Variety (November 1919)

_?•'£; rn-TT " ".■■■-} mi 18 '■-■'. -'■■-" LiGIttMATE '. ."-,»■■ * ■', „-:■•;■■■-» - i :-l -."V, »'yt y .•;"■■■ '~-.-V.v-v =*x ■■;«:■■■■■■■:■; smss •>' j •ri/ ?! il EI£IE JANIS AND HER GANG. ; . • Baltimore, Nov. 11 "•Elsie Jnnis and Her Gang,*. In a bomb. proof revue in two act*," In tho way tbe new- est production staged hero la .announced in tho tilling. Tito book Is credited to Miss Jan is and ■y, apnea to ; William Kernel), Richard' Fecheimer, . ' B. C. Hllllam, Elsio Janla and others. Jh ono. portion of the program waa the. announcement, "Hies Janla regrets that her name appears bo often, but Bomo one baa to tako the blame." .And to offset this tho pretty llttlo actress .prances through scene after scene sharing honors ! Almost continuously wlth.tbc soldier chorus. Elsie Janls and Her Gang jazzed, Jollied and .'; 'roughed their way through tbe new musical offering at the Academy hero Monday night, * and although it waa a premiers with a cast of 'attldier boys somewhat new to'the acting game,' '} it was a well-pleased, crowd that filed through ' . the. doora at the end of ths production.. Two years at the front, where she entertained 'the Tanks and aomo of their British cousins, etcms to havo given Miss Janls an added charm ' in her mimicry roles. Misa Janls' offering, .Which ,is directed by herself, is similar to the entertainment; given by her for the benefit of the boys in France, and some of the men In her company a arc heroes decorated with the Croix de Guerre and wound, atrlpcs. . '.As had been previously announced, there waa no pretense at beautiful scenery, Misa JanlB' natural acting soldier boys making up for what- ' ever might be deficient along that line. The firBt soenes are laid "anywhere In France," While the wind-up cornea with a setting. In Coblenz, Germany, with the Army of'-Occupa- .' «on. : i-'^Sa male voices In the chorus are augmented by an attractive female chorus and graceful dancerB. The musical numbers are of catchy •rder, touched hero and there with familiar v'-tune*';'.- • -.;'. A Jaw band features the second act, in which Betting Miss Janls is given a chance to shine • in Impersonation, songs and recitations. The "gang" Is composed of BUI Kernell,* Ed Lee, Chick Beveaux, Richard Ryan, Bradley Knoche, : Bill Reardo'nf Harry Janswlck. Jerry Hoeckstra, Jock Brant, Charles Lawrence, Bam Burbank, Frank Miller and Herbert Goff. O'Toole. ■3R JACQUES DUVAL. Chicago, Nov. 12. Dr. Jacques Duval........ George Arilss .Marie, his wife ..Elisabeth Rlsdon ■". ! Mine. Duval, the Doctor's mother. ...Mrs. Ariiss ' ' " Emlie Bouchet, Marie's father George Barr :'.;■ Dr. Nada Anastaaova, Br. Duval's asslst- i .-. '. .' ant ■■.., Fernanda Eiiscu Henri, Marquis de Charvet Manart Kippen .-- .Lc-garde, Friend of. Charvet'8..Guy Cunningham • B'Opaay, friend ot Charvet's..A. staple-ton Kent "Vedrenne Harold Thomas ' B>.'Alfred Michells '. Carl Anthony Dr. Munette William Seymour Dr. Galllemand, of tbe Faculte de Hedecin.. William H, Barwald Dr. Goujart, of the Faculte de Medecln.... '■•••■• Peter Bradford Dr.-Raphael, ot the Faculte de Medecln - Irving Deckler ';■• Antolne, Charvet's servant... .J. Palmer Collins . . ■ H'enrieUe, servant of tbe Duval's .." ■■,• • ' • . Dorothy Chesdon '■':'' A. Patient Spencer Harris. -The, play did not live up to tho extravagant Jnnuendos of the advance press notices. It may : -nerve as a vehicle for the glacial art of George . Arilss, but it cannot rank with "The Bevuy nor "Disraeli," nor some of the other ot Ariiss's .'''; plays. If it is true that Mr. Arilss gave up Mollere for this play, it was a mistake of judg- ment op the part of Mr, Tyler. ■-J& $ As for ■ the script, George S. Kauffronn did • ''*• good, . clean-cut Jub of playwrlting in the adaptation from the French, but he waa help* leas in his efforta to introduce through tho ,' heavy tone of ether and iodoform which per- meates the play one single breath ot natural, i-i- fresh air. ,'':.