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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1924)
• New York Theaters By PERCY HAMMOND. New York, Feb. 2. MISS Zona Gale has been repri manded for giving her new play, “Mr. Pitt," a cheerful ending. It is said that, like Henry James, Mr. Tarkington and other con scientious Novelists, she is Inclined to abase her art in the applications to the theater. Of unbending recti tude where her printed fiction is con cerned, she (a accused of compromis ing in her dramaa For Instance, Mr. Pitt is the most tragic of the bores. An itinerant vendor of tinned food stuffs in villages of the mlddlewest, he is ignorant, illiterate, uncomely and utterly without charm. More over, he is an unselfish soul, addicted to deeds of kindness. After three acts of tribulation, not Ignobly borne, the curtain descends on him as the owner of a rich claim in the Klon dike and surrounded by admiring friends. -* I think I can understand and Jus 'i tlfy Miss Gale's motives in the mat ter. She is a woman of great human sympathy and melts easily at the woes of others. Contemplating Mr. Pitt’s melancholy career of abject im potence, aha oould not forbear te en dow him with a little happlnesa He had suffered grievously through his physical and mental handicaps, and the more so because he was acutely aware of them. Many of the neigh bors made fun of him, and his pretty young wife ran away with a travel ing trombonist For 20 years hs bat tled with adverse fortune~ln Alaskan wilds and cams back to Wisconsin broken is health, penniless and still the do)sgeua figure of his youthful Sys. The poor fellow deserved char ’, and Miss Gale saw that he got it. Yet, like Mr. Bolt and other ben efactors, shs is subjected to suspi cion. Whereas the usual playwright Is allowed to dismiss his wretched characters In a glow of sunshine, it is demanded of Miss Gale that Mr. Pitt should continue after the play is ever to be thoroughly miserable. In her curtain speech Miss Gale said that "Mr. Pitt” had many au thors. In fact, nearly all the char acters were living persona and had re produced themselves in the manu scrlpta She herself had known a de spairing Mr. Pitt who had beaten against the walls of his hostile per sonality and tried to get out, Just as the poor fellow does in one of the best scenes in the play .... The piece is full of "types” photographed by Mine Gale in her studies of small town life. Some of them are so vivid that you suspect that she occasion ally mistakes facts for truth. The tempting trombonist is one of these, perhaps. Ha is a handsome young man of the big World, possessing all the sophisticated graces of an Ital ian diplomatist. In his bearing and conversation hs is mors like a dig nified young duke than hs is reminis cent of Sousa, P, B. Bona or Lyon & Healy. Such purple instrumen talists exist, of eourna, and Hiss Gals has seen one of them. Ha alao may have run away with the village house painter’s wife; for mtuio oft inspires its practitioner to olid adventures. But (hough a fact, hs interferes a little with the truth of "Mr. Pitt." Mr. Walter* Huston, who oomea straight from the vaudeville, gives the blundering hero a remarkably ex plicit impersonation. Hs was ooaohed (or the unsympathetic task by his sister, Mrs. Carrington, under wboaa instruction Mr. Barrymore prepared (or Hamlet. -■ The dramatists usually agree about the things that happen. The same things have beea happening In the theater for a long time, with occa sional variations as to the method of their happening. In Miss Clemence Dane’s new play, "The Way Things Happen,” both ths things and their processes are familiar. The differ ence between It and other transcrip tions from life Is that It Is more literate and more effectively acted. It is not so drsmatlo a play as Miss Dane’s "A BtU of Divorcement," or oo poetio aa a play aa her "Will Shakespeare. ” But It is more the atrically routine than either. Mias Katharine Cornell in this oom sdy is a sacrificial Cinderella, in love with ths young man of tho London household, Into which she has been adopted and of which she is the