Variety (Dec 1928)

LEG IT IMA T E Wednesday, December 5, 1928 Plays on Broadway AGE OF INNOCENCE Gilbert Miller sUra Kntharine CornfH In Mai-Buret Ayer Barnes" play, dianiallzeil from Kdlth Wliartnii'p novel oC the s:inie Tinme; strtBed by. Oiithrle MoClintlc.^ Set- tings and co.siumea by Gcrtrudft Isowell. In Ave scenes (or acts), opening Nov, 27 at tbe Empire,. New York. „ , Alice. Fiirdyoe. '..-.r. .. .Mnrparpt Barker Toin Harallion, .■.•..:.>■...:...•.;.Henry Richard I.uoy Dunne,........ ... Jean Howard Harry Delancy ;.. .Stanley. Gllkoy Slllerton Ja'ck.'fon,. . .William Poilmore Jepsie Lefrerts... No»a Stlrl nir Mrs. Henry Van Der T^uyden,.Isabel IrylnR Mrs, Manson Mlnpolt. ...Ivatharlne .?tewari Mr. Henry Vaii Der r:,nyden.,Frai'.er Coulter .J,ullus Beaufort.. ... . Arnold KorlT ^tay. Van per l.uyden....... .., .tden Gray • Newland Archer..,... ........ .Uollo ^Peters Countess Olen.ska........ Katharine .Cornell The Duke of St. Ausirey... .I'eler 5-pencer Ana-sta-sla ,..... ... • .• .Glannlna GattI Stephen I.etterblalr. .\lbert. TaN-ernler Carlos Saramonle . .Bdouard I;.a itootie jen.n .-. ..i'lerre Soupault Newlaiii'Arclier, .Tr.,. • -v^'^ranohot . Tone Under auspicious sponsonShip and with a brilliant stai-, JCatliarino Cor- nell's newest at the Empire is a dreary play. Not even the^stai's. lierformance, the authentic .Gilbert Miller investiture nor. the sterlin.g Kupportlner cast's pi-e-sentation can offset the dullness of the evening. It is patent ..that Mr.s, Edith Whartoh'.s novel 0f the same .namo might hftve been interesting . rcafl- Ihfr, but ias dramatic stuff, whether Margraret Ayer: Barnes or another dramatist handled it, there is much lacking. - . A play of thei '70s., during Hons. Tweed's regime in Kew York, it i.s a chirming contemporary study for a lifnited lime, but once;the period import' has . f?otteh: over,. the pliiy develops into familiar stuff. The Countess Olcnska .(Atiss Coi'- nell), being the int<>resting char- acter she is, and RollO Peters, the legal enthusiast lie is characterized to be, the central character.^ dcvolop a familiar thome obviously and familiarly. Not even a .twist or a quirk of plot relieves- the promise. Nor does the sophiat.icated playgoer need more than those, program' aiv- notationa of a chairacter such , as Newland Archer, Jr., arid the final .sceftie 40 yearjg later in the Countess' ]-arisian apartment, to coincide with tbe surmise that the ■ promising young barrister will rerhain faithful to his (doniestic obligations arid the titled, heroine to her expressed code of honor. • Miss Cornell is excel lent in her role and Arnold Kprff, ip a tender scene with the star, scored rousr ingly, Peters ais the principal sym pathetic male character was satl.-? factory and the rest of the cast was equally worthyi , The play is In five scenes,- each a short act, with corresponding in- termiissions. Action transpires from 1870 until\40 years later. The last act has the 32-iyear-old barrister of the play's cpoAilng the spryest 72- year-old at the end of the play. All Peters did was annex a cane and stoop a little, but'otherwise, presen an.unconvincing physical picture of septugeriarlanism, "The Age of Innocence" is by no means, a satisfying play and. Its talkiness makes for aiduU evcning . Ahrl marry another. Kim never know's until later that a; son is born of their rolatlon.ship. Thi-Linh readily aerees to be- come the mistress of. a Frenehman who Is visiting the land to get .at- riiosphere for a new novel. Their two years togcthoi' is companionable and agreeable to both. Then off he goes, back to Paris. A. young captain is her nextv . This fellow ha.s taken to the pipe and.ls afraid when his regiment Is recalled to France to enter the World War. " The middle .aged colonel takes Thi-Llnli to himself. She is quite a lady in Pari.s frock.s and iriiposing home. The old boy is jealou.s and makes accusations when he comos upon Thi-Linh and her son, now 17, As the colonel threatens them with a revolver; the boy crashes, a. heavy vase, on his head and the old boy pa.sses out'.. Thl-Liirih ha^-planned to .return to her jungle w.ith Kim but the. chiirgp of murder is to be faced. She lios o the commandant to proteot lier boy, The commandant agree.s to ac- rept her story that, the colonel had alien find fractured his.skull, sug- gesting she repair to his bungalow. And so Thi-Linh's dream of. escap- ng the life of one man aCtej; an- other end.s. . '. Helen •Menken etches.- a, fine pic- ture of th 0. 1.1 alC • breed gir 1 Th 1-1,in 1 v. UipproSised in the early scenes, sue reaches impassioned '.heights .at the .•lose,of the second act. Miss Men- ken's pcrfp.i'mance is a progi'essive one. Pitch and ..playing become igher as the play proceeds, then shade' off at the finale, a woman fesigned. It seenied , the' proper, f.oiich and one of the ppihts in thb i)'eclioii of lloubeh. Mam.pulian. . In a cast of hiany nixrnes, Ara f'tuviUl, stood . out. in the guise of Thi-I.iinh's girl friend, - Nahetto, a cal hussy whP finally grabs her- self' a ship captain ancl . s;iils for Paris. There she Is to have a-house iind, as she.explains-it, the.best part of' it Is that the captain',won't bo iiome rnuch. A familiar name in the cast is yaleriP Bergore, former vaudeville and stock, star. She ,is very good as- Thi-Lih.h's ! house- keeper and counsellor. Felix.Ki-pmbs is the, porspiririg colonel, one of Tlii's lovers, looking the part arid playing It well. The curious .Oriental music by natives, sonie of whom are real,-and a Senegalese dancer.' added to the settings a.nd lights, go to create a .striking picture of the far awa^? land.. . : That allure, the topic of the. pla>' and its strangeness, should make "Cpngal" a success. Ihee. Mantle's Id Best Burns Mantle's annual selec- tion of the season's 10 best plays has again made its ap- pearance In book forrii,. pub- h.shed by Dodd, Mead & Co; Eight of the plays In the cur- rent volume titled "Best Plays of 1927-28," are by native playr wriehts with "Strange Inter- lude;" - "Coqiiotte" and. "The Royal Faniily" heading the list. Book contains a complete record of - the., legit season in New York, listing the failures and the successes; A new de- parture in the coiriplia-tipn of these annual voluhies by the critic of the New 'Sfork Dally News Is a review of the season on the West Coast, where the number of legit (stock) the- ti;e^ has doubled in the past few years, mainly thrpugh the efforts of Henry Duffy. Plays Out of Town NOBODY'S GIRL " Chicago, Nov. 28. OperetU In-, three, .part.3, P'-f f Ad-art Producing CO., Inc.; lyrics by Guh Kahn and Kav B Kat'an. tOi mU^c by Wll; Hum onmann;. bi>ok by John- K. Youns, ■book ';!bd'^^\.n>bers:^ •ife^J'^ ^^'Ss'' L.'-Ct\\ Ich and Hu.sby Berkeley. At Maje-s- Hc. Chlcaiso, Nov. Auctioneer,; . - • • Farmer, • ..•■.' .Vifam Hiivelka........ .\I a re Ka.i In ;';rundel .'. .. ..-... • • Joseph . Novak (known CONGAI Drama In three iicls and sl.v scene.", prc- s.-ntcd by Sam H. Harris tU ihe Jlanis tliCiitre Nov. 27; written by Hari'y Ifervey and' C'arlcton Hlldreih, luiscd on )Iei'voy'.s nipv'v); slatjcd by Rouben MartiouUan; Helen Menken featured. . NEW AMERICANA . Kevue In . two parts. Pre.sentcil at \ihe l-iberty Nov. 2!). Sketches by J. P. Mc- lOvoy -and Bugn- Itaer. . Score by llogev VVolfe Kahn. Lyrics by' Irvlnir. Caesar, libretto staged by A. Seymour Brown. LL-iiic'cj directed by Uussell Alark'ert; • Featured: Julius Tanncn, . Ula .Sharon I'arl UandaU. Tommy (Bozo) Snvder. l''i«nces Shelley, Virginia Katson and AVil- llams Sisters. 