Variety (December 1919)

■: tr . > 1-; ' ' . •-■ . -- ..*■ " . . . ■>.:■: ■■■ r: * ■■... ■ ■ m H LEGITIMATE a^Tl, ^~ :.. ttte lads wore singing Berlin's melodious "T. If. C. A." tone. A aolo, "3ofhowhero In America," Wat well done, a quartet dobbins the last chorus. And then Hiss Janls was on •gain with a few songs she sang over there. A street scene, carried out with a drop, brought laughs upon the Introduction' of an M. P. (military police) bit, tho soldier copper being touted aa the "hero of the battle of Paris." Tola scene tirought to the front tha •how's comlo In Charles Lawrence, ■ stuttering, bashful, red-faced doughboy. He did an tx- oelleat drunk and was fanny with Brant In the "M. P." song. Ha baa his own song, 'It's My Temperament," cleverly done; In fact, one of tha beat bit* aside from the work of the •tar*. There was a cafe scene, which brought on the girls for the first time, they representing; the various war workers, but strangely enough there was no Salvation Army girl. The final scene of the first act waa a park. For the latter scene llisa Janls was In the ultra-smart akyblue uniform of an officer In the French Chasseurs. She sen- "Just 4 Little Bit of Paris." Joined with Eddie Hay and both dancing. It's the prettiest number In the show and prettily done, aa was all of the star's work. She was In on all portions of the show during the major portion, which waa the first act The final act showed a street scene in Cobles* for the first scene,' and here a very amusing parody on "Florodora" was done, with a double quintet made up of five doughboys and. the girls dressed as fraulelns. The Idea of the buck privates evading the M. I'.'s and the pro- hibition against fratnemlzlng with the natives) waa treated In .the lyrics. In this scene, too, "Chick" Deveau delivered a rhymed protest en the passing of prohibition while they were overseas. He referred to the passing of the' law as the "triple cross." A little playlet then came. It was called "Bank." The son of a rich broker was a pri- vate in the war. He Is now set on putting the screws on some officer back from- overseas. In answer to bis advertisement, One does apply, and the things the youth Is going' to do to him is a sin, that is, until he finds out that-tUe former captain had rescued him unconscious over there. li- lts) finish found the stage nicely draped In ribbons of red, white and blue, with, a Jsss band in operation. This band Is part of the gang. For the first tuns they are In costume other than uniforms, all appearing in suits of white satin of military design,'however, in- cluding the overseas caps. The girls were In fancy costume. Miss Janls lead the final num- ber with the band, singing "When I Took My Joss Band to the Fatherland." She was dressed In a white novelty satin frock. A bit earlier •be waa lovely in a dress of white and silver when she did "Give lib the Moonlight; Give Me. {he Girl," and between stories gavs im- pressions as to how a German aviator, a British officer and a darkey would sing It, the lyrics being different for each version. 'The number and! business went for a real bit Jilss Jants Is credited with having written the "book" and some Of the songs. Other num. hers were by William Kernel!, Richard Fecn- helmer and B. C. Hilllam. The first two named did most of the songs. No credit la given for "Aprea . la Guerre" ("After the-. War"), a •lever number. not mentioned with the others. Henry Jans wick and Jerry Hoekstra carried the bulk of the singing among the "gang'* and both did nicely. Everybody on the stage, save, the five girls (Miss le Galllenne was best as a Parislenne, which she made - piquant and natural), was • doughboy, yet a gob figured. He was William Schroeder, the orchestra' leader, who was band- master at Pelham Bay and who.wrote some of the score for "Biff, Bang." Ib&. THE HOSE OF CHINA. Dum Tong ,......• Paul Irving Ton Ka .Louise Browne! Xing Tao »r,. Jane Rlchardion Tlng-Fang-Loe Stanley Ridges Tsao Ling v».„'.-...,Wm, H. Frlngfe 'Tommy Tllford......