Variety (December 1919)

FOR HEARST, AYOR HYLAN Alan Dale Calls GestV Show Indecent—Puzzling Points About Critic's Remarks—City Government Investi- ' gates—First Night Drew Better Than $16,000. Goes to Chicago^After Nine Weeks Here. { The Comstock & Gest production of "Aphrodite" opened at the Century and was received by open arms and a cer- tain amount of acclaim and gentle pan- ning by all of the metropolitan dally critics, with the exception of Alan Dale. Dale's pannings .was very strong and created discussion as to the exact cause. Dale wrote a most scathing arraign- ment of the performance for the "Ameri- can," but withal one of the greatest box office notices ground out for a piece in a decade. Dale's criticism was headed "'Aphrodite' Vulguly Indecent." This waa printed on page eight of the "Ameri- can," but on the front pass there was a single column box headed, " 'Aphrodite* Is An Offense to City's Decency." Under that head thera appeared the following: The massive scenic production of "Aphrodite" drew to the Century thea- tre last event.ig an audience expecting to be shocked, and even in blase New .York the expectation was realized. The play is built upon a novel by Pierre Louys that has been sup- . pressed. It deals frankly—too frankly —and realistically—too realistically— with the courtesan life of Alexandria. Its promiscuous intermingling of semi- nude negroes and half-naked women Is an offense to the decency of the community. There is not an adequate excuse for the pruriency of the production's ap- peal, for an abundance of opportunity exists to make a successful spectacle and a vivid dramatization of the eensuous' life of the East without building It around unblushing debase- ment . The plea that decency must give way to art has always been used to justify these exploitations of sen- suality; but it Is -possiLle to be wholly artistic and reasonably decent at the same time, and the time seems to have come when this sane balance should be Insisted upon. The American has always opposed a censorship of the stage, but unless public sentiment and the existing police powers of the city are sufficient to check the tendency of some -dramas toward le Jness the stage should have a censorship here, as in England. The TBvening Journal" took up the "pan" and In Its 8th .edition ran an eight column ribbon across the top of the page in what is known as one of Its No. 24 heads, reading, "'Aphrodite' Is Indecency in the Name of Art. Says Alan Dale." In addition to this there was a two column box In full face type calling the attention of the public to the "frightful exhibition of nudity" at the Century, and reprinted at the side of it was Dale's criticism. The Mayor decided to act on the no- tices of the opening performance and addressed the following letter to Com- missioner of Licent-es Gilchrist Tuesday afternoon: "Press accounts today condemn as Indecent the production 'Aphrodite,' which opened at the Century theatre In this city last night. s . "Consequently, I believe that an Im- mediate Inquiry should be made Into the character of this performance, and if it is, found to be offensive to the public taste some way Bhould be found to suppress it Immoral plays must not be flaunted in the face of the New York public. There is al- ways ample support for good, whole- some productions here,' but I am abso- lutely certain that the people of this city will not tolerate anything that borders on licentiousness. 'You will please co-operate with the police commissioner In prosecuting; your investigation, which I desire you to make Immediate." To the Police Commissioner he wrote: "I have this day directed the com- missioner of licenses to co-operate with you fin an investigation Into the character of the production 'Aphro- dite,' which opened at the Century theatre last evening. Enclosed please find copy of my letter to the Commis- sioner of Licenses." , Commissioner of Police Enrlght is at this time taking a vacation at White Sulphur Springs, Va. At the Century Tuesday night it waa stated some one from the Commissioner of Licenses office was present at the per- formance. Inspector of Police Domlnick Henry was present In the theatre, but his visit was jiot an official one, and when last seen he was applauding the play as the curtain went down on one of the early acta There was also present and In con- ference with Morris Gest a representa- tive of the "American." His knowledge of matters theatrical Is rather wide and Gest was overheard explaining the piece to htm as the action progressed. The second night performance of "Aphrodite" packed the Century. The house report was that