'ALSO In cast: Douglds Burley, Mary Stau- bor, Henry Mershon. James Lorher, .Tom liurton. t'Jordon X^ennelt,. Henry Gi-nnert, Arthur ]3owes, Kred Goodwin, Hen Davisi, Hilward Itauth, Allen Reeves, Julius-I'.eh- rendt, ■ Dorotliy Johnson, Alice Swan.-ion, .\rnriha I'etei'son, Kay Wood, Dorothy Coul- ter. Atld naveile, Betty Holmes, Dorolh,.- liacon. riam Green. ; Thl-IJnh... Kim KhOiinn Mama Thl-Uao -Annanillc Woman...... .'^hopUeeper. Pir.st li'rench Soulier.. i-'ccond Krcnch f>oldler. Father Mohry -.... Cambodlrin Dancer .... .Native Soldier Laotian. t«<rl....,-, Kirst Strodt Woman. .....Helen Menken .,. .Thondiire llcchi. ....; Vera tJ. Hurst .'.. , Josephine NVebn (^mnllle Ijanlor .... ;Wllllnm I.loren . .TlolnM-t Toms .....John T. Dwyer -., .Helen Kim M. AkI .... .l^alhi'Vine Taylor . .,; .tllanchc Collins Second Street Wdman ..-... HlKh Priest.. Col. Upben Chauvll.. Jiuttln Bntteur,....'. .., , Capt. I'aul Lebri.-^son. ■House Boy., , : N infLle.....; Thao ..,.. .■. .,..<..... Ordoily I leiit. 'LttverRtie..... Jlajor de Hri!»H!ic.. . . 't'he Governor. ......, Major Mlchaud,,.... r.-ipt,- Baudoln. I.leiit Karcher , Quycn,. •— Native Secretary ..... . Kareiia Hnze. .Mars-hnll :de Sllva , Felix Krembs .;Charles TrowbrldKe '. >. . . .Maiirii'e Durlto . . i.. 1. .Frank drSllvii .......... .\rn fleralil .Valerie Un-K'eri .M. Akl ...... .Harry Xeisim ...". .. .Hiuold .Woolf .11. .Dudley Uawiey ...;.... .llobtrt Tom.s ..William Bouen ..,.... 'umes ' Pall. ...... Alan (.'ampbel .;. W. W. J-'lneh "Congai" has something of an edge in its title, a torin of a strange •land—Indb-China. Asjiatic posses sion of the French, It has color • - jplenty of it. As .fov drama, that is subdi'ied. If the play was intended to prove. anything. It Is that, a .courte.=5an ia juat a courtesan. Fem- inine draw Indicated. Vivid pictures of the Far lOastorn land In the tropics seemed quite authentic and also the characters. „ Those fact ors phis _thie pace nuisjt^ take the i)lace 61' actloli, Tor ^'Con- gai" is principally convei-sational. The author blames the French soldiers of occupation for immoral- ity among the native, girls, known as congat. IJut Thi-Linh. the hero- ine,-is not iriclin.cd to follow the path of her mother, though she Is an PJurasian. her father having been French: WUe most of thd other men of his kind, he went back to I»aris. Thi-Jjinh h.ad been in love with Kim, a native youth, but be- cause of caste the boy la forced to J. P, 'McTOvoy, humorist and lyri- I'ist, the man who wrote the -novo'. ■Show Girl"; the follow whohie skits u "The Comic Supplement'' lat'-r formed the nucleus of' a -I'Follies," md: the guy wrhbsfe first "Ameri- cana" crashed him into shoW busi- ne.s.s, tried to be^jcorno . producer as well when he offered a new "Ameri- cana" at the :Mans.rield.Oct. 30. Thf troupe lasted five days, Mao's tcm- poraniont bumping into the ideas of those interested .with him - Don C. Voorhoos, orchestra loador, was n;ime<l as head of the corpora- tion which toc)k over the revue, now c.'illod "Now Americana," reopen in? at tlie.Li-l)(>rty Xov.-.2!). Roger. Wolfe K'ahri, whose tunes lightened tlu- show, is said to be mainly interested. It is his orcho.<tra:that :Voorhoos !.•< .(•o'riducting in the pit: Mariy cliahgo.