>..... Oscar Bhaw Wilson Peters....,..,.,, Frank Mclntyre Polly Baldwin.. ,-,..Cecil Cunningham Priest ,l... Leo Dwjrer Chung ..Thomas B. Jackson Grace Hob«on. , Cynthia Perot Mrs. Hobson ....Edna May Oliver 'The Rose of China" la a romantic oper- •tta by Ouy Bolton, lyrics by P.' 0. Wode- bouse, music by Armand Vecsey. It Is prob- ably .the most spectacularly gplerdiferous production for that calibre of entertainment ever seen in this country. It was staged by Robert Milton and -Julian Mitchell, with scenes designed and painted by Joseph Ur- ban.' For this occasion Urban out-flrbaned himself, not only in the painting itself, but In the creation of new Ideas in the matter of building stage settings, not a small portion of which depends upon a wonderful system of lighting. Tho scenerey Itself la well worth many times tho price of admission. ; The story Is adequate to the demands of light musical entertainment, being a cross betwoon "Madams. Butterfly" and "Bast Is West,"'resembling neither but recalling both. An American youth is compelled to marry a Chinese maiden or be murdered, and the a falls In love With her. Tou oouldnt' blame him. for she Is admirably played and sung by Jans 'Richardson, whom nobody around New Tork seems^ to have heard of before. but who Is sure to be talked of In the metrop- olis for a long time to coma. She is certainly a discovery—a welcome one. Fancy a young girl, 'reasonably" pretty, who/ can sing, dance and act Not since Evle Greene burst upon us at Daly's In the musical version of-"Napoleon" many years ago has there been revealed to New Tork audiences a maiden Who could sing, dance and aot, aug- mented by a sufficient amount of comeliness, lllss Richardson'* voice Is very sweet and at sympathetic quality. She warbles with ao effort or sense of straining. It Is to b* hoped •he doesn't screen /Well, for then ah* will forsake musical comedy for the films and we shall have to fall'back upon those now la lyrtcized comedy whho have failed to photo- graph sufficiently well before tha motion pic- ture camera. If it takes a genius at descriptive t achat - cal writing to dwell at length upon the Urban scenery, It requires an equally erudite scholar versed la the technique ol voice placement and hlstrlonlo gifts to pay due homage to little Miss Richardson. In predicting a bril- liant light opera career for hor one eanaot possibly. go wrong 1 . Then there are soma clever lyrics by Wode- house-'and a rather pretentious score by Xr. Vecsey. An augmented and well chosen or- chestra under the direction of Frank Tours did full Justice to the latter, wh'ch waa or- chestrated la a masterly fbehlon. . An excellent cast throughout aided .materi- ally to carry the production through to com- plete satisfaction; though the piece was too lengthy the first night—a defect readily rem- edied and probably attended to by this time. Oscar 8haw Is the leading Juvenile, sufficiently manly to visualise a classy American youth; Frank Hclntyre bubbles over witty aactlous humor as a low comedian; Cecil Cunningham relegates her prlraf donna personality to the. role of a character woman and' thus adds to her ; versatility by acquitting herself excel- lently, and several others were squally well chosen. Then there are the dances by Julian Mitch- ' ell, most carefully rehearsed and Ingeniously created. Barring the slackening of the ter- rific pace set at tha opening of the piece (and which, as before remarked, has probably been rectified by now) there Is Utile or no fault to find with "Rose of China," Com stock. ft Oest must" have expended a good slxed for- tune in the scenic and sr.rtorlal Investiture, with every Indication It will turn out to be a profitable Investment. Even the tlokst specu- lators who 'attended tie opening night and • confessed they had purchased tn advance ex- pressed themselves as satisfied with their, gamble. . , Jolo- ««,.«»•« ..S ..Rtta Lurla ..Max Lleberman Robert Wyckoft ..Irving Zechnolt ...Jane Manners Qustav Blum .Edward Stetnmeta THE RISE OF SILAS LAPHAM. Silas Lapham Batty Hubbard.... Persia Lapham..... Katie Milton Rogers Penelope Lapham.. Irene Lapham....