The Washington times., 1934-07-05

Virginia Rand the ingenue lead
is a pretty girl who is too eye
conscious. She rolls those "Booful"
orbs until you find yourself watch
ing her eyes instead Of her words.
The eyes have it in this case.
Jane Plummer Rice carries the
character lead "a Constance Col
lier, Violent Kemble Cooper-Spring
Byington role) eXacting, and full OF
the richest lines in the play. She
does very we'll with it, too, barring
q tendency to be explosive where
quieter method would be more
effective. The best actor in Mad
Hopes" is Marvin Beers who has
the blessed faculty of being ma
tural and a good idea OF pace.
Ethel Drayton has role that
Cora Witherspoon would love and
makes much of her opportunities.
Try OId-Timers
Between the acts on the
hacenda, you may quaff through
a straw a cooling drink or enjoy
scoop of ice cream. In addition
you will find ample parking space
for your car. These must be listed
as among the Roadside's assets.
The open windows invite light
ming bugs and what thought
was a baby bat turned out to be
nothing more than an diversified
moth. What big moths they raise
in Halpine, grandma! Otherwise
there was nothing unprogrammed
to disturb a quiet evening with
the Muses..
Last week the Players did 'The
Octoroon" and the Roadside regu-
lars agree it was better adapted
to their capabilities. Underlined
for next week is Murder in the
Red Barn." described as rare old
English melodrama written some
time before 1850.
think the Players choose wisely
in nominating the venerable
dramas, dated and trimmed with
the ancient technique. There is
no necessity for burlesquing them
and yet the creaking formula and
extravagances of the old-timers
lend themselves to good fun and
covers up the faults of the less ex-
perienced actors.
I enjoyed my evening with the
Roadside trouperS. 1 recommend
them as good fun for a summer
evening. And they are worth en-
couraging inasmuch as they are
doing their valiant bit to keep the
living theater alive.
CaIanty Moves Up
Send 100000 to the Monument
lot for fireworks and the movie
box office lags. Last night was
the end of very quiet holiday on
F. Street and vicinity. Sam Ga.
lanty, washington branch man.
ager for Columbia Pictures re-
turned from the Atlantic City
convention with a pay raise ard
promotion. He is now district
manager with territory expanded
to include Cincinnati and Pitts
burgh. OF course it had to come.
The first play about Dillinger. It
is by John Crump and is called,
"He Knew Dillinger" and will be
acted at the Barter Theater in
Abingdon, Virginia, July 13. {.
Who's complaining about the
weather? Not the swimming pool
managers who are close to two
weeks of the most perfect temper
ature for bathing that has hit
washington in ten years. The
little matter of screen makeup is
all important. AS you will observe
when you see Diana Wynyard at
Keith'S whose mouth in Lets
Try Again" has been so poorly
photographed she looks homely
'The Thin Man" upholds Cos;
mopolitan Pictures reputation as
F Street champion. 1t holds over
here and it also holds over at
the Capitol, New York. While
Marion Davies in "Operator 13"
has given the Columbia a smash
ing second rim engagement de-
spite the torrid temperatures.
| Downey at Lake"
Morton Downey, the silver
voiced Irishman, will be the star
at Chevy Chase Lake on July 27,
according to announcement by
AL Stern and Eddie Carr, just
back from New York talent
hunt.
Joe Haynes band will accom-
pany the tenor on his local ap.
pearance. An astute move on
the part of MessrS. Carr and
Stern for Morton should draw
not only dance lovers but his
radio fans as we'll to ring up a
new record. At least, that's my
prediction.
Of local interest, too, is the
fact that with Willard Alexander,
booked for Friday night, is Miss
Jane Whitney, vocalist. You
probably will remember her as
-