-j In east and sketches have not im- proved, the show. In fact; In the prc.sont fdi'm it seemed considerablv slowed up. In- its original version "Arriefi- cnna" \yas a sort of white arid blaciv revue. J. Kosamond Johnson wab head of the colored singing section, and there was a sable set of pony steppers. All the colored players are out of the revised revue. The MclCvoy show as was had jilonty of ideas.and novelties, no lit- tle portion having been thrown out. Btigs Baer : was supposed to have written in. new material, but oth.er than the program credit Bugs does not figure at all. He walked out be fore it went to Springfield for three days^l>rii5i^"temho-=-i3ihmy'^DPT'ninirr iind it is doubtful If any of Bug'-?' stuff is being used. To strengthen the comedy, Bozo .Snyder, from burlo.-^'iue, wiis on- gaged. That idea fiivvod, Pnyilev, with Sain Green stralghtin.g, ap- peared in a number of 9kotch'\s atiii bits, mostly ftimiliar and uastiitabl.e for a $5,50 Broadway show. There was the paper-hanging bit plus the ines.'^y paste. It got some snickers, but another antii'iue, the piano inov ors, nothing. They had Bozo next to (.losing in a trombone solo; not goou there. With Snyder present are. two paritomirpic comics. One, Dougla.-< Burley, is retained from the original cast. ■ Ula Sharon, she oi the twinklii:^ toes', was used principally in thc- jhst part, when two toe numberr were too close together^ ^ "Rainbow s I'hid," a sort: of ballet, was tedious perhaps wrongly spotted. • Later in something .calle(j a : Tartdr legeri.i. which didn't click, . Carl Randall and that sweet Vir- ginia AVatson worked together in several numbers and delivered. This couple, with Miss Sharon, did much with "Life Is a Twosome," th( show's hit nliriaber. Fi-ances Shol- le.v, of "Rain or Shine" until she met witii an auto accident last sunimer, singled with "He's Mine;" anothei: ^ood tune, and also with a, ditty with her own guitJLr accompanin|ieni Lrttter niimbev not as-attractive as some Miss Shelley formerly warbled to the night club crowds. The Williams Sisters,. retained from the original show, capered cleverly, as they always do, and pepped the show rnore thin any of the others. Two of their numbers are Ivriced a:hd. titled^unuaually (by Irving Caesar). One Is "Ameri-Can- Can," the finale of the first part, and the other Is "Hot Pants," coming at the clo.se and with the Markert dancers assisting. Hannah Williams soloed with "Wild Oat Joe" in the second section and With chorus background, supplied a lively inter- lude. - .' Julius Tannen Is the principal featured player In the new line-up, entrancing now and then In one during the performance to comnrient on currerit events and the show. Only once did he approach a mono- log In length of delivery, and on th^ whole did well. The satire arid burlesque of "Americana" ran along lines of ra- dio, talking pictures, taxis, . Chicago and the stage. Much of the radio portion Is out, as are the dummies that arose from a trap. The picture talker bit Is fairly anausing, the Chicago bit has been changed, ditto, while the taxi driver number, with eight male faces appearing through licenses, enlarged replicas of those on the inside of taxis, retaining the queer names of the drivers, seems the best of the Kahn-Caeser humor- ous numbers. It Is called "Remem- ber the Face of Your Driver." They try to make a dame; there Is trouble with a:Sunday driver, and finally a cop bawls them. A burlesque on "Strange Inter- lude," with the'characters on skates, fair. An impression of Roxy's, with the ovcrfiow crowd restrained by ropes, very good. It Was part of a subvvay scene.which came first, but till? "Frrrnkle -and CTDhnhy'' :bit," thi- best of that scene, is out. The blacl< l)6ttlc bit is out, as it should hav-^ been. Kahn's orchestra arid Voorhocs scored after intermission, soloist:= being spotlighted. But If "New. Americana" attempt- ed to retain the best features of. the original show, then it was hot there, nor Is the revue as it lis now. Ibee. , . . .Val Nlerlo ...... Kinii.Herrold ... i,.'