New Plays Dull or Dumb
Mrs. Hammond Finds Little of Late
Over Which to Rave at Gothan Theaters
^---L__
By PERCY HAMMOND.
New York, Feb. 9.
THE Provlncetown playhouse, a
remote and shabby manger for
tvhat are suspected to be the
better things, is now In the hands of
vigorous new tenants. Such sophisti
cated young men as Eugene O’Neill,
the playwright; Kenneth MacGowan,
i he critic, and Robert Edmond Jones,
ihe scenic artist, are occupying it at
present, with high hopes and lauda
ble aspirations. The first thing they
did after taking possession was
Strindberg’s ’’The Spook Sonata,” an
essay in Bedlamism. that proved too
maggoty even for those who are well
versed in the inner meanings of the
continental stage. Needing recreation
after that dire experience with de
composition and the gibberlngs of
madmen, they exhumed this week a
popular American comedy of 1845. and
made solemn fun of It. The result
was hilarious, and not at all ghoulish.
"Fashion," a play by Mrs. Anna Cora
Mowjtt, was the cadaver selected for
larklsh disinterment. Its author,
a New York gentlewoman, driven
1 y ill fortune to seek a livelihood upon
the boards, was a popular player of
Pauline in "The Lady of Lyons" to
»lie Claude Melnotte of E. L. Daven
port. She was a virtuous and a dlgnl
lied actress, and her home, the an
cient chronicles say, was "a center
of culture and refinement. Edgar
^ 4 Allan Poe, then the dramatic critic
'•f "The New York Literati" and "The
Broadway Journal," raved about her
; hysiology "from top to toe.’* He.
was particularly enthusiastic concern
ing her “gray eyes, her flexible hips,
her auburn hair, her fragile figure,
her light step and her graceful ges
tures." She was the sort of nice wo
man who would invite, as indeed she
did, plays entitled “Gulsara; Or, the
Persian Slave;" ‘'Evflyn: Or. a Heart
Pnmasked," and “Armand; Or, aChild
of the People."
It seemed a bit cruel, therefore,
w hen Mr. MacGowan and his ribald
voung associates danced on the grave
of Mrs. Mowatt's ‘'Fashion.” As a
document it would have been amusing
enough; but they were not content to
i (produce it as it was. with all Its
ludicrous artificialities. They caused
it_ to be roughed by Mr. Brian Hooker
(the adapter of Mr. Hampden's
‘'Cyrano”) and to he foolacapped at
times in the acting. I suspect that
even the master works of Mr. O'Neill
—“Anna Christie” or “The Hairy
Ape”—would be at this moment
ridiculous If subjected by Mr. Mac
Gowan to his merciless fun poking.
But youth must be Berved and despite
that handicap Mr. MacGowan man
ured to present an adroit blending of
• history, burlesque and tha solemn
winkle of satire.
The play was a salubrious en
leavor to expos* and to remedy
onie of the follies of 1845. Mr. and
drs. Tiffany, though of obscure, pro
* .inclal origin, were haughty New
v'orkers who desired to marry their
laughter to the Count Jolimaltre, a
v t-rnch Impostor. They were rather
•rue! to the lovely Gertrude, a de
pendent and a music teacher, and
hey catch her Innocently guilty with
•he count in her bedchamber. . . .
In thoee far-away nights men went to
women's rooms, not women to men's,
s is now the custom. . . . Mr.
I’iffany Is a forger at the mercy of
Snobson. his bookkeeper, who pro
poses silence in • exchange for the
hand of Miss Tiffany. . . . Ger
rude is proved to the long-lost grand
laughter of the rich and chln-whlsk
-red old Adam Trueman, from Cattar
augus, and the count, and ex-barber
nd "a false jewel on the finger of
iriety," Is disclosed ss the lietrayer
r Mi)e. Mlllinette, the Tiffany's
'rencli housemaid.
