Life — April 8, 1915 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

VIDENTLY there is no such demand for theatrical entertainment suited to children, as some recent newspaper discussion would have us believe, Other- wise the really creditably done stage version of “Alice in| Wonderland " would have had a longer season than two weeks. Or does this failure—not the first one—of Lewis Carroll's classic to hold the stage mean that after all the vogue of his stories was in fact estab- lished more by grown-ups than by chil- dre The characters might interest children by their grotesqueness, but the child mind and the child imagination are logical, and either would find it difficult to follow Alice in her adventures or understand much of the nonsense that was and is so amusing to adults, In this view it is possible to believe that many children have been bored by the insistence of their elders that the Car- roll creations should amuse them. ADP RH? F the work of the Washington Square Players is not spoiled by too much pecuniary success, or by a the interest, patronage and interfer- ence of the highbrow element in this community, it promises to become an excellent influence in a theatrical way. It is the theatre in its most democratic The young people who make up the organization ‘e drawn from all sorts of callings, and are doing what they are doing because they want to do it, perhaps with ambitions for the future, bat with no expectation of immedi reward. Each one turns in and helps in the way he or she is best fitted to help. It may be in acting, musically, in a busi- ness capaci in scene painting or build- . in typewriting, or even in sewing on costumes. Some of the members have written the playlets that have been .pro- duced, and others have directed the pro ductions. The first bill, briefly mentioned here, aroused so much interest that the Band- box Theatre, where the plays are given, had to be opened for many more per- formances than were originally intended. The second bill has just been put on, and consists of four playlets— Moondown ", “Two Blind Beggars and One Blind", “ The Love of One's Neighbor ” and “The Shepherd in the Distance ”, the last a delightful pantomime. The pieces are clever in themselves and the performance far less amateurish than might be expected. Above all is the spirit of the whole thing, which makes the performances at the Bandbox quite worth seeing. 7 akening form. Less Metcalfe. LIFE @eConripentiaL Guive_@e Astor.— Hello, Broadway!" Last week for New Yorkers to see Mr. rorge M. Cohan, the author of the piece, and Mr. William, Collier divulge large chunks of personal in- formation about themselves and to be agree- ably diverted hy a girl-and-music show varied by clever burlesques on current theatrical offerings. Belasco.—Frances Starr in “ Marie-Odile ” Myrtle seligious drart of convent hfe during the Franco-German War of 1870. Surrounds some of the accomplishments of the German Ublan with a halo of roma Well staged and well played. Booth.—Mr.. Louis Notice later, Candier.—* On Trial. New way. of tell- ing a not especially new melodramatic story, but so original in method and so well done that it is highly interesting. Casino. —" Experience.” Spectacular and interesting development of the old morality play with its allegorical treatment applied to the fashionable and popular sins and vices of our own Cohan’s—" It Pays to Advertise.” The processes “of publicity for the increase of usin de the subject of a most langh: able and well-presented farcical comedy. Comedy.—" The White ther.” | Spy ma hased on possible condition in rural ngland during the present war. Interest ing, comedy-drama. Cort. Under Cover.” Parlor melodrama with smuggling and the practices of the cus toms house authorities as its motive. Ab: sorhing and well played. Eltinge.—"' The Song of Songs.” The Sudermann novel of courtesan life turned into an American play with the same theme Clever treatment of an unsavory topic. Empire.—" A Celebrated Case,” revived with an “allstar” cast. Notice’ later. Forty-eighth Street—Last week of “The Law of the Land”. Interesting and well presented melodrama of a justifiable murder in a family of good standin ‘Amusing in its depiction of police methods of handling such occurrences. Forty-fourt Clifton. Crawford Musical comedy of ordin Mann in “The Bub —Fmma_ Trentini_and “The Peasant Girl ry Viennese type, “SAPETY Priest” bot with more agreeable music than usual and presented with more than ‘usual’ regard to the musical possibilities. Fulton.—* Twin Beds." Farcieal arg in favor of the prohibition movement, showing the awful and laughable conse: quences arising from the inebriety of a ge by drink that he goes fat tleman so. stupefied to bed in the wrong flat. Gaiety.—" Daddy Long-Legs.” — Well-acted, and wholesome little play dealing with the humorous and pathetic incidents in the career a young girl who starts life as a fou —Arnold Daly in Shaw's “an Tell”, Notice later. Chin-C Musical extrava highty well staged and aboundin the kind of fun provided by Montgomery and Stone at their” best. Horris.—Margaret Mlington in “ The Lie" by Henry Arthur Jones. Drama of English domestic life dealing with the opposing careers of a good sister and a bad sister. resting play well acted. Hudson.—* The Show Shop." revelation of theatrical secrets, this t dealing in amusing fashion with the things ght happen in the producing of an Another Knickerbocker.—" Fads and Fancies.” Average girl-and-music show of the kind that holds its strongest appeal for the t. b. m Little.—" A Pair of Silk Stockings.” Far- cical comedy of the English type, very light and amusingly acted by company of English actors, Liberty.—* The Birth of a Nation." Spec- tacular moving-picture show dealing elabo- rately with events at the close of our Civil War. Longacre.—* Inside the Lin by Mr. Earl Derr Biggers, Mysteriously developed spy drama, with the scene at Gibraltar on the breaking out of the present war, and the humorous relief furnished by stranded Amer- icans. Interesting and well done. ‘eum,—Closed. Only Girl." Pleasant and Je musical play, with score by Victor Herbert and book by Henry Blosson Madison Square Gardew.—Annual visit the Barnum and Railey Cireus. tice later. Manhattan Opera House.—* Kick In.” Slangy but well-acted and stirring drama of life im the world of crooks and police Maxine Eltiott's—* The Revolt.” by Ed ward Locke. Notice later. Park.—* Polygamy The question of plural marriage on the assumption that it is still practiced in the Mormon Church made the topic of a well-presented drama. Playhouse.—" Sinners.” by Mr. Davis. Old-school sentimental dr: ing how much more virtuous cou are than city folks. Punch and Judy * The Clever Or Mr. Alfred Sutro. Good company in a not especially brilliant satire on high life in don. Repuslic Sumner, “ The } Notice late Shubert.—Revival of “ Trilby ". cast. Notice later. Thirty-ninth Street.—Mr. “Taking Chances”, | Diverting comedy de- riving its humor from the escapades of a polished thief charmingly played by the star. Risky but laughable. Wallack’s.—Repertory of plays produced in the very latest fashion by Mr. Granville Narker. The authors are Shakespeare, Ana- tole France and Bernard Shaw. Review of the latter's “The Doctor's Dilemma will he found above. nter Garde Maid in| America.” nd-music show on the usual scale of s and gorgcousness which makes the ter Garden the favorite artistic. mecca of the tb. m. "Follies. —C dancing Inight and intended as solace omniacs. atural Law,” by Charles - with good Lou-Tellegen in for the comichooks.