-.. Tom Corey. ....James K. Haokett ■ ... ..Milton Pope .......Grace Henderson .Nell Hamilton ....j.Henry Stlllmfcn* .. .MarJorle vVonnegut ..........Grace Knell. »••,.•.■•.»■••.-.*..,.Noel IiCslle Arna Belllngham Corey (Mrs. Bromfleld •'■ Corey) : A.«.....Helen Westley Bromneld Coroy.... .Walter Howe Nanny Corey Mary Blair Lily Corey.. Grace Ado Edith Kingsbury Mildred Keats Mrs. Henry Belllngham.. ....Nell Hamilton, Charles Belllngham Richard Abbott' Mrs. James Belllngham....:; Sara Bnrlght James Belllngham William Nelson Mr. Be well... >> .Eraklne Sanford Mrs. Bewell.........-,„.;.. Mary True Mr. Seymour ■>«•%•■ Robert Donaldson Robert Chase Walter Geer Mr. Dunham............... ...Henry Trarera William Dean Ho wells, who came Into his great reputation aa a novelist with the publi- cation of "The Rise of Silas Lapham," la a finished craftsman. Tap trouble la he has nothing to say, and says It perfectly; but even this facet of his diamond of fame Is seriously scratched by Lillian Sahlne In the dramatisation of his be-t known book made by her for the Theatre 'ulid, by her and by Phillip Moeller. who made the production, and by James K. Hackett, who returns to the stage from the plutocratic regions he has been inhabiting to create the name part A Jolly mess Haokett -u.kea of it, too. He presents with distressing fidelity a cartoon- ist's Idea of a Yankee farmer In old time New England, but an 'old deer, nevertheless. This would bo all right in "Way Down East." but It doea not suggest Mr. Howeiia' silos Lapham—not even .*emotely, as Alexander Harvey, whose criticism of Howslls will some day be more famous than the novelist him- self, might remark In one of his calmer momenta' Tho combined efforts of dramatlzar and producer also failed to get Into the stage play tho Greek fidelity to the laws of vhythm and cumulative effect that Howells himself achieves tn his novel. Tho noaroat to' type, perhaps, was Helen Westley, as lira. Corey, but she can always bo depended on. Mar- ' Jorie Vonnegut did well as Penelope, but Noel Leslie's middle class BriMih accent.does spt help a stage presence naturally good. Lee Blmonsons' designing' gave, a faithful but somewhat gaudy Idea of the cos'umlng of 1870. Thank goodness it's almost 1920! THE EAST-WEST, IftAYEBS. , Despite, the 'Stepping- of other sources.*, there. Is little to offer on the broad seals of amusement values In this "(roup movement" except 'The Magnanimous Lovsr," by St, John Irvine. The piece la a gem among con* trtbuUons not only for its literary value hut also for Its possibilities In vaudeville. An* ether act that presents a bare possibility for the big time Is an Oriental satire by Clarence Strstton. called "Ruby Red." . While the Bast-West Players do not repre- ' •ant themselves aa professionals, they do •lalm "talented" ematenrahlp. And since aa actual charge In scale of prices a little below the standard in Broadway la made. It takes them out of that class, and technically they qualify themselves in the professional sense. They have engaged the Jewish Art theatre (eld Garden) for a series of performances which began last Tuesday, with aa Intention to repeat the performances on «.•• day of the week. '. THE LITTLE STONE HOUSE. Vervara ......... Aeteryl «,••,••••'. Splrldon ......... Poma .... Praskovya A Stranger.......... ."*.- Sergeant ..../.. Although not new ,n the r• portoire of these players, It was tha first offering en the kill. It has been eulogized by the dallies, probably not no much for the manner in which It was played as for the breatb of life infused into It by the author, George Calderon. Although he is an Englishman, and if his identity had' not been disclosed it might take Its place alongside Tachskov, TurgerJav and even the "Hamlet of Russians"—Dostoievsky. It Is swayed by those emotions so natural to the psychology of RusslansTreveallng.their Inherent religious devotions, their fears,, their Jests, their philosophy, their hunches, their all In all. To compile human nature in this form, and In Its relation to the people of that .country, and viewed by one whose.early and sad years were spent there, seems a feat worthy of naught but the hlghes'. praise.