Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-26
ADJUSTMENTS
NATIONAL-"Wings over Europe"


Intellectualized melodrama, beloved
In philosophy and rhetoric and rounded
TO the contours of sporting, uprlgnt,
honest" British situation, came TO the
National Theater last night IN wings
Over Europe" the Robert Nichols
Maurice Browne play with the Theater
Guild of Eew York closes Its nrst
washington subscription season.
1t is terror wrestling with logic tnaV
this play gives us. proposition OF IAN
tastic threat couched in terms OF oe-
hate among men who cannot forget
that they are gentlemen as well. Inc
story concerns young physicist, VINO
idealizes the hope of mans emanclpa-
ton from labor land from the 1ntoler.
ance that springs from the social ana
political distinctions that labor brings
aboyit) and who discovers how 70 con-
troll the energy OF the atom; FuIly
aware that he has the secret of blowing
ND the universe if he chooses, the youth
offers his formula to the British cabinet.
He asks these politicians to prepare
program by which his secret, II he con-
sentg to reveal it. will be used for the
GOOD of all mankind. When the min
listers comprehend the magnitude OF the
discovery, their fear of what damage
could be done outweighs their hope OF
benefit. Returning subsequently for
CAPABLE of aSsociating with him in his
great ideal of the liberation OF hu-
mainly, and so determines that II he
cannot remodel the world he VIII de-
Etroy it as something unworthy 10 con-
finue in degradation. This destruction
he arrangeS, alone possessing the
knowledge of how to cause or prevent
Impending doom. and gives the cabinet.
himself and the whole world just 10
20 yz-a lie fFilCfFQfAn
through the very simple medium OF
revolver shot through the breast. he
thus becomes harmless, sacrifice to
the immediate salvation OF humanity,
but It is Ironically disclosed to the
cabinet while the young crusader lies
dead before them that his same secret
has been achieved by another group
which has taken the most fastidious
pains to compel ruthlessly the accept
ance of its benefits.
So much for the story. One cannot
escape comparing its general outline and
denouement with those OF "R. U. r.,
which shared so peculiarly this same
philosophy and dramaturgy. In the
Capek play, too, we had roomful OF
human beings facing the humiliation OF
a world which they had sought to ideal
ize, Mans emancipation from LABOR,
from the mental performance OF lie, Is
in both cases advanced as desirable
attainment. In "R. u. r." the idea
was advanced with all the action and
physical movement of traditional melo-
drama. whereas in wings Over Europe"
the turmoil takes place essentially IN
the brains of the characters, and this.
more remotely, In the brains OF the au-
dience, a thing to be cogitated rather
than merely viewed. The theme OF the
lnelodrama (tfe essential proposition
that a man possesses the vast power 10
destroy the world and all his fellows)
frequently tends to become turgid and
nebulous; 1t lacks DECENTRALIZATION, even
while possessing profound potentiality
for it.
In the character of Francis Lightfoot,
the physicist, the authors have etched
ekillfully and with understanding re-
fined picture of idealiSm. The youth Is
idealistic to the point of inspired mad
ness, and he is Enthusiastically the re-
former. What he cannot sway to his
own purposes he is willing to destroy or
disregard. All that matters to him is
that he Is honest To others that is not
enough. It happens to be important to
them that he is mistaken, too.
Alexander Kirkland's playing of the
Iightfoot role is full of vigor and feel
ing for the emotional values. Among a
large cast of splendid players (all mem
NAV be mentioned the work of Ernest
Lawford as the prime minister and OF
Morris Carnovsky as Evelyn Arthur as
persouifying a grasp Of values contrast
Ing with those of the young idealist A
word, too, in this brief mention of
names for Reuben Mamoulian's direc-
ton, the discretion and shading of
which were apparent many times.
F. C.. 0.
BELASCO-"The AmOrOus Antic."
"It is positively crude to pursue ones
wife when she is on an emotional