The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 60

THE BROOKLYN DAILY AG LBWiUy SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, lggft. OF THE IN MANHATTAN AND BROOKLYN' Helen Menken. Ames. i NEWS On of the players in Philip Plymouth Theater, Plays and By ARTHUR Beatrice ii-rTi -few mSm '4 ru Star of "Congai," the play at iwi PLAYS Colbert is one of the players i Claudette in Eugene O'Neill's new drama, Martin Beck -'if 1 1 Colbert. "Dynamo," which the Theater Guild Theater.

The Curtain Rises GEORGE Ruth Draper An Astonishing Phenomenon Concerning "Dynamo," O'Neill's Latest Drama. On Earl Carroll, Who Spends in Thousands to Little Good Effect, and Balleff, Who Does Better on Pin Money The Talkies and the Stage. iif presents tomorrow evening at the IT ISN'T fair that Earl Carroll should have so much money to spend. Mikita Balleff ought to have It. Balleff could create something beautiful with it.

Mr. Carroll merely spends It. BaliefT achieves beauty with a few draperies and small cut-out pieces of scenery and spotlights. Mr, Carroll buys carloads of fancy settings and silks and velvets and costumes and exhibits them in his theater as if the stage were nothing more subtle than a department (tore. Mr.

Carroll is an exhibitionist, M. Balleff an artist. Money is a jade, and does not care who gets it. It's too bad. Carroll Is money-drunk.

Up at the Jolson Theater where BallefT's Chauve-Souris is playing, one simple scene follows another softly and without pretense, adding beauty to beauty as if beauty were something to be loved and cherished. At the Earl Carroll Theater one $10,000 roll chases another with frantic clumsiness across the stage, neither the gaudy pursued nor the gaudier pursuer knowing in which direction to run. It is unfortunate that Car-Xoll did hot go to see Channlng Pollock's "Mr. Moncypenny" and learn that wealth is not everything. He displays his wealth like a lady of the evening flashing her paste Jewels.

It is only as a parade of his purchases that "Fioretta," his new enter Barry' comedy, "Holiday," at the Things POLLOCK staging empty of inspiration. appearances of "Fioretta," he can ho gets it he knows nothing to do says a headline in Variety. "Hot'n w-jw the Sam Harris HALASZ instinct to find a meaning for life in, and to comfort its fears of death with. It seems to me any one trying to do big work nowadays must have this big subject behind all the little subjects of his plays of novels, or he is simply scribbling around on the surtace of things and has no more real status than a parlor entertainer "The other two plays will ba 'Without Endings of Days' and T6 Cannot Be These two plays will be greater in writing scope than 'Dynamo which has a direct primitive drive to it and whose people are psychologically simple as compared to 'Strange Interlude's'- and will give me a greater chance to shoot my piece as a writer. But believe me, has taken alt I have to give as a dynamist of tha drama and it snouid make its power felt when once it is skillfully produced.

It is going to bring all the pious sectarians down on my neck in hell-roaring droves, I prophesy and should be as much argued about, I think, in its different way, as It will require soma expert directing to get its full values across." Kenneth Macgowan, writing lri the Vanity Fair, says that "the play indulges in an arresting theme, striking locale, and an extraordinary) denouement, and it borrows from its own author two of the most daring technical devices that thla playwright has invented." Mr. Macgowan further states that "from the first page of 'Dyntimo' 16 becomes evident that O'Neill has cast himself in the interesting role of the first plagiarist of 'Strange Not content with borrowing from himself the device of spoken thought, he makes 'Dynamo' a thoroughly good job of literary craftsmanship by stealing the doll's house scenery of his own 'Desire Under the He opens up the fronts of dwelling houses and electric power stations as well as the foreheads ot the people who live and work in them." From these comments it appears that "Dynamo" is an unusually interesting play. And it seems the Martin Beck will be tho scene of a memorable event tomorrow night. Revolution, but modern in theme and treatment. It is the story of a married woman who is unfaithful to her husband.

