Evening star., 1931-11-29
THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL"

~ URING the action Of Charming
Pollock's play, The House
Beautiful" which comes to the
Belasco Theater next week, 30
actual scenic changes are
made, 1t is said, in total darkness, ana
some 80 stagehands and cast of IL
move in and out of the scenes. guided
only by instinct and an occasional
marking on the floor by a radium-cov-
cred row of tacks.
The play covers a period of 80 years,
and the two wings of the cottage, each
measuring a quarter of the stage, are
changed three times. Each new SET ol
wings rides on platforms that carry
duplicate furniture, set eXactly as re-
ouired by the business OF the piay' nus
showing the wear and tear OF age ana
usage. The bookcases are always the
same except for the addition OF DOCKS
as the wears pass and of an occasional
nicture or chair that has been acquired
for decoration or comfort. There Is
also a change of drapings ana wall pa
per and in the growth of trees ana
vines seen through the windows. :
The lighting, vitality important; IS
handled by direct connection WIN three
massive portable electrical sWltch-
boards. The first cue for change o1
scene comes from Ralph Simone, stage
nosnscer or his assistants A signal is
fiashed with a colored light to the chiet
electrician, who IN turn begins the
change of lighting with gradual de-
yelopnent that Immediately notlfies the
stage workmen and property men OF
the anproach to the end Of a scene,
and they 90 to work as the lights am
out and are finished when they are
again illuminated. There are 400 cues
in all, some working on the multiple
switches and others requiring mdlVlo-
ual attention. All stage hands Work IN
black cassocks, so nothing white Is ever
seen.
Credit for the mechanical workings
of the scenery is solely 10 Mielzlner S.
and his solution of the scenic problems
of THE House Beautiful is TO marx a
step forward in scenic designing.
MR.. WHISTLER.
UNHR. WHISTLER" will be presented
N1 at the National Theater, next
week. beginning Monday, by Laurence
Rivers. Inc. Written by Pauline Hop
kins. Sarah Curry sIld A. z. Thomas, u
concerns episodes N tile life OF James
Abbott MCNEIL whistler, the American
artist, who was a romantic figure dur
ing the Victorian period, and famous
for the shafts of his wit and for his
contempt-so forcefully expressed in
The Gentle Art OF Making Enemies
for art critics and art schools OF DIS
day.
1t is a costume play. Two sets, rep
resenting the studio and drawing room
in a house that Whistler occupied IN
the Chelsea district OF Lcndon. Ine
play covers a romance in Mr.. Whistler
life and contains in its dialogue many
crisp and pithy PHILOSOPHERS with their
characteristic Whistler sting. 1t prom
ises an evening of delightful comedy,
drama and love interest.
MACDE ADAMS AND OTIS SKINNER.
NEAUDE ADAMS and Otis Skinner
4FA will come to the National Theatsr
for five nights. beginning Tuesday, De
cenber Is, with matinees Wednesday
and saturday, in Shakespeare's comedy,
The Merchant of Venice" After an
absence of Is years she will appear in
the role of Portia, part she has never
undertaken before during her brilliant
stage career, although her rspertory
does include other Shakespearean hero
INES, "Juliet, Viola, and Rosalind.
| Mr.. Skinner will be the Shyleck, a
character which he has PLAYED many
times with notable success, for his asso-
ciation with THE Merchant of Venice
| gees back to the days when he sup
ported such titans Of the stage as Ed
| win Booth and Lawrence Barrett. and
when he played Shylook to the Portia