In 1845 Mr. Poe, alone among the
• i itlcs, denounced “Fashion” as total
y deficient In verisimilitude.” \ He re
ented the resonant soliloquies and
''asides," the meantngless crossings
md recrosslng of the dramatis per
sonae. He aaid that It paid no *t
tentlon to the dictates of common
sense, and that, as a slice of life, it
was unworthy of notice. Perhaps Mrs.
\fowatt had refused to go to lunch
with him. Still, Mr. Poe admitted,
the scenery was very good, indeed—
• nd the carpet, the ottomans and the
handellera were excellent. The en
ire ‘eettlng up.'" he said, was "ad
mirable. and the play compared with
most American drama, very good.'*.
. . When. If ever, you feel lmpa
lent with the cliche and platitudes
>f American dramatic criticism, read
V> Mr. Poe's theatrical reviews They
will assure you that the job is hope
ess.
_/l.
If you are a parent of meager in
■rime possessing expensive offspring,
■ou may find Instruction In T^wls
'leach's new comedy. "The Oonse
Hangs High " Also If you aro the
expensive offspring of parent* of
meager Income you may bo lieneflled
hy attendance upon that entertain
ment. At any rate It Is an observant,
■veil written and nmuslng comedy, one
.f the hrlghtest of the season It Is
he f|r«t product of the new "Drama
- ]*(*■ Theater. Inc ." composed of
•oso Hamilton. .lames Korhea. Kd
■>’ard rhllds rarpentor. William An
Imnv McOulre. Owen Davis and Ar
bur lllrhmnn. These playwrights
have pooled their conslderatde ex
lerlence and propose to see what can
■o done to the dramn without Inter
*»rence from the casual manager*,
rhelr initial gesture Is encouraging.
Ill Mr. Bench's play, the Ingals are
•ell-born and decent people Ifi a mid
•Ie west city of 100.000 residents.
Their salary smnll, their prestige and
-esponslhtlttlea large. The Ingals
twins. I think, are at. Hadrllffe and
Harvard, learning criminology and
•renr painting. An elder son. hav
ing finished college. Is living selfish
Why, Marguerite!
Pretty soon we went over to I*ns
kys and bumped Into Marguerite
f'layton who Is one nf our most diz
ziest blondes and a swettt gazelle.
Marguerite was all don* up In n
sky-blue-pink negligee, or however
vou say It, with pink ostrich feathers
• •‘r* sticking around all over It. We asked
Marguerite how she liked the tot.
"Orest!" said Marguerite. "I Just
love I.askys; they let you wear such
pretty cloth**."
'y New York. These children are
indifferent to the deprivations then
parents are undergoing in order to
make them happy and erudite. At
Christmas lime they descend on the
welcoming household and proceed to
wound it by exhibitions of youthful
selfishness.
The twins, a modern boy and a
girl, are vain, charming, flippant and
callous. On the afternoon of their
arrival they forget the feelings of
their father and mother and dash off
to a dinner dance, leaving the old
Mks to eat the homecoming feast In
bewildered solitude. They speak the
strange and vivid lingo of the under
graduates and chatter glibly of sex
and Individualism. Their airy semi
sophistication is expertly Illustrated
by Mr. Beach. When, for Instance,
the boy twin discovers hi* elder
brother kissing the girl to whom he
Is engaged he remarks gayly, "Don't
mind me, I'm using to suffering;”
They spend much money, keep late
hours, arid accept with the bland neg
ligencs of youth their parents' sac
rificial devotion.
But It is Intimated slyly in the be
ginning of the play that all Is not
well with the senior Ingais' situation
ns city assessor. Hints are at hand
that the politicians are going to oust
him from his job. The crafty Mi.
Beach also communicates to you the
comforting indication that at the end
Mr. Ingais (Norman Trevor) will get
hAppier employment when It becomes
necessary. Mr. Beach seems to know
that the art of the theater is the art
of preparation. However, the crisis
arrives In dramatic fashion an<1 (he
family becomes bankrupt. The chil
dren are summoned home from their
several frivolous rendeivous and are
told by their practical grandmother
(Mrs. Thomas Whiffen) that they are
mean, foolish little bloodsuckers and
that all their fun is over.
