Critical Moments

Anyone who claims to have the slightest interest in the theatre cannot possibly afford to miss seeing the Abbey Theatre Players who came here from Dublin to give a four week repertory at the Golden Theatre. From the foregoing statement you might get the idea that I have forgotten that I am the duly accredited dramatic reporter of the Jewish Daily Bulletin and am laboring under the delusion that I am working for some publication such as the “Irish World,” but that is not what inspires the outburst. I still insist that you must go and see these Abbey Players.

American theatre-goers are accustomed to fine fixings, by that I mean the window dressing that is draped around a production. No matter how basically inadequate a play may be and regardless of the quality of the acting, the production is invariably well staged, and costumed, elaborately scened (if there is such a verb) and expertly lighted. In fewer words the technical details are always well handled.

This, of course, is not exactly a liability as it does in some measure add to the enjoyment of the audience, but too often it is merely a screen to hide a weak play and bad acting. The Abbey Players are great despite the inattention given to such details. The scenery used in their plays is, to be kind, skimpy at best. The drops look as though they had seen better days, the lighting effects are of the simplest kind and the settings are mere props and nothing more. The strength or weakness of a play is left squarely up to the players, but these artists from Ireland bring such a keen understanding and intelligence to their work and act with so great a feeling of naturalness and skill that everything else is forgotten.

There are no weaknesses in the work of the Abbey Players. From the leading roles down to the mere “walk-ons” each part is played with a realization that acting is one of the arts and inborn talent the birthright of an artist. What is most amazing about these Irish folks is their consummate skill in playing widely different roles. Their repertory includes all types of plays from the light, gay comedy of Lennox Robinson, “Drama at Inish” to the stark, moving drama of Sean O’Casey’s “Juno and the Paycock,” and they do them all in the spirit in which they were conceived. Among the other plays they will give there are “The Plough and the Stars,” “Look at the Hefferans,” “The New Gossoon,” “The Shadow of the Glen” and “The Playboy of the Western World.”

DOROTHY GISH AS EMILY DICKINSON

Emily Dickinson, the New England spinster who wrote beautiful verse and minded her own business so closely that ever since her death playwrights and novelists have been searching her life with a fine-comb in quest of a little romance, is again the protagonist of a new play called “Brittle Heaven” in which Dorothy Gish, playing the role of Emily, may be seen at the Vanderbilt Theatre.

This time Vincent York and Frederick J. Pohl led the expedition into Emily’s past and evidently came back empty handed, but they were determined to write a play about the retiring lady and they did a surprisingly good job. True enough they have not done a very exciting or exactly stirring piece, but then the lady about whom they write led a quiet life. In this instance they have created a new love for the poet of the Amherst, the husband of her best friend, and showed that this love was unrequitted and the basis for many of her famous sonnets. Dorothy Gish is well cast in the role of Emily and gives an excellent performance.

D’OYLY CARTE TROUPE MAY STAY LONGER

Although the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, which has been giving Gilbert and Sullivan operettas nightly at the Martin Beck Theatre since early September, announces that the coming week will be its last in this country, it is hinted that this troupe of English singers may stay around Broadway for another month. Originally they were scheduled to remain here for but four weeks, but so successful was their run that the management has kept them on. For this week “Iolanthe” will be given the first three days and “The Gondoliers” will finish the week.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE STAGE

A new edition of “Continental Varieties” has gotten under way. Lucienne Boyer, Raphael, De Roze and Escudero” are still part of the bill but Deslys and Clark, and Gali-Gali, the magician, have been added to the entertainment. . . . “Stevedore” will close at the end of next week and commence a road tour that will take the company to America’s larger cities. . . . Wednesday evening, “Anything Goes” will open at the Alvin Theatre. This is the musical starring Victor Moore, Ethel Merman and Bettina Hall which opened in Boston last week where it received an enthusiastic welcome. . . .

CINEMA

Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Alice Brady are the leading players in “The Gay Divorce,” which opened at the Radio City Music Hall the other night. This is a musical film adapted from the stage hit of the same name. . . . “The Firebird” is the title of Warner’s new picture which was brought into the Strand. It tells about the murder of an actor and Veree Teasdale, Ricardo Cortez, Lionel Atwill, and C. Aubrey Smith are the people involved. . . . At the Roxy “Evensong,” with Evelyn Laye, a Gaumont-British musical romance, will be the feature. “The First World War” at the Rialto, “Kid Millions” at the Rivoli, “Evelyn Prentice” at the Capitol, “White Parade” at the Paramount will hold over for another week.