- Mr. Kauffman and Mr. Tyler were present at the opening at the-, Blackatone Theatre Monday "■ night. The house waa filled with a friendly •nd enthusiastic audience. - ; ,'V Tbe basis of the play is the worship, amount* - - lng to fanaticism, of the savant for his work. • Dr. Jacques , Duval, after' twenty years of -Jabor, has finally perfected his cure for tuber- :..;■ culosla; at about tho same, time no is given to understand that hla wife has become Inter- ■ / estcd in another man—Henri,.Marquis de Char- vet. Henri, while Dr. Duval Is mixing his '" slrangt potions in his laboratory, with the un- derstanding aid of bis assistant, Br. Nada •'■ Anastasova (a sbo-dqetor) is standing-outside of the-window, of madams,, heaving algbs. It hi in this manner that he catches a cold which develops into tuberculosis \ '-.The preoccupied work of the husband drives '-':■ Marie, the wife, - to*tho arms of Henri, but she 'commits no Indiscretion.' Henri, visiting tho .physician with the intent of seeing the Wife, is forced, to the slight deception of asking for treatment, not knowing be has tuberculosis. The physician examines the' youth, finds out be has the disease, and treats him, arranging to come the following day to administer his new Strum. ■ In the' meantime Dr. Duval confronts the wife ■ with his suspicions';' she tells- him enough to malic htm believe that she has been untrue to him. He visits tbe young man hi bis apart- ment and administers the serum. The next day the. patient dies. Dr. Duva,l is' visited by the . Commuteo of Bttilca of the Faculty ot 'Med- icine,'which body,-acting upon malicious bints * from a Jealous follow physician, Br. Mlehelln, charges Br. Buval with unprofessional conduct and tries him. At the last moment the wife rushes In with a letter from Henri In which he tells her that. he does not propose to accept his life like alma from the man ho has wanted to wrong, and declares his intention to swallow a large quan- tity ot heroin. That .then' was the csubo of Henri's death, and not an overdose of tbe doc- tor's serum, as had been suspected, The curtain of the fourth, act drops on some aphorisms which ring rather weakly on the ear after three acta of radical and revolutionary utterances. The doctor kisses his wife and everything - enda moat felicitously, with the exception of the defunct Henri and the lady doctor,. who had previously confessed her love for Br. Duval to the wife. She disappears without much ex- planation. Ariiss. waa cold and perfect, rlaing to his big scenes with the restraint of the pollBhed artist that ho is. The supporting cast was very fair. Swing. IBENE. ':. ,.-•'.•-, Washington, D. C, Nov. 12. Without exception "Jrcne." which waa given Its initial showing Sunday at Poll's, is one of tho moat delightful musical comedies presented 'in this city In many a long season. If was acclaimed 'by an audience of first nighters who have witnessed- many new pro- ductions In the months lust past, some of wu'ch have been had. some fair and some Just in between, but it took"last night's perform- anci to glvo uo all Just what we had been watting far. Not only was tho atamp of ap- proval placed on the piece, but ujSdn Its dainty little star, Edith Bay, as well as the other members of the excellent cast. The singing voices did credit to the delightful musical' score by Harry Tlerney. ' • Edith. Day was an unknown quantity lo most of those out front. To say she capti- vated every one la to state it very conserva- tively. As Irene O'Dare, Misa Day brought all of Uo wistfulnesA charm and sweetness of a HttlQ girl whose dreams wero above the drab existence ebe waa forced to'live in, but who did not know how to bring (hose dreams Into reality. When New York alts In judgment e-i the piece It U going to <ee a real star. "Irene" ia a musical comedy in two acts and seven scenes and- la the work 'of. James Montgomery. The story is maintained throughout and even Joe N McCarthy's aplendid lyrics are a continuation ot the spoken word and at into the atory. Mr. Ticrney's music Is of the kind you cannot help but whistle, and from the dainty little theme air, "Alice Blue Dress," wherein