At this point so good a play de
serves disparagement rather than
eulogy. Apprised of their father's pre
dicament. the children are changed
as if by inaglc and become enthuslas
tic lollipops. Sweetness and atone
ment ooze from their every pore.
They vie strenuously with one other
In self-accusation and eagerness to
make amends. They go out and get
employment; they turn over to their
father their small savings; they refuse
to go back to college, and they scheme
In many ways to cause him to be
comfortable. It Is all somewhat of a
wallow of sophomorlc self-abnegation,
but It brings the final curtain down
on a pretty emphasis of the belief
that all is well with the American
flreslde when it is put into an Ameri
can play. Miss Katherine Grey is
the'bewildered mother and Miss MJr
iam Doyle the flapper whose wings
turn angelic at the end.
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AMD LADDER**
AT the MOON
cJfce &USC/
Name the Man
What the Theaters Offer
V. - - - _ i
Mlnatrel fane learn that one of the
largest minstrel organizations on the
road, the Georgia Mlnatrel*. will ap
pear at the Brandels this afternoon
and tonight and also tomorrow night.
-A
"The Unwanted Child," Florence
Edna May’s play, will hold the stage
at the Brandels theater for two days
starting next Tuesday matinee There
will he a matinee dally reserved for
ladles, at which performance s spe
cial lecture will he given for ladles
While children are not admitted to
Hny performance, all evening per
formances are for men and women.
Popular prices will prevail.
Arthur Hammerateln'a latest mu
sical play, "Wlldflower’’ (the "Ham
ballna" show), with Eva Olivo lit sing
ing the title role, will be on view at
the Brandels theater next Thursday,
Friday and Saturday evenlnga and
Saturday matinee. Otto llarbach and
Oscar ’ Harnmerstein II, are respon
sible for the bonk and the lyrics of
the piece, end Herbert btothart and
Vincent Youmans collaborated on the
score. The scenes are laid In Italy.
The cast. In addition to Miss Ollvottl,
Includes Bobby Bernard, Carrl* Ray
nolde, Clif Uccklngrr, Adele Kellnr,
1‘niil DoiihIi, Allan II. Fagan, Oharle*
burrow*, Ihr dancing Irani of Demp
sey and Wood and a large and at
tractive choru*. The moat Hlgnlflcnnt
feature of "Wildflower" la the fact
that the authors have bestowed In
telllgent thought upon the tionk or
plot of the pie, e, which I* of auffl
clrnt attainment to hold the atten
tion of the most sophisticated "tired
bullneas man."
-*
I,ominous gown* aie n fratme of
"The Ron Dodger," the one m l mu
elcal comedy at the Orphruni thl*
week. The*e costumes are treated
with radium. Under ordinary light
the gown* give no Indication of their
lumlnonn property, hut when a err
tain kind of blue ray Is played upon
them, the Teat of the atage In com
plete darkness, the effect take* place
a* If by magic, and each separate
color of the costume glows through
the hlackneaa. “The Ron Dodger" of
frra a variety of entertainment with
well known stars and attractive girls.
Harry Htoddard and hla orchestra
calls hla offering "HIreels of New
York," and carries Uia audience from
the Battery to Harlem and from th*
North river to the En«t river. Seven
of New York'* moat fHtnnua street*
me depleted and for each street there
Is a characteristic niualc.il number
Margaret Severn, enchantress of
dance, appear* In "Maid of Moods,"
assisted by Cleorge Dllworthy. Her
mask dances are n piquant novelty.
A tireath of gay Par re, presented by
Mile. Ann Coder, the brisk little Pa
Vision comedienne. "Nothing Serious"
la the fun vehicle the sterling fun
ster, (Oiliest lllatt, Is collecting
laughs this season Bail ram and
Saxton sre harmony singers and Jest
era. The Four American A cog and
Queen offer n flying exhibition and
round out the hill.
