NEWS AND COMMENT OF THE THEATRE
NEWS AND COMMENT OF THE THEATRE TAc Stage The M+Sf** music WEEK ON THE STAGE By Joseph T. Shipley BLADIOLABCEXY ANEW ate for radio, the signalling of distant crimes. Is the bssls of...
...Martha Graham, dancer...
...This underlying harmony the performance seems to lack...
...so that, at the end of the first act the audience suspects nobody, snd st the end of the third set the audience says "of course...
...This German film displays a lavishness in costume and scenery seldom seen here in foreign pictures...
...Joice hss had extensive experience in this field, having directed publicity at the Rtvoll sad having handled special roadshows at the Astor, Embassy snd other first run houses...
...Werner Krauss appears as the city clerk of the old pre-war "Junkery type, a performance which was hailed by the Berliner Tageblatt as his greatest role, and the film as "finally the German comedy classic...
...to a third week commencing Saturday...
...The story Is tn original one by Byron Morgan, and Is a thrilling, dramatic tale replete with action, throbbing romance and comedy...
...North, Fuller, snd Nelson, st the 48th Street Theatre...
...George Playhouse will present, "The Single Standard," Greta Gar bo's latest scrtsm success...
...In addition to his theatre work, he hss had many years of j editorial training with various newspapers, and magazines...
...s mysterious murder plsy by Eva Key Flint and Martha Madison...
...BEFORE THE WIND There Is s drifting, casual nature about J the plays of Anton Chekov...
...Friday...
...Blatt's production of 'Harlem...
...Anita Page, the heroins, plays ah svlatrix with whom he falls in love...
...News of the day to sight and sound will be offered by Fox Movietone News...
...Sally O'Neill...
...the pla...
...omnibus, to kiss all the girts m the room...
...As a piece of laughter at itself snd its sort of thing...
...On the other hand...
...Nor is there sny proper suspicion cast upon the real villain, so thst st the close we can see thst we should have been shrewd enough to guess...
...Lennox Pawle, John Oarrick, Evelyn Hall, Douglas OUmore, Jack Stambaugh, Leila Karnelly, Herman Bing, Gloria Gray and Paul Ralli...
...but it moves with a fidelity to personal portrayal, and s faultlessness of pace, that nonetheless make the play an intense and moving experience in the theatre...
...Arnold Bennett once wrote a book that was a travesty of a best seller, poking fun at what the popular story does—and It became a best seller, taken by most readers at its face value, the irony unseen...
...The actor manager expects to round off the theatrical year with a reproduction of Chekhov's "Ivanoff...
...Arthur Goodrich, who wrote "Caponsacchi" for Mr...
...Reiehenbach handled "Showboat," snd "Broadway" for Universal...
...September 21st, the American premiere of the German satirical comedy, "A Royal Scandal," starring Werner Krauts, based on Carl Sternheim's comedy success...
...and rehearsals will be begun immediately...
...It is i Fox Movietone all-singing, dancing, a Iking song romance with music from .he pen ot Oscar Straus, Austrian composer of "The Chocolate Soldier...
...In It, Von Strohatm makes his talking debut under the direction of James Cruse...
...Saturday snd Sunday...
...fori here we behold a playwright (onstage} challenged to write s successful thriller, outlining the story to the girl he loves, bis landlady's daughter...
...are playing a musical fantasy known ss "The Phantom Lover...
...The Strsdivarlus Quartet...
...and the secretary opens the, evening with the statement that she never j has been a maid...
...Indeed, his secretary and bis maid teem to be the only ones he has left intact...
...The present production, Just opened, is "War," by Michael Artzibsshef, a drams of one-time Russia, directed by Sidney Stavro, with Wllvs Davis, Grover Burgess, and Katherine Raynore heading the cast...
...March 7. Dors ha, dancer...
...ITar" in the Bronx At the Intimate Playhouse, the Bronx Theatre Guild is planning an Interesting season with plays by Gogol snd Ostrovsky in the, offlng...
...Polly Moran snd Eugenie Bssserer are also to the cast...
...They will also show a picture dealing with one of Russia's most powerful rulers whose reign was so colorful that many stories, novels and plays have been written about it...
...Chekov un- i questionably intended to exaggerate, for ! many-sided satire, the character of the i actress, the successful writer, the youth- j ful idol-smasher and dreamer of new forms, and the innocent Nina who wants to go on the stage...
