Variety (June 1924)

VAftlETVS LONDON OFFrCE CABLE ADDRESS, VARIETY, LONDON p A R T 17 Q ' 8 St. Martin's Place, Trafalgar Squar* \^ l\ O Ls Mis ^ i 2096-31MI Reg^t , Wednesday, June 4, IS I I I ',Ml INTERNAri ECHANGE OF ACTS NOT SATISFYING ENGUSH TURNS • • •■ • • ' ■ 'I Germans Not Paying Size Salaries Expected l>3r Britons—Five-Piece Jazz Band "Doubling** for $200 Weekly in Berlin Iiondon, June S. The much vaunted outlet for un- employed English variety turns In Germany, through the Interchange of acts agreement between the V. A. F. and I. A. !•., Is not working out as satisfactory for the Britons as they anticipated. Despite the figures shown by the German managers, they are not payr ' Ing big salaries. A British Jazz band of five people was booked for Berlin under an arrangement by wlilch they were to play a vaudeville bouse and then play three hours of dance music at 1200 per week. To make It a little harder, a Ocfr- man International agent recently went to Berlin and asked the local managers there what they wei-e paying for the British acts. Upon being shown the contracts, he swore he could deliver British turns fpr half. The pathetic part of It all is that, owing to conditions )n Bngland, the agen^ probably wasn't very far wrong. SHAW'S PREFACE PADS "SAINT JOAN" BOOK Author Now Writing It—Pub- lishers Have Set Pricer;- May Answer Critics London, June. S. While "Saint Joan" runs at the ?Tew theatre, the time la ripe for the publication of the play. So Constable & Co. think. But Ber- nard Shaw thinks otherwise. The book was announced to come out in the spring, which Is now end- ing. The play Itself Is In type and the proofs have been read by privil- eged eyes. The public Is subscrib- ing for copies In thousands. But the author has Instituted a hold-up. As usual he Is writing a preface and as usual it Is to be a long one. This time, however. It will be excessively long. He Is still writing It Moreover, he doesn't care how long he is on the Job. He in- tends to have his say. Perhaps Shaw is answering in it all the criticisms, not only of "Saint Joan," but of "Back to Methuselah." The price of the volume was flzed at six shlllingrs—a low figure. The publishers evidently thought they could not charge more for one play. They did not bargain for a preface of the length this one Is going to be. When they receive the printer's bill, they'll probably wish they had fixed the price at the usual level. SIMONE AS L'AIGLON Many Candidates for Theatre Sarah Bernhardt Paris, June S. Mme. Simone, for want of a novel- ty, is playing the lead, travesty, in "Li'Alglon" at the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt, the lease of which tempts the millionaire actress, alias Mme. Porchet. There will be a legion of candi- dates for the direction of this play- house If Maurice Bernhardt Is forced out by the municipality (owner of th* property). "EVENING DRESS" SKETCH London, June S. Yesterday at the Coliseum Violet Vanbrugh (English legit) and com- pany appeared in a comedy sketch, "Evening Drees Indlspensible." It la clever and well played. 1898 %AAA/ **** JBOOL WILLIAM MORRIS AOENCT, INC. Fataam Bide 14t3 Breadway, N«w Tork LiAckawBnna CJ40-1 •w Ytrk GklMH Lm Aii«i« UatfM ttt»n LACK OF LONDON TRADE FORCES DOWN RENTS Wembley Expo. Appears Keep Business Dpwn In- stead of Booming It to Liondiori, June t. In spite of the optimistic prophets, the opening of the Briiij^ Empire Exhibition has not resulted'ln good businetM for the theatres In general. It seems rather the reverse. Sev- eral playhouses, instead of being at the usual premium and high rental, may be aecured on fair ahalrlng terms. There is a dearth of tenants, with the oonsequence that pricee axe lower than at any time alnce the war. The Savoy/ for a period renting at $2,500 per week. Is now g^ing at f 1,7 SO. Several tbeatrM are dark. At this time last year every house In town was open. MISS THORNDIKE'S CHOICE Friends Not so Sangume Over "Masses and Men" London, June S. Blrnst Toller's play, "Masses aiid Men," has been produced at a pri- vate performance by. the Stage So- ciety with Sybil Thorndike In the woman's part. The reception accorded was so enthusiastic that Miss Thorndike says she will put the piece up after "Saint Joan" finishes at the New theatre. Her advisers say that t>y doing so she may Imperil some of the profits gathered from ''Saint Joan." ETHEL LEVEY'S JAZZ BAND Warmly Welcomed at Victoria Pal- ace, London—Clumsily Handled London, June S. A British jazz band is assisting Ethel Levey, who opened yesterday at the Victoria Palace. Miss Levey was warmly welcomed back. Another turn Is "Nereid," an Illusion, "creating a woman out of nothing." It looks like a good Illusion, but here la clumsily handled. OZFOED VACANCIES FILLED Lonoon, June S. Vacancies In the directorate of the Oxford Theatre Co. have been filled by the election of R. H. Gil- lespie (Moss') and Charles Gulliver. This company is paying a 10 per cent dividend this year. The successions result from the death of Henry Wills and the seri- ous illness of Joseph Davis. 