-*
An all feature comedy vaudeville
hill make* up the program »t th«
World theator. Prominent Is A.
Koblna, "the walking niiialc store,"
who deals exclusively in laughter, In
trod in lug along with It a weird col
leetlon of mush'Sl Instruments. Equal
ly Important Is Bos*. Wyae sml
Wyaer, featuring "Tony," the midget
wonder. Tills trio presents s pro
gram of comedy and song out Of the
ordinary. Marshall Montgomery has
the assistance of Idicllle J>* Haven
In a comic called "An Evening at
Home." The four Phllll|>* figure
piominsiitly In the billing with a
speedy routine of athletic noveltlee.
Farrell and Hatch sin* their own
songs In their own way. "Uolng to
the How Wows" Is the title of the
entertaining performance presented
by Hafayette's dogs Arthur Hays
llays "Sitting In the Corner" aa the
organ solo for the week,
Valeska Suratt and her plajers, In
"The Purple Poppy," headline the
hill starling next Saturday
—e—
"Margie." the comedy romance of
n little country girl. Is the musical
play being offered at the New Em
press this week by the llalton Powell
players. Illta Lawrence, who created
the original role of Margie, appears
In tho same characterisation here,
llalton Powell plays A. Keene Kidder,
the traveling man, and It Is one of
his beet roles. Other members of the
company art- given excellent oppor
t unities
Patsy uilson has a new selection
of syncopated melodics to present.
Karl Young. Rita. Istwrgncc, Frank
West Kugene Broussard, the four
Harmony Hounds ami even Hatton
Powell himself contribute their shaie
to the musical portion of the elage
entertainment.
"Youth a la Carte" la the play an
nounced starting Saturday
— --vb -- -
"Hllk Stocking ltevue." at the
Oayoty theater thle week, ts In two
net* and 14 seen** A competent oust
Is promised, with Frank X. 811k at
the head, while others Include Carney
end Carr, Frank Martin, Miss Ray
Kuaaar, Knot and lot Monte, Mack
Hnd Hart. Tloletta duo and the Hutch
lister*. The two dosen chorister*
wear gown* In numerous changes of
ornate display. Today's mstlnee start*
St J.
Marion Davies in
“Adam and Eva"
"Adam and Kva," starring Marlon
Davies, will he shown at the Empress
this week as the feature photoplay.
"Adain and Eva" Is a light comedy
ami Hfford* Miss Davies a charming
role.
In the picture, .lames King, Mis*
Davies' father, despairs of successful
ly managing hla unruly duughters.
lie lets a young man of the times take
charge of the situation. The latter
In a surprising «hort length of time
bring* the girl* to their sense* and
win* for him»elf Kva.
T, Hoy Hartie*. who will be teniem
licreil for Id* splendid work In "Tha
1'Id Homestead." play* the part of
Adam. Robert U, Vignola directed
the plctuie. which wa* adapted from
the play by Quy Holton and Georg*
Middleton,
*
t
Does Public Like Shorts?
Showmen Declare Feature
Picture Attracts Crowds
_ . .. J
What percentage ot an audience
cornea to the theater to sec some of
the shorter bits of the program?
That's (he question agitating the
mind* of the men who run theaters.
Kstt mates of what attracts the
crowd to the particular vary from a
guess of 90 per cent down to as low
as to per cent are brought to the
house by the feature picture. Moat
theater men throughout the eountiy
declare that more than 75 per cent of
their patronage Is attracted by the
feature, hut In the same breath the
men who run the bigger and better
theaters declare that today an audi
tnce is disappointed unless there is
more than a feature to the program
offered.
Complaint* from the exhibitor
about "padded ' features have resulted
n promises from the producers of
■pictures that this season there will
he shorter pictures, leaving room for
the new* reel, comedy, scenic end
other "bits."
"Two a Days" Growing.