.... John Park ... .pvelyri' Darville ,.; . .Kulalle Young, as Nobody)..,. .• - Joseph McridSlson ■ -.... .-lise -MoirvehBa. ./..John E. .Young Bay X,arkin .....Nanette Flack .. .George E. 'Mack . Paul Kleman ... . . .• .Roy Cropper .%.. •%Lou's Ephraim .............Walter Palm Charles Wines ....... .Jean Armstrong ........;.... .George ' Hall .......William C. Gordon .....Tom Burkv HiMen Allan. Hllder Fry- berff. Jean Dletier, Agatha, X>6wd, Eliz- abeth ilorton, Gloria Donnelly, Susanm; Richmond. Beth Renard, Helen Drnl- trieft. Gene. Armstrong, Polly Cfistleton.. Mildred MIddleton, Nina Rbmanog, Marv Lee Weaver, -.Shirley Carleton, Bessie Kerwan, Peffgy ..Glsh, . Mae- Stillman, -- Sal!y. Kenedy. . ' nbys;—J<ihn. Collins, Charles Reed, Klng- Herrold, Jalmer Johnson,' Louis RosOfC, ('harlen Wines. Dick Tjfear, Ray Liirkin, •Louis Ephraim. Val Nierle. J.eo NIerle,. Jack Walton, Lome Grant, Henry Mee- htkn, ■ ,.: , Ula Novak...... JImmie Crow.... Footman... :..'. Eleiinor Npvak., Baron' von Bruck ."Wax Muii'z... t. .. Roy El von .,.' Han» Krau.sie. Jacob Selilitz Ka'rel... . Josephine..... IJiitler.. . .'.^., Peter.......,, l-'olIceman..... Giil.s—Peasants: Under more favorable, conditions there might be a chance for; this breezy, unpretentious little operetta; Several good tunes, standardly reli- able plot,- and capable performers. John E. Young, who wrote the; book, appears also in the comedy role of an American doing his Yankee stuff on foreign, soil. His handliiig of the part, i.s in direct appeal to the whole- some type of thoatregoer.fpund west of the eaist.. Roy Cropper is a tal- ohted young lead. Oppcsite him i.*? [l.se Marvenga, with good voice and a knack of being sweet.. . . For love theme there's the da.iigh- tei- iibout to be -sent to a. Cohvent and then married (6 a baron by her socially ahibitious mother, but la,ter rescued by her exiled father and the good-looking true love. The singing chorus of. girls arid boys is fair in voice and .soriiewha* short on looks. Playing second comedy to Young is Etilalie Young as a pea.sant girl with a. strong weakness for men. Girls are covered in colorful and bountiful costumes to fit the Slav setting. Townsend and 3bld. ballrodm dancers, .supply three good interludes. This prdductibn played some of the smaller standis before making' Its first big city'showing here. Its best opportunities are in that field. Young is a great pomic with the right audi- ence, and will do much for the show in the family spots. Bing. CAFE~DE^ANSE Hartford, Conn., Dec. 1. Adapted by Clarke Sllverhall, Helene ..Mitchell and Eugenie Leontovitch from the Frencli play, ."Le Maiaon de Danse," .by Charles MuUef and Pierre Nozie'r. Starred by Gregory Ratoff. Dances arranged by Anatole Bourman. Presented by Ben Bernie and Phil Baker at Parsons theatre, Dec. I reducing this new drama, "Cafe de IJanco," reported as having been a rcjat success on the Continent as Le Malson de Danse." This is their nltla-l vehture as producer^ and their first flop. Jako Shubert was p for the local openirig and may have some coin in the piece. It's .a play of the Spa,nlsh nltd clubs, a sort of Andalusla,n "Broad- way," except that women ln.stea(j of liquor head the bill, Trinf was featured In the early billing, but 'a not in the cast. One set is used