'GEEAT ADVENTUEE' EEVIVAL London, June 3. The long talked of revival of **The Great Adventure," Arnold Ben- nett's most successful play, will eventuate at the Haymarket, June S. Leslie Faber will play the lead —the part originally done In Lon- don by Henry Ainley. SEARCHINQ FOB THEATRE London, June S. Josephine Victor Is here seeking to close for a theatre In which to produce "Dolly Jordan." Foster-Dolly Cabaret Opens liondon, June 8. The Cafe de Paris has been opened here by Harry Foster and Eddie Dolly as a cabaret with a floor show. Foster has gone to Berlin with a British cabaret show. ; Max Conducting Orchesira London, Jun« 8. Charles Max is now conducting the dance orchestra at the Troca- dero. Until recently he was a part- ntr of Qrock. Belle View Theatre, Niagara Falls, great. Back to the apartment Thursday. Frank Van Hoven, "Ice Man," always busy; always doing a new bit; always a big laflflng hit. Theatre here is a way out from town; ask Gordon "PrOpa" to send you where we stopped. Right across the street; great, some digs. Two a day; a great date. JEAN MIDDLETON FRANK VAN HOVEN Direction EDW. 8. KELLER EI^ JANIS' SHOW LOOKS LKE SUCCESS "Elsie Janis at Home," at Queens, London, with Miss JanIs in Every Act London, June 8. "Elsie JanU At Home" opened last night at the Queens and look like a financial success. The personal triumph for Miss Janls was emphatic. She appeared In each of the turns on what amounts to a really claesy vaude- ville show, besides doing her own specialties. As a whole the Janls show Is slmlliar to the entertainment ebe headed under her own name in the BUtea. In the company are Walter Pald- geon, a baritone, Layton and John- stone, colored comedians. Tiller's Palace Girls and Trevor and Harris, ballroom dancers, all splendidly r^elved. DEWIAND FOR MEMOIRS H. Chance Newton Writing Two ffeete London, May 2t. There la an enormous boom In theatrical reminiscences at the mo- ment. H. Chance Newton Is writ- ing his memories of the stage for one paper and those of vaudeville for another, while a daily Is pub- lishing extracts from the memoirs of Harker, the scenic artist. The memoirs of Sir Charles Haw- trey, entitled "The Truth at Last," will be published In book form In June, having been completed since the actor's death by Somerset Maugham. The title arises from the fact that Hawtrey was gener- ally cast for the part of a humorous liar. REVUE HIT At Ambassadeurs, Paris — Splen- didly PrMiuced Paris, June 8. The Ambassadeurs Revue was warmly welcomed and revealed it- self as being splendidly mounted. It features Chris Richards and Madame N&plerkowsk.a. VOLTEREA IN PARIS Paris, June 3. Leon Volterra has arrived with his wife, accompanied by the Whit- more sisters and several Zlegfeld "Follies" girls who are booked for the forthcoming Casino Revue. In the fall Volterra will return to New York to produce the Casino Revue. AYETON FOE "HASSAN" London, June 3. R«ndle Ryrton has been signed by Charles Dillingham for the title role In "Hassan," to bo produced In New York. The deal was negotiated shortly after the arrival here of the pro- ducer. THREE SIMULTJUiOUS mm IN LONDON, FOR FIRST —' ^.^ « ■•i ,j. ..V Coyent Garden, Carl Ro«a and Brituh National ganizations—^Wagnerian Cycle, 12(^Year Revn and G. and S. Rep. REPLY TO CRITICISM . VEXING FRENCH COURT Court of Appeal Gives Publish- er Right for Deletion, but Question May Be-Passed On Parle, M&y 27. '' The Court of Appeals has not definitely decided whether a pub- lisher must print the entire reply 6f a person criticized In his publica- tion, a« t>rovided by French la^. Another appeal court later may give the climax to the delicate contro- verey. ' It Is the outcome of the long trial between the editor of the "Revue des Deux Mondes" and the authors of "Les Persea" (Silvain and Jon- t .r), translated from the Greek aiid played a few times at the Comedle Francalse. The magazine gave an unfavor- able criticism, to which Silvain took objection and demanded space to ex- plain his views. The publisher, R. Doumic, refused to print all of the Silvain letter, and was sued for that reason (not for libel). The case hap passed through ^11 the French tribunes up to the high- est court, which