The Washington times., 1929-01-07
|GLEANINGS
-." AND ".---
SCREENINGS
BY ANDREW r. KELLEY

eta" after the Washington en-
gagement. This new title is
the velvety name of the Venetian
carnival queen, played by Miss
Dorothy Knapp, renowned of
beauty.
Earl Carroll last night was
at the end of a specially devised
telephone in the cloak room of
the National Theater which con-
nected with the stage. There,
between potions of medicine to
ease an ailing throat, the pro-
Queer phoned his instructions to
his high priced actors.
One hour and Is minutes have
been slashed from the show
since the premiere in Baltimore
and II minutes must yet come
out of the first act. Other re-
visions are being made in the
second act.
In the slashing the role played
by Tessa Kosta last week has
been reduced to few lines.
The prima donna with only one
song to sing decided "Fioretta"
offered little opportunity for a
platinum throat and requested
cancellation of her contract.
The Locust Sisters, also excess
baggage in a crowded two acts,
We're granted release.
Mr.. Carroll has drenched
"Fioretta" with money and it
looks it. As one enthusiast
told him last night, "Not even
Mr.. Melons signature on the
check could provide more"
Once was a time when the
Sunday dramatic sections, with
the last-minute nuggets from
the Broadway sector, contained
some real news. Now they are
filled with laments over the
state of the theater, with dire
predictions that the road is
dead for show business and with
expert opinion as to the cause
of the slump and what's. to be
done about it.
Washington is not dead as
a one-week stand for good
plays and as a city which will
provide Runaway business for
first-class musicals. 1t is cold
to try-Outs which are nothing
more than dress rehearsals and
Indifferent to ordinary drama
which endeavOrs to exact
box-office tariff far beyond it's
entertainment value. But the
real shows are getting the
money, far more than they ever
accumulated in the hey-Gey of
the past. The trouble is, there
are not enough good shows.
That, it seems to me. is the
fault of the producers and not
of the paying patron.
When Jane Cowl can play to
profitable receipts in a flimsy
phantasy; when Ethel Barry
more can depart after a week
in Washington with over $4,000
gathered for eight performances
of a mild success; when Ftorenz
Iiegfeld can play two shows in
succession to business of over
$4,000 each for one week;
when the Theater Guild can
gross over $4,000 for seven
performances of siX-hour play;
when "The Trial of Mary
Dugan" can play to capacity
business at the Belasco for a
week: when "Hit the Deck" can
roll up $4,000 for eight per-
formances; when these financial
facts become a part of the
1928-29 record of the legitimate
theater history in Washington
since last September, it is hard
to reconcile them with a belief
that Washington play-goer5
have deserted in body.
Just word on the other side
of the picture. "Revolt," a new
play. was a dismal failure here.
But New York also refused to
accept it and it closed. Ratifying
the Washington Judgment.
"The Crooks Convention" a
new play by Arthur Somers
Roche, represented a big outlay
by Producer Lyle D. Andrews.
1t failed to click here and was
closed without attempting
New York engagement.
Gilbert Miller had bad luck.
Ferenc Molnar's play, "Olympia,"
beautifully cast and produced
attracted little business at the
Belasco. So did Somerset
Maugham's, "The Sacred
Flame" another worthy effort.
But New York turned down
both plays. Mr.. Miller took his
favorite Cunard liner after
scorching the stage hands and
others concerned in the high
cost of production. But he
might also have blamed his
plavwriGhts.
"Wer. Well, Well" was not
ec1