New York Clipper (Apr 1923)

14 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER April 11, 1923 "CINDERS," NEW ROYCE MUSICAL COMEDY, IS TUNEFUL "CINDEKS," a musical comedy m two Acts. Hook aad lyrta b, Edmrk Oaik, m.iuic by Rndoipb Frinil. Produced ai the Dresden Thatre, Tuoday evening, April 4. CAST Tinir Olien Qoeaie Smith Slim Kelly Fred HiUebiud Cinders Nancy Wclford John Winthrop W. Dooglas Stcrenson Urm. Horatic WinthiDp....Margaret Dale Major Drummond '.John H. Bretfcr Mr. DdanecT Hort Roberta Bcatty GcnldlnCr Macy Lticaa Bntlcr TliGlllas Fitzpatrick Great Scott Ceoise Baocioft Miss Breckenridge Lillian Lee Mm& Dural Edith Campbell-Walker Tottie Kitty Kdly Lottie Eatdle Lerelle HortenK Alia King AmubcUe Diana Stegman Ualhilde .Dagmar Oakland Jnlie Erdyn Darrille Ymte Elaine Ghokon Ninette Eden Gny Cecelia Vera de Wolfe Simcne I^uise Uateman "THE CROOKED SQUAKE" CLOSING Sam Shipman's play "The Crooked Square" _ which Mrs. Henry B. Harris is now presenting at the Prmcess Theatre, Chicago, will conclude its engagement at that house on Saturday and close for the season. With its present cast headed by Constance Binncy the play is scheduled to open at the Hudson Theatre oa Labor .JDay, providing that George M.' Cohan's "So This Is London" vacates the theatre by that time. MARWICK BACK WITH "ELSIE" Irene Marwick who placed the title role in John Jay Scholl's "Elsie" on tour resumed her place in the cast at the Vanderbilt Theatre last Wednesday night 'She replaced Margaret Zender who originally took her place for the New York run of the play. The problem as to what to do with the former home of Ziegfeld's "Midnite Frolic" has been -saccessfully solved and a finely .buHt theatre^ now called the Dresden, oc- cupies the former roof garden of the New Amsterdam. "Cinders/' the first production to be put on at the new house is Edward Royce's second ptodutti on, a finely staged, beau- tifully , costumed musical comedy with a score by Rtidolph Friml which is brimful of pleasing melodies, channingly orches- trated asd sung by a cast whicn while far from being strong vocally at least have the ability to handle Ae English language .in a 'way which permits the audience to ' know wbat the lyrics are about The story, of the Cinderella type, tells of a poor kttli shop girl, .who, told to de- liver a gown to one of the store's customers that wanted to attend a dance that night, fails to do so and having the gown on her '{lands decides to wear it and attend the ballherseli Her appearaoce at the affair is a big 'Success and John Winthrop, son of the hostess falls in love 'with her. One of the features of the affair is the appearance of a magician who with his partner plans to take^ and hide the jewels of several of die guests and then at the dramatic mo- mtnt rettim diem. He hides than in a flowerpot but the shop girl hiding in the room sees him and believing him to be a thief takes them. The discovery of the loss of the jewels, the disappearance of the girl in the confusion, the return of the iewds sewed in the_ gown -which is de- livered the next day, its return by the pur- chaser on account of the late deliveiy and faer frantic seardi for it when she learns of the jewels furnishes tiie story and some comedy situations, too thin and far apart to satisfy. Nancy Welford, dattghter of the come- dian Dallas Welford, is the new star, and although a short appearance in vauilt^lle, a comparitively small part in "Orange Btoasoms" covers her stage experience,_she did'some remarkably fine work. She sings pleasingly, is of fine appearance and has a rwaniwT ' of simplicity and diarm that is ddightfol. Fred Hillebrand is responsible for most of the lau^s in the piece 'which icome too sddom due to the hnes rather than any ' lade on his jpart. Qneone Smkh. former ballet dancer, is now a full-fledf^ed doniedienne. and does '-with a part whidi gives lier bx too few owui lun Stiea tor she is really idever. ' Uaigaiet Dale is excellent' and oAeia ■iii die'cast (Ed irdL A'review of the '■how woold not'be eatinletfe 'Wid^bnt ihen- tlaa of VidDr ^ Batav alB." w<iq direcla .