Two a day shows, with reeetved
seals for all patrons are being tried
out in various parts of the country.
Alexander Frank has turned one of
his theaters In Waterloo, Iowa, $ito
the matinee and evening shows only
sort, an«l declares that Waterloo peo
ple are delighted with the |dan and
that the theater Is paying better than
ever before.
The idea of developing a regular
show hour tor the betiei t laag of motion
picture production was tried out in
D. W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation."
which was exhibited throughout the
country just as the big traveling mu
sical comedies or dramatic shows.
Since that lime several companies
have issued their big pictures on this
plan—but in Omaha the two-a-dsY
shows have never proven more than
a fair success.
Hoot Gibson and
Desmond at Moon
_*__
Hoot Gibson has scored another
comedy-drama success In "Hook and
ladder," now showing at the Moon
Gibson enacts the role of a reeiult
fireman from the plains, who found
his heart captured by a winsome miss
In the person of Mildred June The
story was written for Hoot by hi*
director, Edward Sedgwick, and Ray
mond L. Schrock.
William Desmond, hero of many a
serial, has another thrilling story,
lightened with comedy bits In "The
Breathless Moment,” which eornes to
the Moon, for tluee days starting
Wednesday. Desmond plays the part
of an American Arsene Lupin, who
through a trick of fate becomes man
;iger of a country grocery store. The
year of reform enforced on him shows,
him the way to a permanent leave
taking to his occupation as a burglar.
Gloria Swanson Slur
of “Humming Bird”
A new Gloria Swanson greets photo
play fans at the Strand this week In
'The Humming Bird,” Gloria, who
won her niche In the cinema, first as
a. bathing girt, and then as the wearer
of wonderful wardrobe* in features,
has a new film, dependent upon story
values and with Gloria In a great part
of the picture playing the part of a
toy.
The story is of the apache quarter
of Paris, in the years from 1914 to
1918, the hectic days when Fr"*ie>»
vas at war. Gloria has the part of
Toinette. "the humming bird.” who
baffles Paris police with "his" clever
ness Edward Burns plays the part
of the American newspaper man who
becomes interested in Tolnett# and a
THE RIALT O
—- -a.
romantic love story between the two
characters Is ■ part of the story.
And. not to forget. Gloria 1* re
1-orted to have a reel or two w herein
she hlosaoms forth In splendor, as
in previous picture*—all dressed up.
"The Humming Bird" is boasted as
Mias Swanson's greatest achievement
In pictures. In the cast me Kdward
Burnt. William Rlcctardl, Cesar* Gra
vina. Mario Majeronl and Kafaol
Oonginl
Thrills a Plenty in
_"The Last Hour"
It it nothing new to speak of a
thrilling scene In a motion picture
There are thrills a plenty. On* might
even go st> far as to <nv that f it
wera not for the "thrill*.' supplied
a* th* most Important inmedtent in
our picture fare: well, would there
be any pictures?
"The Iatst Hour." the photoplay mu
Ubn of the World bill, i.nawers is
iiueslion In the only wav u can l>e an
awej-ed. it contains several thrill*
which are hair-raisers according to
advance reports However, ciitles
have been unanimous In according to
“Th* land Hour." the most logical
continuity of any picture these last
several year# Th# thrill* arc a nee**
■ary part of the stoi v to leave them
out would be to destroy the story it
self in many case* a story which
dives not depend for Its strength upon
"punch" scenes 1* filled with obvious
mechanical ''thrillers' ,ust to ••put
th* picture over."
"The Last Hour come* front a
story' by Frank Ft Adams, "Blind
J ustice,
“Name the Man"
Opens at the Rialto
A forceful story by Sir Hall Caine
and an ail-st.ir cast, which includes
Conrad Nagel. Mae Busch. Hobart
Boaworth, Patsy liuth Miller and
Creighton |{ale. combine to make
noteworthy' Victor Seastrom’s first
American production. “Name the
Man.” at the Rialto.
