New York Clipper (Jun 1923)

•14 THEr NEW YORK XrtlPPER June 27, 1923 VSI€ML WHITE'S "SCANDALS" GORGEOUS REVUE BEST OF THE SERIES "GEORGE WHITE'S SCANDALS OF 1923,** a revue in two acu and twenty- £ve scenes. Book by George White and WiUiam K. Wells. Mnsic by George Genhwin, lyrics by B. C. De Sylva. Ad- ditional lyrics by E. Ray Goetz and Bal- lard McDonald. Presented at the Globe Theatre on Monday night; Jnne 18, 1923. Prindpaia—Lester Allcs, Winnie Light- ner, Tom Patricola, Marga Wtldnm, OUtc Vaughn, Newton Alcandcr, Thco. Ligfat- ner, Myim CQllen,' BeQlah Berson, the Brecsi Brothers, Johnny Dooley, Delyle Alda, Richard Bold, Olivette, Helen Hod- son, Tip Top Four, Uischa Vol Janin, Edna May Reed, James Miller, Margaret Breen and Tiller's London Palace Girls. George WUte's "Scandals," the fifth of bis series of revues, while a little short of the big names which have in the past been associated with his casts is about the best of all his shows. The best because it is ^ far the best entertainment he has offered. From start to finish it is bright, pleasing and' interesting. Some of the big scenes suffer oa aocotmt of their similarity to those in the Winter Garden show rushed tato Broadway last week ahead of its -schedule. The reason for the hurried opening was apparent as soon as the White show was revealed for at - least three of the big scenes in the two shows are sus- piciously alike. White has been lavish in his expendi- tures for scenery, costumes and effects for the revne wUch is donbtless fai more ex- pensive than any of his previous produc- tions. A rare jewel scene, is by far the best, exquisite in fact with the young women parading as die jewels before a velvet drop, gorgeously arrayed in costumes which in themselves alone would inspire enthusiastic apjtl^se. The combination of - then^ the beautiful girls, the fine scenic effects ana the sin^g dialogue between De Lysle Alda and Richard Bold made of this the out- standing hit of the revue. There is also a fine rose number in the second act, similar to that of the "Passing Show" but beautifully staged and finely danced' by Marga W^dron made it stand out as one of the best things of the evening. ■ A curtaid, the idea for which came from Paris-Was another feature. This closed the first act and was also repeated at the . dose of the entertainment It -was fir^ of &H a work of art, and s^ndly on it -were six of the beauties of the^'show entirely undraped- Their costumes consisted en- tirely of leaves, few in quantity and care- lessly dropped about on the girls' forms here and there as it were. Whether or not this cnrtain -was suspended with the girls on it during the entire run of the first act is a mystery, but it certainly looked as flinitgli they had. The scene, one of die features of the "Follies Bergere." Paris u Ae most daring ever seen on Broadway and if permitted to remain will be botmd to attract many to the theatre, for its view alone. T%ere is a strong sermon against pro- li3>ition in the revue -with Johnny Dooley as Peter Stnyvesant, and the chorus girls impersonating Cocaine, Opium, Morphine and otiier drugs. There was a clever bur- lesque on "Romeo and Juliet" done by Tom Patriot Winnie Li^tner and Lester Allen. Patricola well known in vaude- ville but evident]^ something of a stranger to revue patrons scored a hit of enormous proportions. Tom danced -with all his old style and finish, played the mandolin and sang his way into wt hearts of everybody. The hit of die show went to Tom easily. Lester Allen was very fminy,'Iiis acro- hatic. dancing scored and some new bits, new. even to Broadway scored great for iiim. The clarionet' wi^'the mbber ball at tbe end which when he' dropped the in- strument jumped it right back to position again received a lot of laughs. Winnie Lightner sang several songs with her ac- customed vaudeville manner. Miss Light- ner knows how to sing a comedy song but her selection was bad. The lyrics of one in particular should be cleaned up. It was not funny but vulgar. A Mirror Ballet, similar to one in the "Passing Show" was well done by the Lon- don Palace Girls, the first of the Tiller dancing acts to get to this coimtiy, and who have been for three years with the Fred Stone show. They were followed -by four comics who evidently were well informed of the simi- larity -of their show and the Winter Garden for they sang:. "Our whole show was stolen by Lee and Jake We were the only things they didn't lake." The singing, portion of the show is chiefly m the hands of DeLyle Alda and Richard Bold. One of their duets, in particular -was tuneful and finely rendered. Charles Domberger's orchestra furnished the jazz tunes which furnished some infec- tious tunes for the chorus and the entire company which danced at the final curtain of the revue which ended with another view of the undraped misses on the curtain. The show is a big one and will attract all the White admirers and thousands of revue fans. 