In addition to Frances Starr and Mr. Fagan, the cast includes Mary Arbenz, as the daughter who loves and marries her mother's lover, Al- den Chase; Casolyn Clarke and Bert Melville. The play is in three acts, and the settings were designed and executed by Cleon Throckmorton. Hal Skelly at Werba's Jamaica. At Werba's Jmalca Theater Arthur Hopkins' comedy success, "Bur.

lesque," which will be presented with Hal Skellv and Laura Hamilton in the stellar roles. Mr. Skelly has just completed a long engagement In the Hopkins' hit and is coming direct to Jamaica from an extended run In Philadelphia, where he and Miss Hamilton achieved an outstanding success In the play. "Burlesque" Is the work of George Manker Watters and ran with Mr. Skelly In the principal role at the Plymouth Theater, Manhattan, all last season.

It is a romance of two burlesque performers, the principal comedian and the leading woman of "Parisinn Widows." Mr. Skelly and Miss Hamilton will be surrounded by a large company of local favorites and a specially engaged dancing chorus whose activity provides one of the high spots of the production. 7 -J been pointed out since art began. Art is art because It Is not nature, said George Moore tr someone else. The thing that happened to Greek acting and Greek drama happened later to the Roman.

The Romans came to love realism so well and so stupidly that when a dramatist wrote a murder or a rape into his play those pleasant incidents were actually put upon the ttage when the play was acted. That was the completest realism the world has ever known, and the Roman theater died as a result. The drama had to be born once more In the Middle Ages, again spontaneously. And now modern drama, on the stage and on the screen, has become so eager to be realistic that it will have to do a little convincing dying before it can grow up again. The talkies, if I am not altogether crazy, which might well be, are helping it to get through death's door.

It's nice of them. plays authors strove increasingly through the years to make their plays more and more like life and actors to act on stages Just as human bipeds acted on streets and in homes. When they have achieved realism in that, they wanted to go further and went to seed, sinking until they could find satisfaction only in precise Imitation of the sounds and sights of nature. Actors became famous because they could make noises exactly like those of birds and dogs and horses. When acting got to that uninspired point there was nothing for it but to die.

It died and was born again later spontaneously somewhere else. And that is Just where the talkies are at this moment, in the Imitative phase. They have no virtue yet save that they can sound a little like nature. You can hear the ham frying in the pan. You can hear the stage coach clatter over the rough road.

They are reproducing nature. And reproductions of nature are not art in the least, as has tainment, Is of Interest. The story is flat and unimaginative, humor is almost wholly absent save for the little the players have brought into the theater as their own personal possessions, the music is without distinction, the dances laborious and inept, the Zlcgfeld spends money suavely, for he has an eye and an ear and a sense of tempo; Balkfl spends money artfully, affectionately, with the fine instinct that is his; Carroll spends money. Balleff creates; Ziegfeld, too. Carroll buys.

The Russian cannot hire high salaried dancers, actors, singers. He docs not need them since he and his company all know what Week's Attractions in Local Playhouses they are about and how to achieve it without money or great talent They have a feeling. They are sensitive. Carroll can pay the most ex A MONO the various phenomena of the world of the theater Ruth Draper is one of the most astonishing. She is an artist of the very first rank, an actress of consummate skill, of extraordinary Intelligence, of amazing variety.

She is one of the few persons of the theater who can hold the attention of an audience for more than two hours, hold it all alone, hold it on a bare stage destitute of all scenery and props save a chair or two, hold it so completely that at the end of the two hours you feel like sitting in your chair for another two. For the first time in her life she is fulfilling an indefinite engagement at tho Comedy Theater. Here tofore she appeared at occasional Sunday night concerts only. But now she has decided to give a show every night of the week, with matinees on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and she has been filling the play house for several weeks now, and will go on for some time to come. An amazing thing, especially if you consider what superhuman efforts our producers make as regards extraordinary scenic devices, large choruses, steel hells et al.

in order to catch the fancy and the purse of the playgoers. She Is an astonishing phenom enon. Concerning "Dynamo." Tomorrow night the Theater Guild will present at the Martin Beck Theater Eugene O'Neill's latest play, "Dynamo," for the first time on any- stage. Concerning "Dynamo," Mr. O'Neill thus describes his purpose In a letter published some time ago in the American Mercury: "It is a symbolical and factual biography of what's happening in a large section of the American (and not only American) soul right now.