...However, "Remote Control" depends so much on its stmosphere, and so successfully, that most persons probably overlooked the faults of the mystery for the merits of the surrounding movement, the effective use of radio on the stage...
...It is the latter activity which has never faded from the mind of the author of this niece, who is slso Its producer snd its star...
...Divorce Made Easy", s light comedy, with Marie Prevost and Douglas MacOlean, and "Wonder of Women," a society drama featuring Lewis Stone, make up the program for Wednesday and Thursday...
...The setting for this was designed by Clrker snd Robbtna...
...Murder on the Second Floor" will not hold as grip• pingly at those thrillers thst sink into emotional seas of horror, yielding catharsis of fear to the timid and the thoughtless of life...
...Norms Terris, whose 'Magnolia" to the Zeigfeki production of 'Show Boat" will be remembered as one of the successes of last season...
...to complete the exhibition, the last act introduces three show girls who...
...Strtogwood Ensemble...
...at Roxy "Married in Hollywood," the first Vlenlese opera written expressly for the icreen...
...A Comedy of Women" is perhaps more to be condoned — If only none of our younger generation seeks to ape its hero...
...Upon his arrival...
...There was a kissing game I used to Plsy —only verbally — thst consisted in playing on the meaning of the suffix bus (buss meaning to IdsS...
...snd J. Harold Murray, star of "Rio Rita," head the cast...
...This will be ready for presentation later in the season...
...The picture was directed by Harry Beaumont...
...Egon Brecher...
...from any ! reading of them, that contrasts strangely I with the unexpected power they reveal when performed, as demonstrated, now, j In the Civic Repertory Theatre produc- j tion of "The Sea Gull...
...and Bruno U^KJM "Nathan the Wise...
...A club subscription for students, workers, artists and professional persons for each series is 11...
...Why didn't I know thst all along...
...without the straining for supernatural horrors thst send shivers down the crumpling spines of many sensation-seekers...
...two other men spend a minute or jo on the stage: but more lengthily beyond the footlights walk and talk a desen women, every one of whom he hss—st teatt—kissed...
...His screen appearances have been lomparatively few but invariably of a sensation-creating character...
...L. M. Leonidoff is the pride and particularly popular artist of the Moscow Art Theatre...
...100 per cent natural color, talking, singing snd dancing Vitaphone production, heralded as a "rival to the rainbow" to color has been playing to such capacity houses at the Mark Strand theatre, that the management announces, it will be held over for a second week beginning Fridsy...
...Speedway>, at Capitol William Haines to "Speedwsy...
...People's Symphony to Give Two Concert Series The Auxiliary Club of the People's Symphony Concerts announces for the season of 1928-"28 s series of six chamber music concerts on Friday evenings snd s series of six artists' recitals...
...The play hss been directed by Chester Erskin, who last season was timiliarly responsible for Mr...
...Ethel Waters, William Blakewell, Fairbanks Twins, Sam Hardy, Lee Moran...
...Sew Almanac Pages "Murray Anderson's Almanac,'' running through the seasons st Brianger't Theatre, hss developed a new dance number, from Vbty feet of Franc and Warren LassRer...
...Warner Bros...
...as the steward, has one of hiB best roles, so slight a matter as his grunt when an attempted anecdote finds no listeners being a- triumph of natural characterisation...
...therefore they had to close it in this artificial fashion...
...Prior to his departure for Europe, Mr...
...January 17, Elly Ney, pianist...
...It Is fortunate thst the plot has this support, far ss s mere mystery it would never do...
...one of the finest actors of the Moscow Art Theatre...
...This plsy by Frank Vosper carries on the tradition of mystery in a lighter vein, thst marked Rice and Barry's "Cock Robin...
...Its entire action takes place to a subway car...
...as j Chekov and life present them—there must be an emotional comprehension, a spiritual union to bring the divergent Impulses into a concordant whole...
...20, 21...
...Married in Hollywood...
...George Playhouse For this week-end...
...which is unknown to New York save for a couple of performances by the Moscow Art Theatre in Russian several years ago...
...Remote Control" falls of achieving this structure...
...director of advertising i and publicity for Warner Bros., announced today the appointment of J. Maxwell Joice to take charge of publicity and advertising in Warner Bros...
...The csst Includes such screen favorites ss Betty Compson...