drudge. He (Mr. Tom Nesbitt) Is a super cad, a smug, amllelese, ill-tem pered and aggressive bounder, enam ored of one of the most terrifying of ths suburban flapper*. In order to buy gifts for this siren he steals from his Arm, and Is detected In so doing by his evil office mata -A—— What does the poor girl do when that earnest villain threatens to ex pose the man she loves unless ehe visits his rooms and gives herself to him? He offers to exhango tho In criminating paper* for her reluctant caresses. Aa Is said to bo tho custom in life, as In ths drama, ths lady en deavors to atone for ths man's wick ednesses. At the end of the Aret act ehe throws a scarf around her un willing shoulders and staggers out Into the night, enroute to the sacri ficial altar. The scarf, by ths way, belongs to her bitterest enemy. A A One wooden how Mlao Dane's play would far* If th* girl were to revere* t lie customary practices and decline to be so great a martyr—even to save the reputation of th* pleasant fellow •he loves. Suppose she were to give the predicament deep consideration, fund (hen to decide that tt would be hatter for all concerned If she did not «r| to make a right out of two w rejigs? If she were to recall th* las sos. taught her by scores of similar „ rt?ag.-aa and were to profit by them— J ,a £psca's more or leoe unsatisfac tory apperlenco, or Nora Helmor's op Menrm Vanna’sf That, of course, would be the way that things do not happen. Still, I believe that It might be exemplary If not entertaining to know in "The Way Things Happen" that Shirley Pride In th* erlel* let clown her hair In her own room, In stead of that of a beastly marplot, and that she redeemed her erring mate by good advice Instead of bad conduct. All these sacrifices are so futll* that It Is discouraging to know that women yet persist In perform ing them. Shirley's reward in "The Way Things Happen” Is to denounce her unworthy man, to strike him furiously In th* face, and then to be come engaged to him—a terrible per ■on. Mine Cornell Is th* most alluring of the new American actresses, and she has seldom been so competent and so l vc '•1/ettfjn COMING To ——_ THE ©RAN DEIS ‘41 w G&ot-Sa (Ptji/es at T#r wor up , lowly as she Is In Miss Dane's play. But, as Is the fate of most young women of the theater, she Is acquir ing prosperous mannerisms from the stage directors. She Is permitting them to tell her the way things hap pen. Mr. Nesbitt, as the offensive egoist, for whose benefit the sacrifice is made, I feel, is too relentless in his exposure for the purposes of enter tainment. He plays the role as it is written, entirely without charm. One advantage of his merciless impersona tion, however, is that every man who goes to see it will be proud that he is pot that sort of person. "The Gingham Girl” will come to the Brandeis theater February 28 and 29 and March 1. "The Gingham Girl" was the surprise success of the year in New York. It came into New York almost unheralded and practically un known, for Its producers, Schwab and Kusell, were very young men, the au thors and composers had not yet achieved distinction and the cast did not boast of those actors fortunate enough to be known as Broadway fa vorites. But the show was an over night success, scoring a triumph through sheer merit and real worth. ’^1 7* * Satl Youttcf at THE eftAprTESS Under the guiding Influence of Ar thur Hammerstein, ‘‘Wlldflower,” fa miliarly termed, "The Bamballna Show,” with Kva Olivetti Ringing the title role, will open an engagement at the Brandela on February 44. where U_- 1—4 Claire De Vit?e. at t ne <?AYg T V It will remain four nights and Satur day matinee. Its players. In addition to Miss QJIvottl, Include Bobby Ber nard, Carrie Reynolds, CUf Becking er, Adels Keilar, Paul Donah, Mar garet Wood, Allan H. Began, Jack Dempsey and Charles Burrows. The augmented orchestra will be unfer the direction of Clad Neff of the Casino theater, New York. 2nd Wk. 2nd Wk. 2nd AND FINAL BIG WEEK O'30 P M OPENS With MATINEE TODAY “ W ■ ■ IVI l The Qeatest Screen /^traction oF the/^e ! Ion CHANEY by Carl Laemmle - — - -- A Universal Picture 2430 P. M.