Irene tells of tho only pretty frock she ever owned, down through each in- dividual number to the jawsy "Sky Rocket." during which the entire assembly ot the com- pany dance. It Is the story ot a little shop jrjxl who through the medium of good clothes la trans- Planted from tbe tenement to a paradise, all because of a nighi two. years before, when the could have made them, all if she bad done' -wrong and the accidental meeting with the same man at the home of Donald Marshall, where, she had been sent by her employers. Marshall, who bas been appealed .to by a , friend to help a new dressmaker, Madame Lucy, who la trying to get established In New Tork, by haying aome of his girl friends wear Madam* Lucy's gowns. Marshall savos Irene from the forced ad- vances of the man and sees in her tbe oppor- tunity to. help his friend bring success to the dressmaker. Irene la fitted out, as well as two of her little friends from tbe tenement, and they become tbe petted ones; of those blcaaed wltb much »f tbe world's goods. Tbe basic Idea ot 'the"story is, as the able critic of the post pointed-out this morning, the iamn as' Shaw's "Pygmalion," except In this case, aa already sot forth, through tbe efforts ot a designer Instead of a professor or English. Mr. Montgomery has brought many witty lines Into the place and. through the Introduction of the back of a tenement which is revealed In a most novel way, utilising the idea of a camera shutter which slowly opens and closea at tho end of the scene, which in- cidentally secured a big burst of applause, because It proved there was something' new under the sue. The scenes alternate between the back of thp tenement, with Irene on tho fire escape, and th* gardens of the rich. There has not bean a musical comedy In many years where- in the drama is as; successfully combined wltb* musical comedy'as In this ottering of- the Vanderbllt Producing Co. .', Walter Regan, playing his first part in mu- sical comnay, although suffering with a severe cold, gave tbe fairy god father a naturalness most' effective ■ and bis performance sot a ' standard maintained, by every .individual member nf tho cast Arthur Bnrckly, poa< ' sesMfl a splendid tenor voice with which be won'repeated encores wltb. "I Dove Ypu," sting with Misa Day; Nest honors go to Bobbie Watson, whoso playing of Madame Lucy was a real work of art, which, be could havo so easily ruined by. overplaying. It is a difficult part. Then there are i'.ttlo Eva Puck and Gladys Miller; as the other two shop girls, who scored repeatedly with their'dancing and performances; John B. Lite!, Bernice McCabe, Dorothy Walters, as Irene's Irish, mother; Bo- bard Cavanaugh and Lillian Xee. > Praise also goes' to Edward Royce, under Whose direction the play was produced. The smoothness of the performance Sunday night would cause one to think the show hrd been Mil tnrTnonthjL The chorus Is a wonder and tho gowns worn were exquisite. There was only one jarring note—Gus Salter directing the orchestra. Mr. Salzer took all the confidence out of the excellent orchestra and his series of stamps and' calls were en- tirely unwarranted. . Hardie Meakin. THE HAUNTED VIOLDS". 'Atlantic City, Nov. 12. The four-act play presented as the Initial stage offering'of Sam Harris, appearing as a- single producer, made Its debut at the Apollo Nov. 0, .'■•'■■ in . "The Haunted Violin" Crane Wilbur appears as both author and actor, filling the leading role. The play has a strange combina- tion, of fantasy, comedy, romance and tragedy, the comedy predominating and proving the saving grace. Numerous changes were' made In its over- long story during the three-day engagement and constant rehearsals, with the almost'agreed upon opinion that Mr. Wilbur and Mr. Harris wilt be able to save one of the most elaborately staged productions vt the current season. "The Marquis DePrloIa" had no greater series ot amatorial adventures than has David Leon!, the celebrated violinist hero of this play, iir. Wilbur, aa the violinist, has conceived a part that allows 'him to be the genuine lover ■rrith a< posing grace and fascinating magio that won hla audiences. Whatever talents Mr. Wilbur bcks in this direction he makes up in heroic mannerism that suits well the part and places him in the enthusiastic ranks ot pop- ular actors, suiting his audiences better than Ue critics. "* There are four acts, with a prolog and epilog. Mr. Wilbur has adhered to the film, cutback, staging hia play as the dream Of a prospective violinist of renown, with .the girl of his heart's choice at his knee. '- . ..