'HELEN OF TROY, N. Y." DANCE SHOW OF SPEED REAL SUMMER HIT GRAND OPERA AT POLO GROUNDS Grand opera performances to be given at the_ Polo Grounds all summer under the direction of Maurice Frank, started last Wednesday m'ght, -with a performance of "Aida". About ten thousand people at- tended. The stage is set in the center of the baseball diamond, about that i>art where the pitcher's box generally is situat- ed. The seats of the audience extended as far as the home plate. There was no change of scene, the various colored lights denoting a new scene. In the cast of '"Aida" were Frances Peralta, Carmcla Pcnselle, 'William Gustafson, Charles Bender, ■ G. • Anselone, Grace White, and G. Puliti, several of these being members of the Metropolitan Opera Company. Romano Romam', of the Metropolitan, con- ducted the orchestra. "SWEET NELL" RUN EXTENDED The run of the Equity Players' produc- tion of "Sweet Nell of Old Druryj" in which Laurette Taylor is appearing at the Forty-eighth Street Theatre, has been ex- tended to June 30. The play was origi- nally scheduled, to run for but four weeks, but the .business has been such that the ex- tension was. last week decided upon. - There have been some cast changes due to previous engagements. Alfred Lunt, who has been appearing in the play, has been forced to resume his work with the Distinctive Pictures Cor^ration, and has been replaced by Frederic Worlock, who this season has been with Elsie Ferguson in "The Wheel of Life." Morris Ankrum is now playing the role of Roger Fairfax, formerly played by Regan Hughston. "GOLDEN FLEECE" ON COAST San Francisco, June 18.—^"The Golden Fleece,"_ die new Henry Miller produc- tion which opened here last week, scored a hit of large proportions. Blanche Bates was acclainied as a wonderful tragedienne, playing her role -with remarkable strength. Robert Warwick also came in for a big share of success. Henry Miller played a comedy role and did finely. A big c<»n- pany -with many extras presoited the play, which ^vas finely staged and costumed. "Helen of Troy, New York." a musi- cal comedy in two acts, Boole by George Kaufman and Marc Conoelly. Music and lyrics by Uert Kalnur and Harry Ruby. Presented at tbe Selwyn Theaue on Tuesday evening, June 19 1923. . CAST. Tom Lewis C. \\arTcn Jennings Hoy Atwell Baron de Carticr Joseph Lertora Theodore Mince Charles Lawrence Harper Williams Qyde Honnewell David Williams Paul Frawley Helen McGufTey Helen Ford Maribcl McGuffey Queenie Smith Grace Yarrow Stella Hoban Mme. Pasanova Joan Clement "ARDTT WE ALL" AUTHOR COMING Fred Lonesdale, author of "-Aren't. We AH," in -Hrhich' Cyril Maude is appearing at the Gaiety Theatre, sailed for New York from England last Saturday on the Aqux- taiaa. Handicapped by the hottest weather of the year with the ni^s stifiling, especially indoors, "Helen of Troy, New York" came through and before the week was out had a sure fire hit to her credit The story of the piece is not very strong, and the humor of the lines can hardly be described as funny, yet there is no denymg the fact that the piece is one of, if not the very best entertainment, of all the summer productions. The east is responsible for this, every member of which -worked on the opening mght as though his or her life depended upon the outcome of the piece. By sheer work and .crvident imerest in every move- ment of the play, they carried it over with- out a moment's pause. The .plot reveals the story of a little stenographer fwho working in a Troy col- lar factory, invents a new type of neck wear for men which catches on immediate- ly and puts the firm in the front for the season. This was not easily accomplished however, for the girl -was disliked by the factory's. efficiency expert, to -whom she had revealed the secret of the new collar. On a slight pretext he discharges her and introduced the new collar himself claiming that it was his discovery. The girl look- ing . about for another position is eagerly sought by tJie son of another collar manu- facturer and just as they have about de- cided to marry despite his father's op- position, the collar story comes out. She is rewarded for her invention, marries the young man she loves and all, of course, ends happily. Helen Ford is the girl and her pleasing voice, charm of manner and modest style did much toward keeping up continual interest and made