—TWICE DAILY—8:30 P. M. EVERY PERFORMANCE Seats ——. [$1.00 DDirre DaiIy M*,inee».soc4,75<* and $1.00 ' mivCd Evenings.50*4, $1.00 and $1.50 __I What the Theaters Offer ^ ^/-^AUCY BABY," musical cometfy with Billy Graves and com ' panv of 30, Is the headline at traction” in the new vaudeville bill at the AVorld. Included in the cast of principals are George Graves, Gladys Jackson, Marion Gray, Sophie Davis, Joe McKenzie, Fred Bishop, Pick Maloney, Bluey Morey and Fred Al gers. Twelve "Saucy Babies" make up Jhe chorus. An even dozen song numbers are introduced during the action of the musical farce. The sup porting show is of a caliber to make the program one of the most attr.jp tive of the season. McGowan and Knox present “Out of Gas,” a pot pourri of comedy and song numbers. Booth and Nina offer banjo numbers intermingled with stunts of Booth, a trick cyclist. Comedy harmony songs :yre presented by She Golden Gate Four. "Ye Olden Days" is a song spectacle by Davis and Bishop, sup ported by a cast of eight. ■ The prin cipal photoplay feature stars Agnes Ayers supplied by -Mahlon Hamilton In a Paramount picture of laughter under the title '"The Heart Raiders.” De T.yle Alda, prima donna beauty of the 7.eigfeld Follies, Is tho head liner at the Orpheum this week In an unUstTal little musical play called "Sadie—One of Those Girls,” a tra vesty on the old Cinderella theme. Miss Alda appears first in tatters aH a newsboy, later in society and last as a star in gorgeous gowns. She lias the support of Edward Tierney and Janies Donnelly, dancers, and a good cast of songs and comedians. A featured act on this week's bill presents Fred Fenton "and Sammy Fields In a singing, dancing and talk ing skit. The'Whlte Sisters, who hail from Omaha, and who have just com pleted an engagement as the leading juvenile stars In Fred Stone's pro duction, "Tit? Top," appear In a fea tured act entitled, "Broadway's Big Kittle Stars." "Compliments of the Season" is another creation of Paul Gerard Smith. A unique story trickles through four _ scenes, with I Garry Owen, well known in vaude ville and motion plc^res, playing the ] leading role. Kenney and Hollis have j assembled choice tidbits from college I initiations and wrapped them In a I bundle which they call "The Two Doctors" and label "a satire on medi cine." The three Danoise Slstens are young women who would be taken for anything but gymnast*. They show an unusual amount of daring and agility. Catherine Sinclair doss the most startling things in an athletic routine. She Is asslsied by two men. 1 ■ ■-1 *£* ■ 1 * Halton Powell and his players at the New Empress this week are of fering their laughable musical farce, under the title of "Pretty Papa.” In "Pretty Papa" Powell plays ths role of "Alonzo Brown," a redhot sport. The entire company are cast in roles showing them to excellent COMMENCING NEXT [rn 1 n SUNDAY MATINEE rtU. IU _TWO NIGHTS AND SUNDAY MAT. jpAntticibluDiiK Amusement enterprise P Georgia Smart Set Minstrels «, Two Popular Attractions Combined r [ 51—PEOPLE—51 I Positively the Bi^est Best \indlhstExpensjyeM/nstrdOnajianha 5 in the World A ‘Tickets on Sale Tomorrow—Prices. 50c, 75c and $1.00—Plus Tax Four Days Starting Thursday, February 14—Saturday Matineo THE NEW YORK CASINO THEATER HIT “WILD FLOWER” A Sparkling Musical Comedy With A Chorus off Broadway Beauties Produced by and Tour Under Direction of Mr. Arthur Hammerstein Mail Orders Now—Tickets on Sale Next Thursday Tuesday and Wednesday Evenings, February 19 and 20 Ruth StFenis With TED SHAWN And the DENISHAWN DANCERS Tickets on Sale Tuesday, February 12—50c to $2.50. " THE SOTHERN-MARLOWfc SEASON . Edward H. Sothern and Julia Marlow., the forema.1 claaaical ,tar, aa lb. Lngli.h-.prakmg .tag., will appear at the Brandei, Theater three d.y., beginning Thur.day, February 21. TO OBTAIN TICKETS NOW . Fill in form below with number of seats desired: send self-addressed, stamped envelope with proper remittance, payable to the Brandei* Theater. Omaha. Neb. Do not write a letter. You will be ftiven the beat acats available. Price. Include T.a Orch. Bal. Bal 24 Bal. Prlcaa Iniluda Taa >3Jp »2.7g g2.20 gt.lO Thuraday, Fab. 21 ROMEO AND JULIET Friday, Feb. 22 TWELFTH NIGHT Sat. Mat., F*b. 23 “ ~~~~ TAMING OF THE SHREW Sat Eve.. Feb. 23 HAMLET ' Naina %. Straat and Ne.... City .’