the gross for the single performance was in the neighbor- hood of $6,290 and this with the "second night seats" out The opening night at 110 top was something around $16,000 and the Initial week of the piece in New York will bring something like $60,000 to the box office. In various quarters It was stated that the* Dale criticism was brought about by that reviewer's recollection of his police court experience when his play, the "Madonna of the Future," was produced in New York by Oliver Morosco several years ago, but others maintain that this is not at all likely, as the Dale reviews In the "American" since his return to the'staff of that paper have seemed bereft of that freedom of expression Dale formerly exercised. This is one of the puzzling points in Dale's "Aphrodite" notice. The papers all over the country have carried wire reports of \ the New York sensation that the piece caused and that will naturally tend to create a demand on tour for the attraction when it leaves New York. Gest says that this will be after a season of nine weeks at the Cen- tury and then "Aphrodite" will be moved to the Auditorium. Chicago, to follow the grand opera season there, but this seems doubtful on the face If the Century will continue to draw over the $50,000 mark weekly with the show. The Actors' Equity Association mem- bers of "Aphrodite" have filed claims with the A. E. A. against Comstock & Gest for payment for the extra week of rehearsals given. Morris Gest has filed a counter-claim In which he states the postponement of the show and extra re- hearsals were occasioned by the long- shoremen's stril.j, and constituted a contingency tha. he was power,ess to overcome.. . The' Equity has the cases under advisement On Wednesday morning the American AGUGLIA SAYS "NO" TO C0ET. John Cort'e plan to establish the Standard as a regular legitimate house Christmas week, by . Introducing Mi ml Aguglia In a new 01ay called "The Whirl- wind," was stopped early this week when the star refused to accept the engage- ment Mme. Aguglia, who Is well known in Italian drama, in her native land and ,here, first knew of the'date through an- nouncements made* In the dallies, which stated that the house nevertheless would retain its popular price scale. Aguglia set forth her objection- to the Standard engagement to the manager. She advised Mr. Cort that as her ap- pearance in "The Whirlwind" was her first debut in English, she' would not jeopardize her reputation by appearing in it in a theatre acknowledged as a "spoke In the Subway wheel." The scheme to retain popular prices was an- other point objected to. It waa later understood that the idea • of popular prices would be abandoned and the Standard would carry a $2 scale for the .Aguglia engagement and per- haps others to follow. The star, how- ever, has taken the position of appear- ing only in a recognized Broadway house for the premiere. HEW YEAR'S EVE AT $5.60. There will be a rather general price of $6.60 a ticket, including war tax, at all of the theatres on New-Year's eves The one exception where the price will be higher will be the Globe, with a price of $7.70 a ticket for "Apple Blossoms." The Hippodrome will get $4.40 a seat for the holiday night The'scale at the Globe for Christmas and New Year's weeks will make ft pos- sible for that house to draw about $33,- 000 gross weekly. Not a single per- formance will be played with the scale at less than $3.86 a seat This la us- ually the price for the Saturday and holiday night performances, the reg- ular price being* $3.30. The agencies have been Informed that the $6 scale will be in vogue ail over, and are acting accordingly in fixing their prices for New Year's eve. They, however, do not look for a tremendous demand that night because of the "dry" condition. . . * '-f {Continued on Page 29.) HAD ABOUT TEE ORIENT. Like the Oriental song cycle that swept the country last season, there seems to be a similar tendency in the matter of plays. Already .i.ree Oriental shows are gracing the boards on Broadway to healthy box office receipts, these being "East is West" "Rose of China" and "The Son-Daughter." Now A. H. Woods announces a new trio of Oriental plays, In all of which he will be more or less Interested. He has two adapt.