her work -really at- tractive. A young sister, played by Queenie Smith, former grand opera ballet dancer biit now a comedienne, almost ran away with the entire piece. Miss Smith, cute, clever, yes, and even funny every minute she was on the stage, got laughs that recked the house and followed one after the other with a speed and regularity that amazed. A hit all her owii, was registered, and then followed by another with Walter Lawrent^, a dumb, collar model, whose dance with her held up the show with an applause break that lasted it seemed for a quarter of an hour. Tom Lewis, the head of the manufacturing company, is doing some particularly fimny work and Roy Atwell was clever as the efficiency man who whenever he could get a minute to himself played on the occarina. Joe Le- tora looked and acted the part of the artistic photographer and Paul Frawlcy fitted his part excellently. Stella Hoban, the heiress looked fine and sang well. The show is well staged and moves along with speed from start to finish, one scene in particular, a big Russian dancing num- ber -with a half dozen or more feature dances carried everything before it. The music is ttmeful, one or two of the ntim- bers being especially good. SELWYNS TO DO FOREIGN PLAYS European plays feature prominently the list of productions the Selwyns expect to produce here during the coming season accordiiig to plans amiounced by them last week. Among the foreign plays are listed "Battling Butler," "By the Grace of God," "Success." "London Revue of 1924," the Grand Guignol Players and a continental t^'pe of revue in association with C B. Cochrane and featuring Raquel Meller, a Spanish actress. Two productions are scheduled to be launched in September, these being "Bat- tling Butler," a musical comedy which is to be presented on Labor Day at the Adelphia Theatre, Chicago, in conjunction with George Choos, and "By the Grace of God" by Frederick Lonsdale, author of "Aren't We All," which will have 'Violet Heming, Estellc Winwood and Norman Trevor heading the cast On New Year's Eve the Sehvyn's Players will inaugurate a season of four weeks at the Dresden Theatre and about the same time Irene Castle will be launched under the Selwyn management in a tour of the country in "Irene Castle's Fashion Show." The Continental Revue in conjunction with C. B. Cochrane, referred to above, will be presented in November and in De- cember the first: showing of "Success" a new comedy by A. A. Milne will occur, this play having been chosen as the opening presentation at the Haymarket Theatre, London, for the coming season. - On New Year's Eve the Eelwyn's will present Andre Chariot's "London Revue of 1924" with an all English Company led by Gertrude Lawrence and Beatrice Lillie. This will take place at the Times Square Theatre. Other plans call for an engagement ol twelve weeks for Jane Cowl on the coast in "Romeo and Juliet" to be followed by her appearance here in ".Anthony and Qeo- patra" and later on in "Twelfth Night" Another new production will be a drama- tization of "Sweet Pepper" which is being made by Bernard Fagan and for which the star has not yet been selected. Four companies of "The Fool" will be sent out, one, headed by Alexandra Car- lisle and Harry Browne, occupying the Selwyn Theatre in Chicago, another going to Philadelphia and two going on tour. "Partners Again" will be sent on tour for another season. BONSTELLE CO. CLOSING The preliminary season of Jesse Bon- stclle and her resident company in the "dollar top" enterprise at the Harlem Opera House, closed with a production of "Call the Doctor" during the week of June 18. The first regular season of the Bonstelle players will begin early in the ^11 at the same house. The Harlem Board of Commerce and other institutions have endorsed Miss Bonstclle's dollar top plan and it is believed by her that a firm fotmdation for the success of the project has been laid for the first regular season. During the seven weeks of the pre- liminary season, Miss Bonstelle put on one new play entitled "The 'Vigil," by Daniel N. Rubin. Her other productions included, I.U^ Second Mrs. Tanqueray," "The Man Who Came Back," "Welcome Stranger," "The Gold Fish" and others. HALL BACK FROM ABROAD O. L. Hall, dramatic critic of the Chi- cago Journal who went abroad three months ago as the guest of George Tyler on a tour of Italy has returned and re- sumed his position. Hall, at the time he left America was ill but upon his return had fully recuperated. HOPWOOD BRINGS NEW PLAYS ■Avery Hopwood, who returned last week from a five months' tour of Europe, brought with him two French farces which he will adapt to the American stage.