throughout the three acts, the in- terior of a .third rate club in Bar- celona. •. . Show opens with the floor show flopping for want.of a star. Seems that the proprietress is ari ex-tango queen.who trains the kids only to have the comers skip for Paris. The . • dame has a son, a gbod-for-hothing whose only thought is women, arid the requirement to qualify as a darf- cer at the club is. t6 spend the night in liis room. The old lady loves' him so much that she frames the girls for hirii. Along comes a kitchen wench who hl-hats him for a. dan- cer. The girl Is nuts for dancing, and the heavy persuades her that if she gives in he'll make .her a head- liner. : The kid falls for it; but oh the openirig night the son meets. one of his former sWeetieSi who knifes him, and the kid faints in the arrns of her one arid dniy.. Not much to the Story, nor do the . attempts at broad lines, about dad- dies, beds and Working after hours carry - .very. far. Casting ..is. poor, hardly a part fitting; A few dances ire no rave, and Berriie's Seville orGhestra is a four-piece ensemble-^: violin, 'cello, accordion and guitar. Leonard Ceele.V, from .operetta, • plays the heavy, and has a coiiple of vocal humbersi Marian Draper Is the slavey who would sacrifice her purity for. art and doesn't.cpn- vince. As a Sparilah .Guinari Bev- erly. Sitgreives does well, arid Mary Robinson does well by the: discarded dame.. Sherling Oliver makes a nice juvenile, and the . remainder of the cast, with the exception, of Gregory Ratoff, just about gets by. Ratoff plays a sugar papa to perfiectl^n and also staged the. show. : Myrtle Clark Is played up through two acts as the toas.t of Paris, but fails to show hiuch on the floor. Bern le and Bal;gr have got some-, thing else to worry about besidea their golf. ^ierts. Chico. Lottery Seller.. lOstrella.. Concha......... Tomasa '. Trinidad-. .\mpara. , ilamon. LUIslto,, ISlena. ,. . ,. Mercedes,... -,., Rosltta Lollia .'.. . The Guitarist.. I'eili-o. . Dolores. Rinklem.m. , .Pierre Marl .Marie LaVern ......,Marian Draper ,, i, .'... Mary Robinson ,. ..Beverly Sltgreave.'? .......Minnie Stanley ......... iHObel Vernon .....'. .Leonard Ceeley .Sherling Oliver ........Eileen Culshaw F.laine Arde .'. - .Poarl Ramo ..... .Anette Guerlaln ..........Bert Melville ,'..... .V.... Natan Sack ......v.. . .Myrtle Clan .Gregory Ratoff IJen Bernle's Seville Orchestra, Ben Berriie and Phil Baker ar Cast Changes Katherlne Carrlngtori out of "Lit- tle Accident," with Edith Van Cileye supplanting. Julian Noa succeeded Jeff Galne* In "NIte Hostess." G«rtrude Saunders out and Har- riett Calloway arid Jessie Zakeray iri,. "Blackbirds" In Boston. Elsie Gilbert replacing Gypsy Burn^ in. "jlist a Minute." Pool Buys "Skidding" The picture rights and 30 per cent of the stock in "Skidding" have been sold to a group of jTew York men who pooled $10,500 to make the buy. ' ; American Plays in Germany ' Send Manuscripts to FHl.IX IILOCU liKliEN Berlin, 'W^ilniersdort 1 Renames Show "The Barn/V which George M. Cohan has In rehearsal, has been I'C- captioned "Granite." It opens at the Apollo, Atlantic City, Dec. 24. After two weeks in Philadelphia the show comes into New York. j^yShool sf fbe^he aire PASADENA COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE ASSOCIATION Cor\pliita covjrs* ir\ ^11 Driktt\.Tk1-ic Arts ^iven ir\ reflsjl^r prod\jcli\?J tKentre under cot\ditio^s renvJirzd h> cortsmerclaUKeatres, itT^ga reKe-hrjiilj <it>.\\y- CILMOR BROWN, Jvjpervijirxg Dir&ctor. Write.toCHARLES F.PRICKETT, Bui- M^r. J9 SOUTH EL MOHNO AV E . . PASA BEN A , C A LIF O R Nl A . EVELYN HO "GOOD NEWS"—LONDON