Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-20

DALM SUNDAY, today begins
- to mark the closing scenes
4 of the greatest drama the
Christian world has ever
known. But it will not be pre-
Sented in the theater, nor will
the captious critics be present
to note and exaggerate its
defects, if any. Whether
among the thousands in its
many audiences will be found
the penitence of we'll digested
self-accusation among the critics
themselves, or those who blame
them for their oft-pointed finger
of scorn, it is not for this column
to record. 1t is safe to venture
the prediction that criticism of
the costumes in the audience will
not be lacking, for such is the
manner of the day. It is, how
ever, predetermined that the edu-
cational and cultural lessons of
the drama will find Judgement Of
a permanent character, at least
with the patrons in their en-
tirety, due, also to an old
hIQSIlCdIl CuSLOl1l. AuOICllCCO dIO
such heterogeneous completes
that those who might be disposed
to scott, doubtless, may remain to
pray, even though some may
not put forth and probably
never will the slightest effort
of their own to achieve what
they so earnestly pray for
also a good old American GUS
tom, which, no doubt, is not I'M
familiar in other lands, for the
custom is not exclusively indigo
nous to any known spot inhabited
by mysterious humanity. The
whole idea of this paragraph is
but vagrant notion suggested by
the solennnity of the season.
HOLY WEEK, as it is known,
strangely enough, has always
been associated with the notion
of darkness in the theater as an
institution. 1t isn't popular to
fatten the box Office during that
solemn season, and there has
never been a theater in the pop
ular acceptation of the term
without its box office. The
lack of managerial interest
in a drama without its box
Office, probably, also accounts
for the lack of interest on
the part of the dramatic critics
in the great drama of the Chris
tian world, as such. It is not to
be wondered at, therefore, that
two of our legitimate theaters are
enveloped in clouds of darkness
and a dire stiffness during Holy
week. To the churchman, this is
most fitting. To the remainder
of the turbulent world, it is but
an unavoidable incident. Eat,
drink and be merry" is term
familiar throughout all lands at
any time. 1t is slogan call that
is answered willingly and album.
dainty even by some in the midst
of their penitential fasting
which, perhaps, causes so many
to believe that selfiShneSS in its
garb of-shall we say-hypocriSy
is always ready to pass the buck,
as the wicked might say, and
leave the more serious thoughts
OF life for ceremonial attention
on state occasions. But that
sounds preachy, and preaching is
not popular.
AS evidence, however, that the
sap rises and that buds bios
som in the world, theatrical as
well as in the public parks, we
have the nerve-stirring announce
ment of the coming of George
Whites Scandals" in their
eleventh and very latest issue,
with the original cast intact"
and - wonder of wonders at
popular prices" to the Washing
ton Auditorium this evening.
There is q vestige of exceptional
interest in this announcement in
asmuch it carries with it the
startling intelligence that, at least
temporarily, the legitimate thea
tiers, two strong, are to be in
creased by the addition of the
Washington Auditorium to their
ranks. A new legitimate theater,
with "the original cast intact"
and at popular prices" should