-c' from Sax Rohmer's books, to be known as "Dr. TVu" and "Dope." Earl Carroll naa also written an Oriental comedy called "The Way to Heaven," to be produced by him In con- Junction with Woods. How many more are In the process of writing one can only surmise. HOTEL OBJECTS TO PLAY TITXE. The management of the Ritz-Carleton Hotel has registered an objection with A. H. Woods regarding the use of the title. "A Room at the Rltz." In the Channlng Pollock play of that title a murder is committed*, in a "Room at the Rltz."'but In this case it happen, to be one of the apartment houses named the Rite and not the hotel. The hotel, management however, threatened legal proceedings in the event that the title was used. Therefore, after the piece has been presented on tour under the original title, it will come Into New York as "The Moving Finger." ' "Acquittal" at Cohan & Harris. Cohan A Harris* "The Acquittal/* after a run of several months in Chi- cago, la scheduled to open at the Cohan & Harris theatre New Year's week. This may mean "The Royal Vagabond" will end its New York run at that house and go on tour.. Several changes in 'the cast are con- templated before bringing the show into New Turk. VATICAN SINGERS END TOUR. The singers of the Vatican. Choir, Which completed a tour of this country with a performance at.the Metropolitan Opera House Tuesday night and a mati- nee performance in Bridgeport the same day. sailed for Italy Thursday. The singers were here since' September 18, and gave 66 concerts, playing to slightly less than $500,000 on the tour. The three g concerts given in New York grossed about $86,000. The first was at Carnegie Hall, the second at the Hippodrome and■'.' the final one at the. Metropolitan. The principal points visited on the tour were Quebec In the Northeast, St Paul ■in the Northwest Omaha in the West, Son Antonio in the Southwest and New Orleans in the South. The highest dignitaries of the Churcr in this country witnessed performances, Cardinal Be- gin, In Quebec; Cardinal O'Connor, in Boston, and Cardinal Gibbons In BaUi-' ; :*§ more.. There was not a discordant criticism in the entire tour, nor a single concert lost end there was not one man 111 on ''■■ the entire trip. The management which presented the organization of singers - housed and fed them and in addition to ■ paying greater salaries than they would have received in Italy, also furnished them with a small spending allowance ; in addition to their board and lodging. The idea of the tour originated with James Sievim who was originally backed H; by J. P. Muller and who went to Rome to secure the singers After he had the project underway Muller organized the St Gregory Musical Society In this ' country to underwrite and finance the tour The society and those interested in the financial end will come out with'■■>;-? some slight loss on the tour. This Is due, —V 4 however, to the singers returning to Italy before they had completed the trip -'' to the Western coast The cause for ■:.. ..',! their return was a summons from Rome to be home In time to sing the Christ mas services there. i : When, the singers were ready to sail from the other side It was discovered that there was some difficulties with the State Department over their pass- port vise, and at this point J. J. Mc- Carthy and Theodore Mitchell were called Into the company to handle the details of the tour. They first swung the authorities here and then'arranged for the landing of the singers m this ^ country after they had been held up i* at Ellis Island. .. „ • The entire tour of the organization ,1^ was' booked at the last minute, for there was no guarantee that they would ar- rive In this country at all. Some of the dates were arranged for (ess than four weeks in advance of the concerts., .The advanqe organization, consisted of Joe Vlon, Arthur Ryan, Charles Rice and William Roddy. Back with the show were Carl Reed and Fred R, Zwlfel and two interpreters. The tour, despite the slight loss that ■',- the promoters sustained, is looked upon ;:"> as a tremendous success from the stand- point of music and the Church in th,Is ; country. AH the financial profit accrued m was received by the Scots Cantorum qt ~$M Rome and by the choristers In salaries. "CARNIVAL" IN WASHINGTON. "Carnival" the English spectacular drama, opens Deo. 15 at the Shubert- Belasco, Washington. Godfrey Tearle, who is being starred in It, Is one of the producers in association with Messrs. Mcleod and Ephrlam. The piece, which is by H. C. Hardlnge and Matheson Lang, has played on tour in England and opens at the. New theatre, London, next February., : CHATTERTON CLOSING, 4 The Ruth Chatterton engagement at the Miller theatre will be concluded'In a fortnight, at which time Milter and- Blanche Bates, in the new James Forbes piece, will be produced there If it can be gotten ready in time. REHEASING TULLY PLAY. Lawrence Marsden Is rehearsing the May Tully play, which is to be produced by Lewis J. Selznick. Reglna Wallace la in th« ca.it.