^e Qf^hcstza sod fiimidics a nmsical tteaf WOODS TO DO "THE MISSION" Al. H. Woods has accepted a new play, "The Mission," from Ethelbert Jones, its author, and will be^ casting this week for a production of it late in April. The play is said to be along the line of Chan- nmg Pollock's "The Fool." "DICE OF THE GODS," WITH MRS. FISKE, IS REAL THRILLER "THE DICE OF THE GODS," a jJay in tfarce acta, by Ullian Barrett, starring HriL Fiske and piuented by H. H. Frazee at the National Theatre, April S. CAST John Henderaon Donald Carasoa Budanan Laurence Harry Sttibbs Koger Canby.., Robert Strange Dr. Boiry Arnold Joseph Macaulay Faracns.. Roy Cochrane Charles \ Francia Sadller Gioaeppi Alfano France Bcndtscn Mr. ScUiTan WiUiam T. Clark Michele Rodolfo Badaloni Pasquale Virginia Smith ; GioTaoni WiUiam Lambert Salvatore Frederick Scott Patricia Baird ("Faddy") lira. Fiske Charlotte Baiid Emita Lucelles Dolly I.aurence Ilden Jackson Suzanne .................Qdia Benjamin Ell^e Evelyn Orton Mary UcCafferty Maggie Weston Francesca Enntce 0:ibome Maria Caterina Banme Beatrice Henrietta Jordan Lucia ..Nera Badalcni Throu^ all die weak spots and the drali- ness of "The I>'ce of the Gods" the fine acting of Mrs. Fiske stands out as a thing of b^uty, a perfect bit of histrionic work. She plays the uncomfortable role of Patri- cia Paddy" Baird, formerly a Warren of Warrenton, Virginia, one of the War- rens, She becomes addicted to morphine and drags herself and those afbout her down from afiBiience and position to the very dregs. She schemes and lies and steals to^ get monev for the drug but does it all with such cnatming -wit and gaiety ttiat those who know her love her. It is remarlcafble to see her keep the love and respect of the Italian peasant folk who serve her. while stealing from them and the audience is put in quite the same mood as her servants. Finally, realizing that she has reached the end of her rope and that she is only in the 'way, she takes an over- dose of morphine, contriving to make it look nnlike suicide, pulls the blanket over her fece and dies. A happy ending be- tween the daughter and her artist love is tadced on as a sop to the andiences who 'irant tliat sort of thing but it is really un- necessary and spoils the. effect of the play as '"Faddy" has enlisted the sympathies of .the audience from the start The play is well produced and .capably faaiidled, the best w;ork outside of the sap^i^ V e if o iu i lu ice of. Mrs, Jlske, being doocf by^jtirry SttJblii aiid Ertuta LdsiCdles. "ELSIE" TUNEFUL MUSICAL COMEDY AT VANDERBILT "ELSIE" a musical 'comedy in three acts by Charles W. Bell with rouaie and lyrics by Carlo and Sanders and Sissle and Blake, suced by Edgar MacGregor with dances by Walter Brooks and Bert French, and presented at the Vanderbilt Tbealre by John Jay School, April 2, 1923. CAST Margery Hammond '. ..Luella Gear Fred Blakely Sunley Ridges Anne Westford Ada Meade .^IGe Westford John Arthur Mrs. PbiJip Hammond Maude Turner Gordon Philip Hammond Frederic Burt Elsie Marguerite Zender Irma Irma Marwick Harry Hammond Vinton Freedley Parker William Cameron Julie Opal Hixson Vivienne Nell Ames Maureen Elyne 'Vselle Esme Helen Doty "Elsie" is a light show, with a bubble plot, frothy costumes and gentle comedy. Although "Elsie" is the leading lady in the play, an ex-musical comedy leading lady at that, it is to Luella Gear and Stanley Ridges that the principal honors go. Most of these honors are piled up in a song "Bab^ Buntinp;" that in itself is nothing, bitt IS made into something quaint cute, charming and altogether remarkable by the verve, zest and interpretation these two performers give it To our mind "Baby Bunting" is fifty per cent of the show: Of course the author has given "Elsie" a plot Not enough of a plot it is true, to keep it out of the musical comedy class, but a plot nevertheless. Harry Hammond, the lily of the exclusive Hammond family, eloped with "Elsie," a musical comedy fa- vorite, his proud parents learning of the catastroi>he through the dailies. The en- tire family are furious. Harry unwisely brings the wife home. The family vow to get rid of her and Fred Blakely, fiance of Marger>- Hammond, tells them the best way to do this is to keep her with them, surround her -with men, and send 'Harry away, trusting to the call of the stage to make her kick over the traces and get a divorce. The plan fails inasmuch as all the men of the household, from the austere Hammond to the gay Blakely and hen- pecked Alfie Westford fall for "Elsie" like a ton of bricks, and making the female contingent anxious to get rid of her even to the extent of countenancing her mar- riage