. Amarican Tour Undar Direct inn af La* Shubnrt rSTJRRfJWWl WEEK STARTING ftmjilill WbiSiftMift rJi.fLJ TODAY’S MAT. DE~LYLE ALDA With EDWARD TIERNEY AND JAMES DONNELLY In T.IMR—OM5 OK TIIO'F. MRI.N" A Satira an fha Heaton'* Mage Marca**aa. A Yasdnusa in Foar scene* “COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON” With GARRY OWEN AND CO. KENNEY & HOLLIS In “TIIK TWO norm lev—V Wk* «i Mf<IMn* FENTON & FIELD "APPEARING IN PBRNON" CATHERINE SINCLAIR & CO. * In an Athlelle Pofpanrrl THREE DANOISE SISTERS \ Triangle of Heavily, Grace and Agility TIIKI.M V WHITE SISTERS -MAIU..IU1C 'Tiro admit'» Hig 14111a Mam** Ae*op'* Fable* Topic* of tha Gay Pafha Nana - ■ ■ ' NEW WFFKGAY PH I TEA ■ ■■■ — ■■■■■ (Monday (o Saturday. Inclusive) F vetting* .?te. 4Ac. Me and $) M (Pin* Tag) .. and Ate (Tlo* Tag) 1.adieu' 25c Bargain Mat. 2sl6 Wk. Da fa I HERE'S NOT ONl.Y QUALITY BUT QUANTITY AS WELL DIXON & A AI I S* TIMril CLAIRE DEVINE. LAKE'S J I VI I I IYI C. MORAN A WISER VAUDEVILLE dolls i Interruption* by T V* Y VV ^fode* • Jimmie Lake, Harrington Sisters, Artie Mattoee at 2:00 F Mayo, Tommy A Kijty DonruJIy Toots Haidt Best Seats 50c 20— Alluring Vamps- 20 "'*•**■• | 1 advantage. The company are Been in new song numbers. Eugene Hrousard. tenor; Rita Lawrence, sou brotte; E(pie Esmonde, prima donna; West and Wyse, song smiths; Patsy Gilson, |lnger of syneo|>ated melodies; Earl Young, who has been creating a sensation in character comedy songs and the male quartet will all Ire heard in lively tunes. Next Saturday the company enters upon their fourth week presenting Jialtoq Powell's own success, "Margie.” The current photo play attraction presents Mae Marsh in "Paddy.” Here is a human inter est story that rings true. "Jig Time,” at the Gayety theater this week, is really a bis musical revue being equipped with 17 scenes tHnt are said to be unique as well as magnificent. Heading the cast is Claire DeVine, who Is both the prima donna and comedienne-of the show. Moran and Wiser, vaude viliians, do a clever act in a comedy hat shop; the Dancing Donnellys; Artie Mayo, dialect comedian; the Harrington Sisters do songs and dances and Jimmie Lake, actor and! writer, and a supporting chorus that Is conspicuous in good locks and abil ity make up the company. Today's matinee starts' at i. -fe The Georgia Smart Set Minstrels will be the attraction at the Bran deis Sunday and Monday, February 10 and 11. The afterpart Is from the pen of Bubber Mack, one of the fe*» ture comedians, and has to do with a first-class up-to-date undertaking establishment. During the engage ment of the Georgia Smart Set Min strels here a big street parade will be given and concerts in front of the theater before eaeh performance. Popular prices will prevail. -as After six months of study and re search, and another six month# of putting the results of their study Into practice, Kuth St. Denis and Ted Shawn are ready to go forth with their company of Denishawn Dancers to win fresh praise as the foremost exponents of their art in America, and will appear at the Brandeis theater on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb ruary 19 and 20. NOW PLAYING A pretentious musical extravaganza lavishly staged, gorgeously gowned and rocking with" riotous revelry. TOP-NOTCH SUPPORTING SHOW / _ BOOTH & NINA 20th Century Entertainer* GOLDEN GATE 4 Four Merry Men of Melody McGOWAN ft KNOX la “Oat of Cm“ “YE OLDEN MVS” With Sophie Dtrii end Fred Biehop Arthur Hays Playing “Dirty Hands, Dirty Face” (2 tyraai Phoicptay t I ASHOT (Supported, by MAHLON HAMILTON 1 in. the, delightful l Paramount Picture $ HEART RAIDER (2 laugh, laden love story 1 qf a fascinating flapper and a hard boiled woman hater. THIS WEEK ENDINOFRIDAY HALTON POWELL tffS PLAYERS uty Me tornado qt^/hn and. softer lollJt , ’Walton PcweU as lie famous Ciaracler "Alonzo Drown" J* Picture your# keen umiuty io aw MAE MARfH d>/ar c/* Ori/'/'il/ts ?4c hhtle fiese? in, PADDY