- In Its' denoument a woman haa saved and •tinted herself of everything ao that. she might erect a monument to her deceased eon. What should fate.do but r-ve the son turn up Just when a bargain is. mads with the stonecutter to erect the stone house for 400 rubles. But does the woman accept her son In the flesh* No. She would rather have him dead than alive. So the son panes iato 'the hands of the police after escaping from Siberia, while the woman kneels at the Ikoa praying and falls dead.' The curt air. steals ever the dead and departed Just as the philos- opher articulates: "Whate" a man without an Ideal?" The piece had a taateful settiag, but Intro- duced something-entirely sew in the way of lighting.. Only one lamp emitted aay bril- liance, while a faint, glow pierced the floor •round the fireplace. The light of the lone lamp'seemed harsh; in fact, It seemed to af- fect the eyes of the auditors. rl Danesl Dane. Billy Dane.., Bellm Aysha ees#s»».#f» BUST RED. Madeleine Davidson .................Archie Olden Gustav Blum Rose Nibur . ... i .-!•■■ . trie bill take on any. of tho'aspects of-geauln* interest, both from -the vlowpoint of the play ind the playing. This was to be haa In "The Msgnlnlrrfous Lo.verT' by the author cl "John Ferguson." ■— •* The piece has tame of thajlaspr. though distinctly different Thfttfco viTto^a ths'ssll drama produced at ;the Marine Elliott soma years ago and known aa "Hindi* Wakes." A man returns to. marry the worn a' of bus folly after ten years of absence. He doea so merely because It is the right thing, and la prompted In his .resolve by the Inner voice) Impelling him on. In short, he would' seek salvation merely because It la so prescribed. and not because be feels any pangs of love or sympathy for the abandoned woman. Though a child Is born oat of wedlock, tha woman spurns his offer, preferring her Ufa of unmarried exile to the man who would thus come awoolng her back. It is a swiftly moving, episodic chapter otv 1!fi' in an Irish household, represented evi- dently through the same process sf written that made Broadway sit up after the Ink was dry on the script of "John Fergjeon." : It was enacted by a .cast of super-abun- dantly talented "amateurs," and this goes foi every one of them. ........ Prologue . -Audience Columbine Pierrot ... Pierrette" Doctor Puhch. Harlequin THE LOVE LOTION. .ItMl'h Caha ,* ••.,.£«..'«'•'.*.••.»•*.. .Alice Idealer ......Helen Swenson ... ...Max Lleberman ....Ivy Sherman ...8. Robert Wyckoft. ...Edward Stelnmsta .......... * ......... Fourth on the bill was "The Love Lotion," a fantasy by J. Harry Irvine. By the time this act began the audience had gradually, become less enthusiastic about the bin, prob- *ably because of the latenei*. of the hour. It Is one of those Harlequln-Plerrot-Plerrotta concoctions. ,' Unless It can reach the fineness o 'Love in a Dutch Garden," produced by Wiathroy Ames some years ago. It la best thet every- one else leave It alone. . la second place, this offering relieved the more serious moments caused by "The Little Stone House." It may well be called an Ori- ental satire. In pointing out its significance for the big time, It Is dons on. the basts of reshaping, while Its dialog la Its present form has the aspects of what s kaowa In low-brow an "gags." An/American couple find themselves living •n the edge of the desert Hubby Is disgusted because he can't hear or read who won ths world's series, and is even mors disgusted be- cause he can't hear the ticking of .the ticker. Wlfey yearns for the illuslveness of the Ori- ent, while her husband passes the time la aa unseen flirtation with a fruit seller. The wife. In the husband's absence, Is wooed by one of these bronzed sons' of the desert ■ She almost succumbs to his wooing, which is enhanced by bringing an Oriental i-dancer on tho scene while ho woo* en. Im- agine their