...But the most popular formula for a mystery play is thst which takes its first half hour to lead up to the crime...
...Many of the statements' of the evening are still more direct...
...When Ralph, for instance, paints out that of course he could not hsve shot the msn In the breast, having been behind him, the obvious truth of this should have led us to suspect Rslph . . . but he is honestly Innocent...
...considered the most eminent and highest paid of public relations counsels, hss returned to the States, from a two months tour of the continent...
...Thus blunderbus ass to kiss the wrong party...
...it is reached by an avenue that seems natural and (like the close of "Cock Robin") keeps the justified murderer out of the hands of the police...
...each part may be j a gem of individual acting, yet—without j any coherent, straight-moving plot, with I persons pulling each his own way...
...Ernest Torrence appears ss a veteran race driver, Karl Dane at a mechanic and John Mill an as a villainous millionaire driver...
...The picture adds auto-racing to Haines' already formidable list of sports learned tor picture purposes and the enthralling race scenes were all filmed st the Indianapolis speed classic on the famous' track located there...
...Seeds of Freedom" starring Leonkioff...
...January 24...
...A FARCE OF WOMEN There are some plays so bad at to be amusing, so beneath serious consideration ss to be great hits...
...The story has to do with a company of stranded troupers, who...
...The action takes place in the broadcasting studio of s Chicago station, and the jitr of Its novelty—even for those few of us tn the audience who have often broadcast—carries along, and relieves the plot itself of much of the burden of entertainment...
...snd plans _*jjss§l scription season of the best |issj[ ¦ Jew* or on Jewish themes to -M versions...
...J. Maxwell Joice to Do Publicity for Warner Bros.j A. P. Waxman...
...Hobart Csvanaugh gives his smart lines a parting thrust, ss they leave him...
...Despite its gruesome title...
...A good assemblage ot mystery .folk—not mentioning the sixty more in the cast...
...ICau/SSSl *gj Charles Braur.hut as other uBlsB *£..B Daniel Frohman...
...This effect of the inconsequent, rsmbllng movement of life Itself is stronger in "The Cherry Orchard" than in "The Sea Gull," however: for In the present play the old technique presses upon us as the acts continue, until the Russian 1 heaviness and despair becomes larded with American melodrama...
...there is the old magis- • trate, who wishes he were a young reprobate, a town gadabout instead of a 1 country stay-at-home: there is the self- | centered, conceited and shallow actress, I •ver thinking in terms of her effects, ! ret never able to recognise what effect ! she has upon her son: there is that ! son, himself absorbed in his own profc— j lems and his own universe—there are the ! iozen persons, only half aware of the ! loncerns and driving forces of the others, i stirring with the essence of a world...
...Ernest Torrance* and Karl Dane, Is now st the Capitol...
...in "Murder On the Second Floor...
...for both courses, $2...
...Yet not even the symbolism of the shot gull lifts the closing of the tale from melodramatic mood...
...With the exception of the dramatist himself, and his sweetheart, we have reasons for suspecting most everyone—snd possibly even to think thst the playwright might hsve enough humor to make himself the villain...
...Walter Hampden's First Proditction Benevente's "Bonds of Interest?' Walter Hampden has formulated his plans for this season, his sixth consecutive year as an actor-manager in his own theatre in New York...
...The costumes are authentic reproductions copied from priceless museum pieces throughout Europe, while several of the scenes were laid in the Palace of the Ex-King of Bavaria at Munich snd other castles, of the royal families...
...The jjjjMKl the Schnorrers.' bs^-d on tbt StSB^M Israel Zsngwiil...
...The 55th St...
...FLAYING WITH DEATH The curiously effective spectacle of s mystery plsy written before their very eyes Is what the audience is treated to...
...Seeds of Freedom" for Third Week at Cameo Consistent patronage hss merited the extension of the current attraction at the RKO Cameo Theatre...
...Waxman, Mr...
...Arthur Lake...
...Murder on the Second Floor...
...while their amusing adventures go on...
...The hero finally goes off to Arizona to search of quiet and peace...
...Occasionally the aims is committed very soon after the curtain rises, snd we spend the entire evening chasing the criminal...
...A complete symphony orchestra, s vocal ensemble ol 160 voices snd s dancing unit of 75 proride the music and dance background...