to Harry. Of course it works out all right in the third act and the curtain goes down on a hapiry family with the chorus girl friends of "Elsie" draping themselves over the. furniture of the Ham- mond home just as if they didn't know that the chorus girls don't hang around much 'with the female prindpals off-stage. Maude Turner Gordon works well in the part of Mrs. Philip Hammond and Frederic Burt does well with the part of her hus- band. Marguerite Zender, as "Elsie" has what is known as a "cnte" part, but man- ages to sing nicely, and Vmton Freedley plays Harry Hammond in correct music^ comedy style. But Luella Gar, somdiow reminiscent of Qiarlotte Greoiwood, but but a good deal of originality, walks away -with' the show, ably assisted and abetted by Stanley Ridges. Layman and Kling do a fine whirlwind dance but the choriis work is neat but negligible. Outside of "Baby Bunting" the songs we liked best 'were "Honeymoon Home," "Two Lips Are Roses," and "One Day in May." There are sixteen musical numbers in all, most of them tuneful but none of them "different" DREW ASSISTING IN DIRECTING John Drew was called in by Augustus Thomas, executive secretary of the Pro- ducing Managers' Association, on Monday ' to assist Robert Milton in the directing and staging of "As You Like It," the first of- fering of the National American Theatre, which is being sponsored by the Produc- ing Managers' Association. "IF WINTER COMES," FAMOUS NOVEL, MAKES ENTERTAINING SHOW "IF WI.NTER COMES." by A. M. S. Hutchinson ;ind D. McDonald Hastings, produced at (he Gaiety Theatre by Charles Dillingham, on Monday evening, AprQ .2.* CAST Mrs. Sabre Mable Tcrry-Lcwia Rebecca Jinks Gladys Burgess Major Millet Eclilin Gayer I^er. Sebastian Fortune.... Henry Morrell Mr. Twyninf* Edgar Kerns Mark Sabre Cyril Maude Harrold Twyning B.'^yd Clark Eftie Bright Peggy Rush Mr. Briebt Edmund Gumey Lady Tybar Lydia Bilbrooke Sarah Jinks Audrey Cameron A Coroner F. Gatenby Bdl A Solicitor Herbert Ranson A Chemist George Tawde Coroner's Officer Frank Howoon A Girl Clerk Eva McRoberta Oakea and De Lear joined the cast of "Minnie and Me," starring Mitzi, in Stamford last week. Cyril iMaude, undoubtedly best remem- bered by American audiences for his "Grumpy" of a past decade, was restored to the metropolitan "boards" at the Gaiety Theatre last Monday evening as the central character of "If Winter Comes," a dra- matization of the widely read novel. From the outset it may well be said that Maude's portrait of Mark Sabre is effectual and will do more to restore the finlshtxt star ■to the high esteem of the better class of American playgoers precipitated by his rcrnarkable "Grumpy." A dissertation or comi»rison of Maude in both roles is quite inviting and tempting, but as it would consume much space, we shall pass on to the merits of the latter performance. In adapting the story for the stage much of the novel has been dispensed with and in several instances the homely touches have given way to situations purdy the- atrical. Nevertheless, the play makes great entertainment and should enjoy a popular vogue. It begins just after Mark Sabre enlists for battle and represents him in his sun- nier mood. It entirely obliterates any sug- ' question of the namby-pamby Samaritan with a penchant for bungling affairs, but rather puts him forth as a jovial old scout ha'ving a jolly time of it while serving his crown and country. Later he is revealed within the home circle as the protector of a young woman who has loved too well. His interest is misconstrued by the wife, who is backed up by the father of the girl, in suspecting that Sabre is the man in the case. After a succession of turbulent scenes the wife leaves him. He is broken and bowed, yet determined to offer shelter to the young womaiL The latter appreciating his posi- tion embraces suicide to solve the pr<A>lem. But instead, he is accused of the crime. However, everything is ironed out be- fore the final curtain. The identity of the betrayer is made known, but shielded by Sabre inasmuch as tiie youth gave his life to his flag on the battlefield His wife returns and sees him in a new light The curtain descoids with both planning a bright future with each other, Cyril Maude's performance of Sabre 'was superb. Others who acquitted themselves admirably 'well were Mabel Terry-Lewis, Peggy Rush, Boyd dark and Echlin Gayer.