It is really the first play of a trilogy that will dig at the roots of the sickness of today as I feel it the of the old God and the failure of science and materialism to give any satisfying new one for the surviving primitive religious engaged as leading woman the youthful blond Brooklyn favorite. Frances McHugh. Miss McHugh re cently closed "Precious" with Rosalie Stewart at the Royal Theater In Manhattan. Eddie Wilson also returns as a featured player. William Howatt, Janet Merle and others are in the cast.

Extra matinee Lincoln's Birthday. Dorothy Glss In "Young Love" at Shabert-Jamaica. Dorothy Glsh In "Young Love," a comedy by Samson Raphaelson, comes to the Shubert-Jamaica Theater this week. The play has recently left Manhattan, where it enjoyed considerable success. It concerns a young girl about to be married who wants to be sure that she and her young man are suited to each other.

She takes unconventional steps to find out. Frances Starr In "Autumn Violins" at Flatbush. At Werba's Flatbush Theater with a special matinee Lincoln's Birthday, Frances Starr will be the stellar attraction in "Autumn Violins," with James B. Fagan heading the cast, under the management of Gregory Ratoff and Herman Bernie. "Autumn Violins" is a Russian and European success, first produced in Russia just before the orbitant salaries.

Judging from the have anything he wants. But when with it. Guild Company in "Marco Millions" at Werba's Brooklyn. "Harlem," New Drama, at Boulevard Majestic Houses "Desert Song" "Autumn Violins," "Young Love" and Hal Skelly Other Attractions. CLAPS air stars for M.

bothered over stag favs. Transfer affections from flicker idols to eonferenciers. Force dailies to notice gals new worship moods. Fan mail the tip-off." And that means, If it means anything at all, that the girls who write letters about movie theaters to the papers in Chicago are showing more interest in the gentlemen who act as masters of ceremonies on the stage than in the stars whose reflections From that a conclusion might appear on the screen. be drawn by those eager to be optlm morrow by Edward A.

Blatt of the Boulevard Theater. William Jour-dan Rapp and Wallace Thurman are the authors. "Harlem" is said to reveal both the comic and the dramatic side ot the greatest colored community in the civilized world. The authors have told a story of a colored family that migrates to Harlem from Virginia in search of refuge and happiness, only to find themselves surrounded by a new and strangely difficult world. The Harlem the authors reveal is not the Harlem ol the white man's conception.

Rather, it Is a city that never sleeps; a tstic about the theater end therefore to draw satisfying conclusions the conclusion, let us say, thnt the world can't get along without seeing actors in the flesh and hearing their voices from their own lips" directly and here after fifteen months in Man hattan and ten months in Chicago and an all summer run in Detroit. The book is by Otto Harbach, Oscar Hammersteln 2d. and Frank Mandcl who have delved deeply into ihe military archives of the Franco Rifflan squabble, extracting there' lrom a series of Incidents and ac tion that provide plenty of plot. This romantic tale has been set to music by Sigmund Romberg, the well remembered composer of "The Student Prince." "Blossom Time," "Rosalie" and "The Show Boat." The cast is headed by Alexander Gray, Bernard Granville and Ber-nlce Claire and Includes Harold Stanton, Edna Torrence, Philip Ryder, Carlotta Miles, Sally Sloan, Ben Hendricks, Donald Douglas, Grace Carroll, Jack Spiegel and 125 others. The settings are by Wood man Thompson.

Matinees will be given Wednesday and Saturday. Ed Wynn will take charge of affairs at the Majestic Theater the following week, beginning Feb. 18, in his latest musical comedy success, "Manhattan under the auspices of George White. The show in two acts and 17 scenes represents the combined literary and melodic efforts of B. G.

De Sylva. Lew Brown. Ray Henderson, George White and William Wells. It played all last season at Mr. White's Apollo Theater in Manhattan.

"In the Wrong Bed" at Rivera. "In the Wrong Bed," an adaptation of the musical comedy, "Oh, Henry," by Bide Dudley, will be the attraction this week at the Rivera. J. S. McLaughlin and Anthony Contlner, who assume the ne i man agement, replacing the old firm, have The New Plays of the Week Monday 1 "DYNAMO," by Eugene O'Neill, presented by the Theater Guild at the Martin Beck Theater.

