BIZ tabloid. gave Chicago" the publicity
and acclaim they usually reserve for
norest-to- goodncSS henna haired nur-
cereSScs, such as il portrays. and WASH
;ng;on. less favored with tiger women,
seems in a fair way 10 make Just as
much noise about it.
Chicago" has been pretty we'll
wesne6 by now and apparently is
going 10 become as much of an insti-
tuition as Chicago. Half dozen
vouncer brothers are yelling for atten-
ton in New York and scores are prob
ably being born in college piaywritns
classrooms, where the first of the tribe
saw daylight. But II IS doubtful II
any Of them can be quite so happily
endowed with the point OF view from
which Miss Watkins. not too sopnlstl-
Gated reporter and novice at writing
plays. saw her subject. AS eN-reporter
She found a ridiculous side OF the wloie
murder business which most OF her
colleagues miss in the rush TO make
editions. and as a playwright she man
aged TO avoid several pitfalls when
have tripped many more seasoned
craftsman. The most outstanding OF
these is a tendency 10 pile 1t on 100
Thick" There is eXaggeration. OF
course. as there must be in any bur
les3ue. but things never get 10 tne
point where the audience gives up ana
laughs II all OF. And to avoio iong
drawn -out arguments about the moral
issues involved she very wisely short
ened the play 10 about an hour and -
minutes. playing time, ana let the
moral issue take care of itself.
The result is very effective Satlre
On present day methods Of newspaper
Justice in which one Roxy. red-headed
vixen, kills her lover. divorces her nus
bard. spends couple Of months IN JAZZ
and comes cut with nice TAT Vauoe-
Vile contract There is nothing suotie
about il: the satire is put over Win
profanity rather than by innuendo: but
satire for those who remember stories |
~ courtroom mob scenes in New YORK |
snd New Jersey not so long ago-to say |
nothing of Chicago.
Prsncine Larrimore plays the part oi !
Roxy with relish and reckless abandon |
that will probably necessitate gooo |
lone rest Il the play ever closes buI |
instead Of wearing out as the play
progresses. and she has 10 go through |
successive fits of hysteria. rage. swoon-
ing and whatnot. she seems to ENJOY |
II immensely. When she finished she /
iooEs as fresh as when she started our
BIZ Shooting that fellow. II takes GOOD
actress TO do that.
The rest of the cast is highly cap
able. Norval Keedwe!l played the re-
rorter in such a way that not even the
reporters present last night could COM
Main. Charles Halton. as Roxys nus,
band was as perfect sap as one coulo
ASK for. Then there were JACK Rose
leigh, the defense lawyer, VINO wanteo
IS 600 and didn't give darn ABOUT
ANYTHING else. and Mary Stauoer' as
LIZ the crazy woman. Both stood out.