...The artists' recitals will be given by the following musicians: October 18, Nina Tsrssovs, Russian folksongs: November 29, Erna Rubinstein, violinist...
...we hope not at rush hour...
...The schedule for the Chamber Music Series is: November 15, Musical Art Quartet...
...Subway Express" to Stop Tuesday at the Liberty The first production of Edward A. Blstt this season will be "Subway Express...
...It is likely, however, that he did not intend to bring the piece quite so near to burlesque as some moments of Irina's part, when the actress pleads with her younger lover to be faithful...
...and A. A. Mime* "The Perfect Alibi...
...There are some persons who never suspect...
...Henry Sullivan, who composed the song "I May Be Wrong," that seems to have gone right into the hearts of its hearers by way of their ears, is on his long way to the Coast, to compose the .«-ore lor a coming Path* picture...
...Die Hose...
...JJ^Tb Bernstein...
...Tom* Pstricols, last seen in Oeorge White's "Scandals," and Walter Oatlett, popular comedian, are in featured roles...
...The result is a sense of life that makes the work of Chekov distinct from the ordinary plsy, that demands its "willing suspension of disbelief" from the audience...
...Joe E. Brown, Louise Fazenda...
...Brian Hooker, whose rendering of Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac" has taken its place as an English classic, is finishtog s version of Victor Hugo's "Ruy Bias" that will give Mr...
...Doubtless the fact that the star who made such a great personal triumph in "Czar Ivan the Terrible" enacts a double role to this production, causes s grest influx of connoisseurs of acting...
...Be has decided not to go on tour in "Cyrano de Bergersc" snd win open at Hampden's Theatre early in, October in Jscinte Benerente's 'Bonds of Interest...
...Broadway theatres...
...Hampden hopes to get in a week or two of "Hamlet...
...Sometimes _as in "Drscula" and "The Jade Ood," which are therefore rather melodramas than mysteries—the secret is betrayed early, snd the problem is not to find but to overpower the villain...
...Scene designs snd costume plates already hsve been prepared by Claude Bragden...
...but, with its good cast and its dslightful humor, snd its actually sustained character portrayal, it is a mystery play that an intelligent person will enJoy...
...The script gives tn almost chaotic movement: there is the school teacher worrying about his meager salary...
...besides effering the complete collection of the world's worst humor, include in their midst a dancer who displays what the others have merely alluded to...
...Both series take place to the Municipal Auditorium, Washington Irving High School, Irving place and Sixteenth street, at 8:15 p.m...
...A Royal ScandoT' On 55th St...
...25 SJtd 26...
...Albert von tUzer, and Bw* ¦ Rablnowltz and Grost as the **SJ6F m Board...
...Harry Reiehenbach Returns Harry Reiehenbach...
...In its quiet way, this piece achieves high tension at the proper moments, doubles the usual romance without doubling its sentimentality, and sdds a natural humor...
...The ending, therefore, allows us either to pst ourselves gently for our cleverness, or at least to recognize that it Is logical...
...hss been formes sB,*^J advancement of the Jewish d*1** 5S the English stage...
...to say such things as "It I has scum" for "It has come" makes the ! suave, successful writer, conceited beneath his surface self-depreciation, less of a figure than he should like to be...
...December 27, The Old World Trio...
...Haines plays the young mechanic who wins hit place as a race driver...
...Lee Subset...
...with Mitche...
...In thst department, the msn at the switches mutt slso be mentioned...
...April 11...
...drawn psrtsaj^J a tale in Boccaccio...
...February 7, Mleczyslsw Munx, pianist...
...and 22, the 8t...
...Ben-Ami's accent j troubles one...
...Richelieu" probably will follow "Bonds of Interest" st Hampden's Theatre...
...Hampden the opportunity to make a dual role of Ruy Bias and Don Caesar de Bazan...
...j And in truth something more than Intelligence is needed to give exaltation j to this type of play...
...At the St...
...The cast that has been gathered introiuces several important singing, dramatic tnd comedy stars...
...The features for Monday and Tuesday, Sept 23 snd 24 are "Pleasure Crazed", an all-talkie drams of life in the underworld: and "Behind Closed Doors", a mystery drama with Virginia Valli and Gaston Glass in the cast...
...The supporting cast includes trene Palasty...
...21tt...
...Harry G ribbon, Thomas Jefferson, Harmony Emperors' Quartette and a dancing beauty chorus of one hundred...