astonishment wh»n both husband and wife learn that tha wou'.d-be lever learned to apeak English so fluently In a night school In New Tork. The couple promised themselves a speedy Journey on the next boat. The audlonce waa a badly behaved one when It caught sight of the get-up worn by the Oriental lover. The laughs befame more nu- merous aa the performance went on. Through- out It all tbe Oriental i lover stuck ■ to his guns with a determination that 'seemed pr..lsewortby. Despite that Brpadwar might give this man the double O. His meaner and his voice have not only tbe quality but tbe exact Intonation of Dlelrlrhsteln himself. THE MAGNANIMOUS LOVER. William Cather .Gustav Blum Jane Cather ...i.....Jane Burr Maggie Cather .Tano Manners Samuel Hlnde ....'.at, Robert wyckoft Henry Hlnde .Allen Nayle Not until the third play was reached did ! SABINE. i.i' (From' the Russian In Yiddish.) The erudite Jamoa Gibbons Huneker once In a summary of Russian art and literature' pointed a critical pep at tbe author of "San- Ine," forthwith going'on record that It ranked with the best among the works of Russian contemporaries. .* Mr. Huneker might have been forced to reserve decision If he had. been unacquainted with the novel and instead witnessed, only the feeble efforts of a Yiddish dramatic stock company to Inject a certain degree of life Into It in the form of a play at tha Second Avenue theatre Monday night. ., . Before considering the-novel from the play standpoint and,-also'for ■ BrosWway.. It may not aeem Inadvisable to record that the novel Instantly established the author, whose heme is pronounced Artz-y-bashef, on the map where all literature offering 'food for' reflection is consum d as avidly as food. In other words, the thinkers of the world- of thought put on their thinking caps and then' took the novel to heart and then to bed, leaving tbe Bickering candle or gas Jet burn- ing Into the wee hours.' Its vtgus outside of Russia, where It was born, was contagious to give It wide circulation In Germany, Eng- land and then, like moat good things. It finally reached, this aide of tbe' Atlantic.'' But as a play one must pause before corny" mending It or even hinting at Its possibilities. ■ Serving perhaps as an Illustration, the dia- log of a scene In the second aot Is recalled... Sanlno, the central character In the piece. Is the guest of a soldier friend. They: adjourn to the card room* and In the course of play the soldier, or rather officer, la called aside by his servant,- who announces a woman visitor. The woman la Sanlne'o sister. As she pleads with the officer for reinstatement. Into the good graces of society through the only means of marriage, her brother overhears the conversation. Later the action of the scene brings on Banlno to comfort his sister, who. like most girls of her age, -contemplates sul- clde as the only moans of wiping out the eternal sin. Sanlne: "Laug.< at it,, Spit at it. (Meaning the Idea of suicide.) He doesn't want ..to marry you. Than the best thing to do is to get rid of the beast Well, what of It7 Ton are well rid of him, and, after all is said and done, his only recommendation was his hand- someness. The fact that you have to become a mother Is a sordid story. People will curse you for It, men will spurn you, women, etc.. etc. You want to drown yourself. Well,, will not your dead form covered with mud still be the object of aa severe casttgatton as It you had lived?" Then he goes on In effect. "The same men that will spurn you are as rcttcn, If not more eo. All men are rotten," he concludes' for the moment. . Later In tho play he soliloquizes' to his friend: "By what law does man demand.that woman come to Him chaste and puref In other words, he offers and almost flings In a few words a truism that has often enough; been turned over In the mind. So mucb of the conversation is enough to Illustrate, possibly, the matter that would try "• 1 ■;:*& • .• ■, ■ :i I . '■ ■ "■ - .-'■•'. ; • I ■;:-... ■i: cs ■*\il M 39 .v.. ■•. m ■ .'.:>:v.? .£:.."■•:• ?<■ v.'" k vLr''... ..;■'