Evening star., 1936-03-26

approach to town IN farewell tour
of "Cyrano de Bergerac," there was
more excitement round about the
National than has been shown in
many day. Two ladies, OF handsome
face and proportions, Immediately
marched to the window and said that
they wanted tickets, and within an
other couple of minutes business seemed
to be so on the up-and-up that the
forces that be had decided to open the
show on a Sunday night, April 5, and
go clear through until another Sunday
night, augmenting the performances
by a Friday matinee, thus giving II
shows in the week instead OF the
customary eight.
Tobacco Road" will move from
here to Boston, where the censors
already have nodded approval at 1t.
Henry Hull heads the original New
York cast.
THIS is to be Walter Hampden's
l. absolutely final farewell tour in
"Cyrano." 1t will follow Tobacco
Road" into the National. Already
local schools and colleges are on their
ear about it, and if you think you're
going to hire a whole balcony for a
certain performance you'd better hurry
or have another guess coming. At
this rate you'll be lucky to get two in
the peanut"
y X y x
WENT to see Charles Laughton in
w a revival of Henry VIII" yester-
day morning at the Belasco and found
1t as good as it was in the first place.
Those chicken bones are as tough as
ever. Laughton eats them with the
same inelegant bravado, speaks his
little piece about manners" having
been lost forever and adds that festive
thought about what he has "done
for England"
Laugton plus Binnie Barnes, Wendy
Barry, Merle Oberon and Elsa Lam
chester (Mrs. Laughton) still give you
probably the best show in town-even
if it is a little old and the film has
a couple of scratches which it didn't
have originally. 1t is humorous, slight
ly rough, splendidly satirical and acted
and directed up to the hilt.
The full title of the film is 1.-The
Private Life of Henry VIII" This is
not to be confused with 1.-The Wives
of Henry VIII" which Cornelia Otis
Skinner has included in her repertoire
of monologues for the past few seasons
DUE to the fact that the American
- Theater Society had such plays
this season as call It Day. and
Idiots Delight" which, by the way
got splendid reviews in New York
Mrs. Sidney Thomas reports that there
are well-nigh one thousand new sub
scribers. That should make next sea-
sons Theater Guild schedule here a
cinch.
Mary Minnix, who knows her theater
better than most any one around town.
was discovered yesterday relaxing IN
DR.. Shyne's Office bemoaning the fact
that she had missed out as a SUBJ
scriber this year for the first time
and that she couldn't wait to get to a
subscription blank for next. Other
rebels of 1856 are scurrying back
into the ranks as well.
IF THERE are any ex-"Follies
- girls now living in this city, the
MANAGEMENT of 1.-The Great Zieg-
field" the film based on the great
glorihers" life. which is to COM
mence its special showing twice
daily at the National Theater- on
Sunday night, April 10, would like
to know them.
AS tribute to Florenz Ziegfeld, the
local staff would like to invite all
ex-"Follies" girls to a memorial meet
ing. A similar honor Is annually paid
the producer by the many beauties
of his shows now residing in New
York. All Washington resident zieg-
field girls are urged to communicate
with Norman Pyle, M-G-M's repre-
sentative at the National Theater, at
once.
DILL FIELDS says that Burgess
Meredith, who comes to Wash
ington, and, more specifically. to the
National Theater next Monday in the
leading role of Maxwell Anderson's
"Winterset," is young actor who has
attained stardom in the theater In
the short space of three years.
It was, in truth, five years ago that
he first evidenced an interest in a
stage career. He did not turn to the
theater because of an overwhelming
belief in his own talent or from any
deep-rooted devotion to the curtained
arts, but because the stage appeared
as likely way as any of making a
living.
During his school years in Cleveland,
where he was born, he was taking part
IN the usual schooI ranoatic rarforr,