finally nullified the lower decision, ceding the pub- lisher's right to refuse to Insert the reply to a criticism, but leaving H loophole to bring the case before a special board to be conatltuted. to settle this vexed question once for aJl. London, May Opera prevails In London, an Interval of many years again a season given by the Garden Opera Syndicate. The cycle of Wagnerian dramas constituting the NibeK Ring haa been sung here In man for the first time since' days of poison gas and trench Strauss's "Salome" and "Der _.!, kavalier'' also have been glvil hearing In their native lingo. ' lowing German opera, the syndic will put forward Italian opera In June. Today the Carl Rosa Opera pany starts at the Scala with dello," the 120-year-old oomi tlon of Ludwig von Beethoven. The arrival of a rival comi singing In English occurs at ., Majesty's June 6, when the Brtu National Opera Company will.I •yme. This organization la ^| young and active concern tha^j late years has been serving the 1 with old and new operas. Three simultaneous seasonv,3J grand opera has never before^ curred in London. — In addition to these comi the D'Oyly Carte troupe si at the Prtnco'e.. All the worth-. pieces In the Gilbert aind SulL series, and this is practically^ lot, have recently been revived for short runs, and now for weeks these -eomie operas wt played In rapid repertoire, wi nightly change of bill. LOEW EXPECTED London Visit Will Settle Tivoli Matter London, June 3. Marcus Loew la expected here about June 22, when final plans to purchase the Tivoli will be made and the purchase negotiated. Kr William Jury and Mr. Loew are both interested. The Tivoli plays Metro pictures under an agreement, but it Is ex- pected the plan to take the house over will work to better advantage than the one now In vogue. The complete Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer output wil! be shown in this While Mr. Iioew Is here the com- pletion of the Metro-Goldwyn for- eign distribution arrangements will be made. J. Robert Rubin, the attorney, and probably IiYed Niblo will leave New York with Mr. Loew June 14 on the Leviathan. 7. D. WHLIAHS COMINa Ix>ndon, June 8. J. D. Williams sailed on the Le- viathan today for New York. He said he would have no announce- ment to make concerning his motion picture plans until after his arrival in New York. Williams Is president of Rltz- Carlton Pictures and has a contract with Rodolph Valentino, which is delayed while Valentino completes another picture for Paramount. AFTEE 150 TEAES London, June 3. The next dramatic corpse to be revived by the Phoenix Society is Congreve's comedy, "The Old Bachelor," which has not been seen in London f^r 150 years. The leading parts will be played by Isabel Jeans and William J. Rea. HUTCHISON TOUEING CANADA London, June 3. Percy Hutchison will tour Can- ada In the autumn. He opens with a repertory Including "Bulldog Drummond" and "Brewster's Mil- lions," at Montreal in September. Queen's Cabaret Closes London, June 8. The Queen's Hall cabaret closed last Saturday. lEW FOLtES BERGEEE Paris, Jun« Among the features of LeMarch&nd revue, "Coeurs es lies," scheduled to open at the I Bergere tomorrow night, will troupe of Tiller girls, Jimmy ton and Trixie Andree. DEATHS ABEOAD Auguste Arnault, French Jc ist and playwright, died last . Louis Turbat, French oomedi Mme. Davrigny, French actre_ M. Truyen, director of the Gj naso theatre, Liege, Belgium, killed at Spa, last week, age^ years, in an automobile accidei»£^ Henry Jacquet, artist-painter, Nice, France, aged 68. SAILINGS June 14 (New York^to Loni Marcus Loew, J. Robert Rubin,: Niblo and Mrs. Nlblo (Levlath June 14 (London to New . Frances (3arson (Berengaria). June 4 (New York to Lonrf^ Carmel Myers, Mrs. Anna Mjl Julana Johnstone, Mrs. A. Re*-. Johnstone, Ernest Wolfe, Helmi Goeze, Paul Ehner and Edf Burns, Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Lc Mrs. Margaret Talmadge, John . erson, Anita Loos (Mrs. Emers Edna Ferber and Mrs. Julia Fer. Jeanne Eagles, Max Gabel, Jet Goldstein (Berengaria). June 4 (New York for Londd Jeanne Eagels, Gilbert Miller (j engaria). June 4 (New York to Londfl Jeanne Eagels, Gilbert Miller (1 rengarla). June 4 (New York to Londoi Lowell Sherman (Berengaria). June 3 (London to New York),« D. Williams (Leviathan). June 2 (New York to Queer town), Mrs. Arthur Harris (sist* In-law of Sam H. Harris), R. ' Brlnkerhofr (Republic). June 3 (New York to Berli Maria Sampson, C. Hooper (Cleveland). May 31 (New York to LondC- May Robson, Lillian Harmer (Ml newaska). THE TIIIER SCHOOLS OF DANCING 143 Charing Cross Road LONDON Director, JOHN TILLER,