...December 20...
...The director, Hans Behrendt has taken Sternheim's social satire of a bourgeois city clerk who...
...Hyman Adier ls Presto**:M the Oulld...
...within the play, is a good mystery...
...On the Impulse of the moment, off he goes...
...Between these come brief hesitancies, almost as though the' author himself were embarrassed by what i he was doing, and not sure whether he 1 Is serious, or after all should turn the whole thing into a jest...
...Sometime during the winter Mr...
...that gtfob a deal to their power: snd the acting of Lawrence Leslie at the Sergeant, snd of the cast generally, is swift snd effective...
...The only white player of "Harlem" by the way, Arthur Hughes, is in the cast of "Subway Express," along with Edward Ellis (of "Cock Robin')) snd Dorothy Peterson (of "Drscula...
...September 21st...
...Reiehenbach wss asked to do the advertising and publicity for "The Great Oabbo," a new singing and talking picture which It playing an extended engagement at the Selwyn Theatre...
...will be given its premiere st the Soxy Theatre beginning Saturday...
...Instead, there saunters through the rear door, Ave minutes before the play closes, a stranger (the only one all evening who wears a cost) with hfc hands in his pockets as though a gun were there, with a sinister air and curt, ominous talk— the only way the authors could find of revealing the criminal...
...The entire program, as presented now, in:luding sound films of Nina Tsrssovs tnd Marc Connelly, will be held over...
...Story, lialogue and lyrics are by Harlan Thompson...
...r 1 The first three plays anoo8Bw**«S production by the Guild are WiBM | "The Devil's Sabbath...
...The story is by Humphrey Pearson, the scenario by Robert Lord snd direction by Crosland...
...Under the supervision of (kr...
...Is the bssls of the novelty thst holds the audience to "Remote Control," by Messrs...
...After which the framework story permits still another surprise...
...Jewish Drama in Es^sssV^B A new organization, called the SssSW Drama Oulld...
...February 14, Tollefsen Trio...
...Russian Symphonic Choir, twenty voices...
...Hampden has three other plays for use later in the season—"Richelieu," "Ruy Bias," and Chekhov's "Ivanoff...
...all that saves it is the continuing casual nature the playwright manages: the mother «~jn«r on with her game -of lotto while in the next room her son lies dead, her sen nss killed himself...
...Little Cvrnegie Program Repeated "The Spy of Madame Pompadour" will begin its third week st the Little Carnegie Playhouse Saturday, Sept...
...In "Seeds of Freedom" he is seen as an old holy man snd s cruel official of the Czar 1st government, two separate snd distinct parts but each portrayed with finesse thst pleases Cameo patrons mightily...
...Sept...
...Prank Vosper may have vague memories of Clayton Hamilton's "The Big Idea" somewhere behind the device that starts the play...
...I must confess that I do not know In which of these categories to place "A Comedy of Women," Leo de Vslery's plsy at the Craig Theatre...
...Playhouse will present, commencing Saturday...
...Joice will concern himself with the Winter Garden and Warner Bros, theatre, making his headquarters st the latter house...
...Sept...
...at the Elttoge Theatre...
...March 21...
...They were caught In a mystery that had been given no logical movement toward a close...
...Wheeler Osstman...
...Hampden, has completed a new version of Bulwer Lytton's famous old plsy about the wily French Cardinal, which served Edwin Booth and Henry Irving so long snd so well...
...The play has moments of smooth, even deft, workmanship: then the lengthy bits ot blstsnt snd bsnsl "sexhibitions" on the part of the complacent Lothario Don Juan Cassanova and the women who insist on his loving them...
...The picture "Czar Ivan, the Terrible" hss for Its star Leonidoff...
...There are several possible patterns for s mystery play...
...On With the Show" Held Over at Strand "On With the Show...
...using John Garrett Underbills authorised English version of the Spanish dramatist's masterpiece, and playing the rote of Crispin...
...through a fragile misadventure of his pretty wife, is decorated by the prince of the province and has treated it tongue-in-cheek-wtse and with gentle irony...
...s Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer synchronized production, with Anita Page...
...In several respects...
...The intelligence of Eva Le Gallienne makes her own part most effective: understanding in her wins to an emotional grasp not spontaneously achieved...
Vol. 9 • September 1929 • No. 7
