Show P Percy ercy Hammonds Hammond's LetterI Letter I By Br J EROY HAMMOND NEW YORK TORK Feb reb The 20 20 Th ne neero Iro gro aristocracy of ot New York Tork Is Irate over Mr Belasco Belasco's production production production tion ot of Lulu Belle Colored novelist poets poet publicists publicist and mu- mu musicians mu musicians cry out against the th play playas playas playa as a libel on their race flinging dirt In an manner Its characters they say y are the th riff riff- riffraff rift raft raff of ot America Afro and the th ex- ex exhibition ex exhibition ot of o their deviltries an unfair un- un un unfair fair Indictment of ot an entire peo- peo people peo people pie The Th struggle to uplift a downcast species Is difficult enough they complain without I the handicap ot of Mr Air Belasco and his spectacular calumnies This New York group croup o of colored col colored col- col colored ored II as a you ou may know II a distinguished one Among II its member members are aro ar men and women skilled killed in nearly all the th art from the Charleston to free fre verse ene erse Many ot of them can sing lne dance act and write even better than I can and conse consequently they have hav a modest Id pride In their accomplishments Aiding them in their endeavor to Justify themselves Is a band bando ot of prominent New York white folks who led by Carl Van Vechten Vech- Vech Vechten ten Vech-ten ten and other Intrepid abolition abolition- abolitionists lets Isis clasp clup them them hand In hand and help them over the th rough places Soirees es are ar given Iven In what Is known a as the th exclusive reel reel- r 1 districts district at which the tine fine flower of a a remote Ethiopia mingles mingle In friendliness and nd appreciation elation with songbird from the Metropolitan Opera house inter Inter- International international international national financiers essayists essayist nov playwrights players player and critics The Tb movement to adjust the differences difference between the th dark belt and the th local loca Belgravia was proceeding admirably until rr her Belasco and his accomplice accomplices In Lulu Belle Bell came cam along alone with their I like to be of ot assistance to the quandaries common to the th con con- conflict con conflict of drama with life This Is I even at the th disposal of harmony among the tb warring element But I fear tear that In la tae present quarrel the th colored breth broth brethren brethren ren reh are ar too sensitive It Is Ie a fact that Miss Lenore Lenor Ulric as a LuluBelle Lulu LuluBelle Belle is not pleasant propaganda At the th she sh Is a a duSKY dumy vIper weaving her cankerous way from Harlem to Paris Pariss Her com com- companions com companion panion are ar weak and depraved their behavior sooty and scandal scandal- scandalous ou candal-ou ous Lulu Belle B ll Is I not a 8 pretty picture of ot a lady of o color or ot of the circles In which she sh crawls crawl and wiggles wiggle It II I not however howver more mor de- de defamatory de defamatory to the th blacks black than sev ev-cral ev eral other otheT successful Broadway plays are ar to the tb whites white and yel yel- yellows yellow lows low Cradle dl Snatchers Snatcher tor for in- in instance sta nce stance exceeds exceed it In U Its calumniation calumniation calumniation of ot white whit life lite lit and The Shanghai Gesture Is a bitter unjust lampoon oC ot the th ChInese character and practices practice The nIe Scandinavians may well consider coulder themselves insulted by Hamlet and Hedda Gabler and toe Jew Jews and Irish by Abler Abl Irish Rose France Franc has haa ha reason to com com- complain complain complain plain ot of A NIght In Paris and andA andA A A Weak Woman om England of The Vortex and mIddle Europe of t The Goat Song Sons So 50 the th n ne- ne negroes n-eroes n groes ike other persons persona should take tI e t th e abuses abuse ot of the th drama mB laughingly and not waste wast ute their time in campaIgns ot of protest The theatre In Lulu Belle makes them par Mac Lulu Belle by Charles Mac Mac- MacArthur MacArthur Arthur a brilliant Chicago tx-Chicago ex journalist and his talented kins kins- kinsman kinsman man Edward Sheldon is III a 8 a wild journey through New Yorks York's dara- dara town darK town Night excursions excursion to the russet borderlands may be one on of your smaller vices Ices It is they 8 say a vivacious feature ot of tourist life to visit the brunette pleasure grounds ground and there ther unpack the white mans man's man burden The Th Tea rea lights of dissipation are sometimes softened by the lh sepia uptown hues hue which dm tm im and yet illuminate tin th path of the th celeo- celeo rant ccleo-rant rant In the th event that you are interested In the th negro New Yorker in n his more animal se- se aspect as aspects Lulu Belle Bell will be b an entertainment You can sit alt lt In lr bir theatre and end watch with few discomforts the th rising tide tides ot of color But In cue case you are weary of gender fender whether saffron affron or Ivory and the th cultural process of ot a topaz harlot Irk you Lulu Belle Bell Is a good rood show how to stay away from I admire the prodigality of Mr Blacos Blaco's pro pro- production pro production the audacity au of ot Mr Shel don and Mr bir r MacArthurs MacArthur's theme and the tb acting ot of Miss Ulric and aa her black and white troupe Nov Nev- Lulu Belle Bolle revolted me It was waa a sordid gaudy ept- ept epi episodic honk tonk expensive dar dar- dar lag and sensational Miss Ulric I Is relentless In her impersonation of o Lulu Belle Belie sac sac- sac all ot of her so-called so girlish charm to the th evil evil chills chills and fevers of her bel role Even the th complete display of ot her bel creamy shanks In- In Inspires In Inspire spires spire the cruel agues rues Mr Henry Hull as u the th pitiable barber barbel who falls talI fall for tor her fleshly fascinations Is better than usual and 1 is also alao merciless in his interpretation The last lut scene Icene seen ot of o this black And tan epic wherein Mr Hull an convict ex-convict garrotes Miss UlrIc as the th temptress who wh has ruined him makes Lulu Belle Bell a play not merely a s circus z It got last lut week The Th Shang- Shang Shanghai Shanghai hal hai Gestures Gesture's Gestur takings taking were US- US 2 and those of ot Cradle Snatch Snatch- Snatchers Snatch Snatch-er I ore ers Cheer up I drama lovers lover |