Show I Ml- Ml Fhe Review of the Rialto J 1 i t. t f I- I By D Dixie ie Hin Hines s I r I KEW EW YORK Jan 26 George George M. M j HA EAN th the personification of Broadi Broady Broad- Broad i y has returned himself to thega the ge ga as author producer director and andr r of The Song and Dance Man roan amedy a amedy medy with much to commend It Cohan finds it necessary to asim asme as- as 1 im me the stellar role in his own play f cause casse he can find no other actor t b ho 0 can can- play the part as the author J it to be played This Is rather y far fat order but be that as it may e part Mr Cohan as few parts live re fe suited him during his Infrequent turns to the stage for many years ft e tt character is that of a a. hick fl ng and dance man mar still playing the there theVe Ve re a day the smallest of small time d 4 cherishing the belief that some someI I V he will wm reach Broadway and knock cold Some day he did reach adway but sad to relate he was a a. loll Cop This in brief Is the skeleton story but on these bones Mr Mian ohan has hung many witty lines sur- sur unde them with witha a number of amus- amus enes and written some humane- humane speeches which ring e. e These hick actors are an uncouth t toUt tut they have hearts of ot solid soUd Id I d The There e are many crudities In cew comedy but to offset this thise ere e are many times Umes when a tear lurks t t 1 set to fl now flow w after atter some highly hu- hu orous speech It is an honest tribute tie the profession of the cheap actor tor Mino 4 no man has been able to reach sentiment of ot such a life Ufe with such aliens Ism as Mr lIr Cohan who also acts role atole lj S rge Bernard Shaw tells us what thinks of Joan dArc d'Arc in a drama which he has written and fed d. d Saint Joan and which the theatre atre Guild has produced with great through the combined efforts of scenic artists their costumers I st t but first in importance a re- re cast cut There are moments o of ot great eat sincerely in the sev sevra Ie ra 1 acts and and more tr frequent quent scenes Pd d if f the spectator who is engrossed K i t the e episodes concerning the famous Md id of France is suddenly iy a Shaw maw speech of the 1950 vint- vint rv Placed in the mouth of a charac- charac the sixteenth cent cent cen- cen t one may after atter awhile brush the t the they r aside and still enjoy Way y Beginning with Joan as a a. maid wh a desire to fight tight for France the theauthor ther author r takes her through episodes Deluding C with her trial burning a d earning for heresy As it stands no ow e are great moments of It rama ma and great stretches of disser disser- Uon Rion n neither interesting nor mum illum- I Hating ng but withal the subject is so and the author has ap- ap ached it li with with far more reverence reverenceS S q has hitherto done any subject to toch ch he has applied his pen But Dut he has done this he has his own ng JS in an epilogue wherein he ress res- res I all aJI his characters as in amm a a. ar r mm m rn and have them explain their concluding however that eA though H-though the martyr has been to death for tor which everybody 8 sorry Orry ry It would never do to bring her herto herto Ito to life again as th the public would crl her er again The play baffles bales de- de deHon rl Hon tion but it will be seen een by thou thou- sands and in the main enjo enjoyed d by I them Winifred LenIhan as Joan I I leaves much to be desired but particularly particularly particularly par par- brilliant performances are given by Ivan Maclaren Albert Brun- Brun ing ingA A. A H H. Van Buren and Morris Car- Car A strange true simple and highly dramatic play is Roseanne by Nan Bagby Stephens and produced by Mary 1 Kirkpatrick It Is a a. play of lowly lowly lowly low low- ly negro life lite the locale being the northern part of Georgia and all the I characters being negroes Miss 1 Stephens Steph Steph- ens has drawn her characters with natural fidelity giving them all the I superstitions of their race with their fears and prejudices and love of ef ef- ef The characters though negroes I are acted by white players thereby giving the play Its greatest handicap An author may write naturalistically as this author has done and a produce producer er may give every aid to creating and anu holding holding- the atmosphere as this producer producer producer pro pro- I ducer has done but the incongruity of ofa ofa a black face with a frequent disclosure I of ot a a. white neck hand or of arm arm Is die die- concerting concerting- to say the least The Theauthor Theauthor Theauthor author tells the story of ot the tIle a adulation of ot a negro preacher by his congregation congregation congregation tion particularly the women until It is learned that he has despoiled ayoung a ayoung young oung girl and caused her to steal the money of her benefactor for his hid bene bene- fit In a scene highly dramatic and remarkably true representing a a. negro revival the preacher is denounced and makes his escape followed by the enraged congregation bent upon his death He takes refuge In the home of the girl now dead and her aunt touched by his appeal for a a. chance to live and redeem himself turns his pursuers away The story is direct and for the understanding ones It is isa Is Isa a a. play that should take high rank among amon the folk tolk plays of oUr country ItIs It ItIs Itis Is excellently acted except for the In Inability inability inability in- in ability of the white players to get the negro dialect |