"Name the Man" is from the cele
brated English novelist's recent be**
seller, “The Master of Man." It tells
the striking story of a young judge
whose first act of office is to pass
judgment on a girl he himself
wronged.
The courtroom scene, which is one
of the intensely dramatic incidents
it. the story, calls for some of the
seic-t'-st emotional and dramatic act
ing which has ever reached the Arnei
lean screen—with a man—humar.
erring, whose deep and lasting affec
tion for one girl Is pitted in combat
with his pledge to duty which ca4)s
Inm to say “you must die.’" to a frai!
sweet girl who owes her downfall to
him. her Judge.
Mae Busch plays the part of the
wronged girl—her second leading part
in Hail Caine stories, with Conrad
Nagel playing the part of the judge
A brilliant cast, with gigantic set
tings picturing the ancient prison
and castle on the Isle of Man, and
auperb photography add to the per
fection of the distinguished European
airector's first Goldwyn production.
It will make his name familiar to
every picture fan in the country and
help the films to come into their
own aa an art aa well at an enter
tainment
Walter Hiers Opens
Boulevard Program
Walter Hiers In a comedy drama of
revolutionary South America. “Mr.
Billings Spends His Dime,'’ and roarnl
seven of "Fighting Blood” la the
offering at the Boulevard today and
Monday. Marshall Nei Ian's "The
Eternal Three" ia the feature for
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
with a comedy and "The Dave of
Daniel Boone" No. 8 to complete the
trogram. Friday and Saturday there
is to be vaudeville, a comedy and
“Ruth of the Range” No. IS. and
also Andre Lafayette in "Trilby."
the romance of Paris studios.
Connie Talmadge
Today at Grand
Constance Talmadge's new picture
of England in the (Jays of Mop
mouth's rebellion, "The Dangerous
Maid.” is offered at the Grand today.
Monday and Tuesday. Dustin F'ar
num in "The Man Who Won” end
Ruth Roland in “Ruth of the Range '
follows on Wednesday and Thursday
and the final bill for the week is
“The Silent Command." a story of
love and intrigue on the high seas.
Tuo Male, Two Fetnale
Stars on Muse Bill
Hoot Oibeon in a fire laddie story.
"Hook and Ladder,” forsakes his
chaps and sombrero for a helmet and
lubber coat as th> opening picture of
the week's program at the Muse. Her
bert Ravvlinson ia featured Monda
and Tuesday in “The Mystery Girl.” a
melolrama of crooks, mysterious wo
men and a haunted house. The last of
the week there are billed two female
stars. Agnes Ayres, in "The Heart
Raider." on Wednesday and Thurs
day, and Mae Marsh in her Irish story.
"Paddy the Next Best Thing," foe
Friday and Saturday.
_ i
Cha/tUn's Photojtlay
Made If ithout Script
Possibly the most remarkable fea
tins about the production of “A Wo
man of Part*." (lie first serious phot
play written and directed by Charlrs
Chaplin and featuring Kdr.n Purvi
nice, and new showing at the Sun
theater, ia tlie fact that during the
entire making of the picture from
the time of the conception of the
story until the last of the final cut
ting. no script was used.
This despite the fact that him
dreds of thousands of film footage
v«» shot, all of which had to go
through a process of elimination sc
lection and then had to be cut to It*
final footage of lit* brain
It la probable that this ia the first
time in that hixtoi y of motion pi
lures that such a feat has been ac
complished—where one man created
a story, directed tt and then cut u
without a line of continuity. This
rental kable feat made possible b>
shooting the story tn sequence, wberr
as the usual motion picture is made
in set sequence that is. all scenss tn
each set are taken before moving title
another ee'. By Chaplin a meihod. as
the story moves to another set. hs
mows ht* action to that act If gven
for a single scene
The motion picture directors and
edit, rial experts of Hotlyvvoral have
tern astounded by Chaplin’s feat, as
most of them eartv with them hap
dred* of pages of notes amt contiauP
during aach prAiuctlogu ^ -
