Evening star., 1935-12-22

this is the one. I should never have
believed it possible that such a novel
could be made into so exciting a play.
The book is an immortal work Of art
and many there be who read it an
nually, but did not see any theater
in it. I regard this entire production
as near to perfection as human effort
can reach. 1t is a perfect play, per-
fectly produced, perfectly mounted,
perfectly acted. I remember it with
unalloyed delight However, although
the audiences at this play are probably
the most cultivated Of any in New
York, it Is certainly true, as F. P. A.
discovered, that only a small per-
centage had read or remembered the
novel. Two ladies who sat near me
audibly wondered whom Dr.. Darcy
would marry.
Dead Erd."-This powerful and
impressive drama justifies the i'm
mense faith I had In Mr.. Kingsley,
who is not yet 80 years old, when I
saw Men in White" This must not
be missed.
Tanning of the Shrew," as given by
Mr.. Lunt and Miss Fontanne, and with
the direction of the TheaGer Guild, has
aroused fierce discussion I am all for
it. So far as we may conjecture. it
was a noisy, roaring farce in Eliza
bethan days, and that is what it is at
this moment. am glad II is produced
and acted exactly as it is at the Guild
Theater, and that 1t is such an enor-
nous success with audiences.
might Of January 16" is a thriller
that is fearfuIly and wonderfully ex-
citing from beginning to end, judi
ciously mingled with nirth. Further
more, it is a good study of the value
of human testimony, which Browning
said was worthless. I am sure do not
know whether the woman was guilty
or not, but 1t Is clear that all persons
in any way concerned with the affair
are crooks.
Ghosts. II have seen this tragedy
in German, French. Italian, Russian,
English and American. Nine. Nazi-
mova's production is the best I ever
saw. She is incomparabiy better than
Duse in this particular role.
"Porgy and Bess."-As this Is q
musical play, it may not fall properly
into my list. But one should certainly
see 1t. The music really accentuates
the power Of the drama.
Remember the Day."-An excellent
comedy Of school days, and the child
actors are as remarkable as they are
in Dead End" and as they presum-
ably were in Shakespeare's time.
Three Man on Horse"-I recon-
mend Ghosts" in the afternoon and
this on the same evening. 1t should
be taken as soon, as possible after Ib-
sens tragedy. This equine paradox IS
one Of the most side-splitting farces !
have ever seen.
have not yet seen "Parnell," First
Lady" or boy Meets Girl" but In the
language of Baedeker, all three are
we'll spoken Of
Jumbo" Is so prodigious and mag
nificent that am glad saw it, but
it should be seen and not heard. The
eye is dazzled, but the ear suffers
acutely.
wish could like "Winterset," be-
cause it Is written by the distin.
guished author Of Both Your
Eouses," Elizabeth" and Saturdays
Children" not to mention What
Price Glory" but, although I tried
earnestly to like it, I couldn't. Per-
haps, Hike most Of the plays by Haupt-
mann, its failure is more inspiring
than many successes. For think it is
failure-a noble failure. There are,
as Browning observed, fancies that
break through language and escape.
Let us hope that their creators viii be
rewarded In the next world. In works
Of art here and now the motive and
the ideal count for nothing. It is only
the result that matters. and a play in
the theater must, first Of all, be inter-
esting.
An idea of the different quality of
audiences in New York may be gained
by going to Pride and Prejudice" and
then to Moon Over Mulberry Street"
and listening to the decorous laughter
at the former and the roaring outlaws
at the latter. Moon Over Mulberry
Street" has been running since the be-
ginning Of September, though 7 have
never heard any one mention 1t. After
"Abie's irish Rose" had run four years
! still had met no one who had seen
Il.