Glen Anders, Dudley Digges, George Gaul and Claudette Colbert In tlio cast, "THE WHISPERING GALLERY," mystery comedy by Percy Robinson and Terrence Ds Marney, at the Forrest Theater. Tueiday "MY GIRL FRIDAY," by William A. Grew, at the Republl: Theater. Richard Sterling in the cast. not In mechanical reproductions.

And maybe after a few years of talkies the stage will have been neglected just long enouph to become what the talkies now are a novelty. Possibly in 1332 the vast crowds of human beings who swarm to motion picture theaters will discover that there is such a thing as drama acted on stages by living persons and not by pictures of living persons. Then may come a rcnlassance of the theater. It might really happen like that, Who knows? At any rate it is certain that the talkies are at the moment at least a very low form of art, a discouraging form, a phase in the movies' evolution that may be a hint that whatever art the screen represents Is dying rather than being reborn. At least the history of the theater, if the present may be Judged by the past, indicates that this is true.

For whenever in the course of the evolution of the drama and the acting of It Its artists have got so far along on the road of realism that they believed art to reside in exact imitations of nature, their art has been at death's door and lias promptly died. Acting in Greece first took the form of a celebration, the actors being ordinary Greeks merely having a good time at their festivals. Out of these festivals plays grew and the acting of plays. When there were The EUGENE O'NEILL'S satire on money grubbers and braggarts, "Marco Millions." is the attraction at Werba's Brooklyn Theater this week under the banner of the Theater Guild. This the colorful, humorous play done by the Guild in Manhattan last season.

"Marco Millions" pokes fun at the man whose pride in his possessions prevents him from appreciation, in many cases, of those finer values of life, such as tender love, the beauty of art and of other humanities. Mr. O'Neills symbol for the cruel, blind, egotistical type of American millionaire Is that historical figure, Marco Polo, the merchant, traveler and adventurer of medieval Venice, who was the first European to find his way by land across the breadth of Asia to China. Marco could not express himself in terms of millions, millions. This pageant of Oriental beauty and humor is pictured in a dozen gorgeous scenes designed by Lee Slmonson.

Ron ben Mamoulian staged the piece. The cast is largely the one which appeared oilglnally, with Margalo Gillmore still playing the role of Princess Kukachin. Ear! Larimore Is the bumptious Marco Polo. Others include Claude Rains. Morris Carnovskv, Henry Travers, Whitford Kane and Philip Leigh.

The racy farce, "Volpone," will be the second Theater Guild production at Werba's, beginning Feb. 18. "Volpone" was written 323 years bm by Ben Jonson. The Guild presents a modernized version by Stefan Zwclg. The cast will include tha same players.

There will be a special matinee on Tuesday. New Tlay, at Boulevard. "Harlem," a dramatization of the Black Belt, will be presented to- the fti'ulevard Thea'er v'rk; Hal Skelly in "Burlesque," comedy strange, exotic island In the heart of New York; a bedlam of rent par-ties, "sweetbacks," "ninety" wenches, "chippies'" number-runners, of primitive passions and of inter-racial problems and difficulties. In the cast are Arthur Hughes, Iw Payton, Inez dough, Ernest R. Whitman, Sonla Weldon and William Andrews.

Majestic Has "Desert Song." Tomorrow night at the Majestic Theater, local theater-goers 'will be Kiven their first view of Schwab and Mandcl's musical romance, "The Desert which finally arrives Rains. week with the Theater Guild Com Claude Mr. Uain will he Keen thin U.gM4VI 1-1 i v. I -Al i a iV: vi i xLf -jl -N i 21 MLJ From Uft right Arthur Hughe in "llnrlcm," new jJaj at Catherine WUlard in "l'aung Love," comedy at th Shubert-Jamaica; Ii'i6u' Jamaica ThtMttr, 1 i At the left Alexander Gray jcslto Theater this wteb. At th and Bernie Clair (n "Th Detert right France Starr in "Autumn Song," musical enma'y at the Mf Violins' at the Flatbush.

i. pany in "Marco Milliont" a Werba's Brooklyn Theater..