Judge — December 4, 1920 — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

isn't fair for an author or tist t dram, take readers 4 throu a cession of extraordinary happeni the interest in pends upon finding a rational explanation for them, and then supply the final curtain with the revelation that the | whe ory or plot y a dream or the hal tions of ne person. tn literature this used to be a sort of all pa ke on the reader until it became so threadbare that no reputable writer would employ it 5 In the theater to-day the dev is absolutely childish and : unpardonable, no matter he uch art is g ied to joshing the easily gulled public. ‘There was an approach to it in The Tavern” but in that case it 2 was a theatrical practical joke with plenty of warning. In “The Man which by now has probably there was | darin gone the way of oblivion attempt to impose upon the imaginations of those who we it. Mention of “The Mandarin” is made here only to point out to in tending dramatists 1 producers that a play which pretends to serious and Is its away with the fecling that they and their intelli have been vic limized is not a good vent any point of view os ere a se t to see ness vet se audiences Aces f n ME. Joseri caw = THORN in “1 Half Moon” has in way followed the example those other girl-and OS SERRE emer | music comedians, Messrs Tinney and Cantor. Just as they abandoned burnt cork for white-face, Mr. - Cawthorn has put away his German-American dialect for inci straight talk except for occasional RL (att THE AMERICAN lapses when his old habits get the better of him. But alas, he not profit by the transition. He was far funnier in his dialect eccentricitics than in his effort to be mirth-inspiring in plain English. he lack of fun in “The Half Moon” is perhaps not so much the fault of Mr. Cawthorn and his hard-working the pretentious but stupid libretto with which they have to deal. Apparently the author in provid. ing a complicated plot neglected that essential of this kind of an entertainment, lines that can be made laughable. In other respects “The Half Moon’ up in the girl-and- woful associates as of averages JUDGE WON THE PRINCE OF WALES at the Its music sulliciency ely Among is fairly m dancing and its young female persons are « May Thompson and Ivy d activity. Maude Eburne lack of comic material “The Half Moon” may gg the over-exacting. [ PO Hike hb. remarked a discerning lady between the acts and in a very sincere approval of “Just Suppose the agreeable vehicle which Mr. A. E, Thomas has provided for the stellar appearance of Miss Patricia Colling The colloquial word the lady timent with which the play these wyer are conspicuous fe with th suffers rest for grace they will not find clients but used referred to. the abounds. adults. sentimental scenes seem quite a Y teo prolonged but they were evidently ra younger public which these bit intended can stand its sweetness long drawn out. Not every young Virginia has the rare having a traveling Prince fall in love with her at first was not remarkable that Stafford, as sweetly Miss Collir should be willing to woman in experience of f Wales ght, so it Linda Lee personified by get all she could out of the neces- sirily few opportunities she could have for reciprocating the tender feelin; There was nothing unlady- like in what she did and the young was chivalry itself, sot) ning but prince 1 bring not asi holder. An unusally excellent’ cast inter- prets this agreeable comedy. George, as the prince is known, was delight- ated by Mr. ¢ Mr. L Howard chosen as the young British embassy informal pal. fen was as lovabl the graciousness of a Virgin and Mr. Fred Kerr was suave sagacity itself as the British Ambassador, As the young Virginian Mr. Pauncefort s entirely successful in matching American breeding with that of the blue blood of England. Unfortunately for London, the L probably not permit “Just Suppose” to British dominions. * * . * . . fully imper: poffrey Kerr and equally well attaché of the is very slic was who Mrs. as ever in mea {matron COLLINGE) WHO NA PLAY PATRICIA Chamberlain will be played in the GAIN a violation of the managerial canon against plays that have any relation to the recent war. And a very jolly violation it is. It “French Lea and the is called 20