The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-08-13
A Critic Lands
In Roadside's
Front Row

I've certainly found out that
it pays to advertise. Mr.. Kelley
at least, in The Times. You'll
remember that I complained last
week that when I covered the
Roadside Players they put me in
the last row. Well, this week,
they put me in the middle of the
first row, right where I could see
Janet Coon. T waved at her a
couple of times, but she didn't
pay any attention at all. I sup
pose actresses get that way, but I
can't understand why she should
get upstage like that on me,
especially when you put her pic
ture in the paper a couple OF
days ago.
You know this is the third
time T have seen the RoadSiders
do Murder in the Red Barn"
Twice last season and again last
night. After all, this proves they
must be good. Me, who have
seen Sothern and Marlowe and
Hackett and Mansfield and Booth
and the Barrymores-I was very
young, of course, but still I saw
them. And in all seriousness,
these youngsters are good, too.
Their Very Best
This represents the Roadsiders
very best effort. 1t is the acme
or epitome of something or other.
If Washington damned the Rock
vile Road to see "Trilby," some
thing I am entirely at a loss to
account for, then the Red Barn"
should cause a congestion which
would bring about a very real, a
very definite problem for the traf-
fic officials of Montgomery
county.
There's real genius behind the
production of this melodrama of
several generations ago. It's
funny, if you take it as such. It's
very serious If you accept it in the
manner in which it is presented.
There isn't a single false note
there, unless you, as spectator
choose to put one in. Maybe that
is why of all the melodramaS this
company has produced that it
has been chosen for repetition.
If you saw it in the frame of
mind that I did-even for the
third time-you'd thoroughly en-
joy it.
I'm not going to say anything
further about the play for if I
have failed to convey the impress
sion that I intended, then I have
failed to follow in the footsteps
of those splendid critics who have
written pieces for The Times be-
sides yourself, such as Charming
Pollock, Frank Morse, Ralph
Graves. Louis Ashley and Lau-
renee Stallings. But the cast of
earnest young players undoubt-
edly deserves more mention than
you will allow me space.
Much Good Acting
Eugent Kressin comes back in
his role of last season-the most
villainous villain who ever perpe.
trated a misdeed on the boards
and the liberal measure of Kisses
are but tribute to his art. Gail
Dennis is new heroine. but never
theless a most satisfying one.
Janet Coon is again the come.
dienne and I should have men
toned her before-or did I? Any.
way you know how feel about
her!
William Phillips deserves more
than the trite acceptable" in the
low comedy role and Harold STEP
Ter and Thomas Cahill are grand.
Did I say anything about Janet
Coon?
And as a between-the-acts d.
vertissement. Just as last wear that
classic, "She's More to Be Pitied
Than Censured," is sung by the
Misses Coon and Dennis and the
Messrs. Kressin and Edwards in
a manner which should attract
the attention Of either Carter
Barron or Frank LaFalce, if these
gentlemen are as enterpriSing as
I have always believed them to be.
I guess you gather from this
that I liked the show-and how
about me covering it next week
for the fourth time? AFRO.