- i'b< dream reveals Mm in a magnificent purple, .room, creative of atmosphere. He be- comes a sort ef Jekyll and Hyde. Hut love Tor Lit companion girl has been thrown" off vitb advancing ^prestige. Ee makes love to a young woman'who cornea lo see him and enffagea to marry her quiU unintentionally. He makes good the promise to the beauty, but as vertainly compromises himself with a dancer in the second act—a beautiful garden vista outside of a ball room. His charm for the dancer soon leads him to abandon hla violin and live with her, eject* lng a former suitor. .. His fortune, lavishly accumulated, fades away and be Is rejected trow the home of the handsome dancer ' to become tbe virtuoso of a .cafe., where she dances nightly. Fame and fortune gone and rejected in Lbs anad passion for the last love, he com- mits suicide, to awake at the behest ot bis real love, kneeling by his side. ', It is poetic and romantic, full ot the possi- bilities of great things and filled. with line* that are full ot! bright, clear, treeb witticism, many bon mots of situation. ■ Properly accomplished It should prove both an artistic and - a commercial success of no mean proportions. It was said here Arthur Hopkins bas taken an interest in the production. Soheuer. WHEN A HAFS A HAH. Washington. B. %. Nov. 12. The' two Washingtonlans. Willard Robert- son and Kilbourn Gordon, who wrote "When A Man's. A Man," which had its Initial show- ing Monday nt the Bhubcrt-Gar rick, have conceived the idea of a good play .Whose basic theme is tho old law of Nature that to the' strongest belongs the apoils. The audience' received the play with: overy manifestation of approval.and the local press was unanimous In praise, but each admitted that considerable fixing must.be done before It will bi ready for New Tork. Mrs. Henry B. Harris has provided, with ono exception, an oxcollent cast, and even that ono exception la not a glaring shortcom- ing. Tho only woman in the play, Marie Smith, is wonderfully-well played by Pauline Lord, who never lost tho dialect of the French- Canadian, and her lighter as well as the. more Intense scones' wero remarkably well done. ... ■ • . The action, takes place in tho cabin of White in the woods north of Quebec, the three acts being listed aa "The Snow," "Snow- bound" arid "As the Snow Lifts." White, who Is an American, is trapping in the woods and hae In his employ Joe', a French-Canuck, and an Indian called "Pigeon." La Fontaine has \ come to Influence, these, two" to steal from. White's trap* and sell the pelts to him. From the beginning the atmojphere of the North, is brought home to the' audi to is through the talk of these men, who refer to John Bt; John, who -has the reputation of taking: unto him- self the woman he desires and laughing at the husband, this because,of his evident men- tal and physical strength, -with which he over-" comes, them" when the time lor settlement' arrives. Of the cast, next to Miss Lord, credit-must' be given Philip' Leigh. 