Evening star., 1928-04-01
JACK POWELL and GIBSON SISTERS Palace
Playhouses Adjusting
To New Standards
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

prophet material for about all it
could be worth.
1t is not surprising to find
Blanche Yurka exploring the
newer fields of drama for ma
terial. She might, with her poise.
dignity and magnificent reserve
OF emotional power to be called
forth in overwhelming torrent
when the call of climax arises, be
artiStically content and to portray
the women Of the great European
classics. But the adventure into
high literary art is not one which
finds popular encouragement with
sufficient frequency to warrant
the hazard.
Comment is often made on the
number of English importations,
both Of plays and players, brought
to the American stage. The the
ater has not been effective In de-
veloping literature employing dra-
matte or poetic form, and has
been intent to seek the best avail
able material abroad, making an
opulent purse supply footlight
needs, instead of depending upon
the struggles Of native genius.
A national mental power nat
urally falls under the influence of
the needs Of the time and Genius
found that inventors and mech
anicianS were more needed than
poets. This may explain why 1t Is
so difficult for a really great
actress, cherishing high ideals of
her profession, TO find a play ex-
actly to suit her powers.
In his mastery Of stage artifice.
Lionel Atwill apparently does not
search deeply for the rationalities
as well as the intensities Of human
motive and his artifices are not
always beyond the peril of becom-
ing artificialities.
Atwili proves himself a discrim-
mating judge of plays, however,
when he selects "The Outsider"
for revival In the near future. II
was one Of those pieces which
would appeal strongly TO the finer
sense Of the auditor and is as good
as anything this eminent actor
stager has had anything TO do
with.
What was once considered the
impossible again happened as that
cherished Landmark, B. F. Keith's
Theater, goes over into the do
main OF the picture theaters.
Roland Robbins and all.
The pictures have gotten
keith's at last" was an offhand
comment overheard.
1T may prove" was a rejoinder.
that Keith's Is getting the pic
lures"
A merger with other interests
viii permit an almost unlimited
selection OF talent 10 provide per-
sonaiity acts which have become
so important In many programs
originally dependent almost en-
tirely on screen and camera. II
was very stoutly predicted that
when the Keith interests decided
70 come In because the water was
fine" they would make a very
conspicuous splash.
When p. p. Chase gave his name
10 what had previously been
called Albaugh's Grand Opera
House, at the corner Of Pennsyl-
yania avenue and Fifteenth street.
he devoted himself 10 separating
vaudeville from variety" in pop
lar thought. II became with him
not merely an idea, but an ideal;
one which absorbed his energies
and his vigilance AZ the ambition
Ot lifetime. His invention Of the
term polite vaudeville" was a
great influence in establishing
this kind Gf entertainment in an
artistic setting. When he moved
into the AIbee Building, which
| TOOK It's name in commemoration
of the loyal association with B. r.
Keith Of Mr.. AIbee, height was
reached In vaudeville magnifi-
cence that astonished the theater
world. Vaudeville now progresses
into the newest forms of enter
tainment. The present era Of It's
| development cannot fail 10 be an
interesting and highly significant
epoch in history OF American en-.
tertainment.