7 . He given a splendid performance. Reginald Barlow as'White' also gave an-excellent portrayal of the trapper,; Charles Halton as Joe carried off tbe comedy honors. •"« , j, ; - One ot the real treats of the evening was. the appearance of Willard Robertson, one of the authors. In the'nrst act bit of La Fon-| talne. The program does not ; give his name," but after having appeared with the Columbia' stock for some ten' seasons in this city, Mr. Robertson was recognized even. under his splendid' makeup, and made the bit one "of -the best played moments of the play. .The interior set Is complete and is. very, much Belasco in its attention to.detail. The direction is credited to Augustn Duncan, who had many of his characters playing' above: each other and reading long speeches up stage. Hardie'Meakin. '• BOSTON ENGLISH OPERA CO. Boston, Nov. 12. Faust ..:....... Joseph-FV BheebAfi Valentine • Stanley Deacon- Mephletopheles •P , ". on 8, i?l 1 ,^ r i •Wagner Bert 5 lin , G S^ Marguerite "•'•V4irS£!r<£8ff» Blebel .....Alice May Carley Martha ..filalno de Scllem The Boston English Opera Co., which has adopted for Its slogan "opera in a language that you understand, at a price you can afford." opened a season of ten weeks at the Arlington Theatre In this city Monday night, with the initial offering "Faust." It is many years since this opera has been given, here, and It is the . first time such an opera has been attempted ' by. a company which confined itself to the English language. - ' ' - Everybody -who has or has not bad any in- terest In tho best of music Is quite familiar With this work of Guonod. Only praise can be given for the company. Nothing of tie. value' of the opera was lost by- It being sung in a language understood by all. The principals also took good care-to sing in a manner that spoke well for their, conception of correct enunciation....Tbe setting and. stage management are of the highest type, and;-white . waits of long duration between tho acts would . have been excusable under tbe conditions, they did not occur. Even some of tbe big compa- nies which have played here could not boast of the smooth running performance on an opening' nlgtft that this aggregation put across. . _ Outside of the singers, the greatest credit for , the success of this newest thing should be given to Arthur Dunham, the conductor, who has spent some time.and effort In rehearsing.his singeri*'. and Phil Flen.' the Btage director. ' ' '.- .' It is not possible to single out any of those heard bt this first ottering for. special comment. Some of the principals, who will later be heard"' In.other operas In the leads, plsyed small parts in this performance. However, without a doubt, -* a good company of singers has been secured, the audience seemed to enjoy the sensation of hearing the opera In English, and indications are that tho season will be a success..;. . As It is the only opera of any sort, accord- ing to the- present outlook, that Boston['will bear this season, It is pleasant to think it is being done well. ..- .'•■'.'•;■ V /'. '"• • Libbci/- THE UNKNOWN WOMAN. .......a ...Felix Krerobs ..Lumaden Haw .......Marjorle Rambean .......Dodson L. HltchelT Lincoln Piumer ......Hugh Blllma'n ,.........,.«.Roy' Walling ...............Fan Bourke ......Annie Mack Berleln Florence' Burden ...........Jean Robertson ................Alice May John Sharkey /....Willis Reed Joel Emerson........ Gerald Hastings.../,, Margaret Emerson... Mr. Warrington .-. Mr. Crosby.......:..,. Richard Normand.... Mr. ,-Mannerlng....... Millicent Emersqn.... Mrs. Lyons....... Llxzie. Claire Hastings..,,.., Mrs. Burns Qulnlan.i Patrolman Kelly..... Purity! Sweetness! Light! These home vir- tues, these playmates of every American school boy or girl, supply the motivation for "The Un- known Woman," tbe first .of tho Jewish plays' A. II. Woods In hla innocence-, bought lost spring. . , % , ' Some there Were who went to the'Maxlne Elliott Monday, and In^aW audlinid were Max- lne. herself, Lady Forbes Robertson and Boris Koene,' who hoped that ftftit Is last,' but surely these, scoffers taiga the/ point/ fail to see .the American public.as it is, Superior to) temptation, above all human failings for in a screed'illus- trating just this superiority Marjorle Rnmbeau, With her bright gold.hair and h.r girlish smile, returned to Broadway and met with a hearty welcome. ' . On just sych a dramatic rtaicment of the obvious the undoubted tetania of Felix Krembs and Lumaden Hare wfflfa wasted Monday, while " J *^-* ■ tuJia &L .Wart<3 : " /. '-■; . *'■■■ \ii_i3i.i&i .. ; -\'S.-.-.: ?-v':.- ■;■■'■■-> ■■>■.;'