Variety (February 1920)

i ■/'.;.■■: ;■■■ :-■ ■ ._ . ... 16 ItlMATE NEWS OF THE DAILIES §: f H lit "Three Live Ghosts," a comedy by F. S. Ianam, will be produced by Max Marcln. Oliver Morosco hae accepted "Walt Till 2£5 e ^i'LW, a 9°™** »y Hutcheson Boyd and Rudolph Burner. Florence Dixon and Eileen Colby have been added to the cart of the new "Nine o'clock Revue," which la in rehearsal. tJJS. 8 ut !S? Operating Co. has engaged William Thompson as manager ox the new Utlca In Brooklyn. * Flora Zabelle, Marlon Sunshine, Winifred Frances, William Burress, Jed Frouty and George Mack. • »*The Man Who. Came Back" closed at Todelo last Saturday. Tomorrow Will* lam A. Brady will ship the complete pro- duction to London for presentation at the Oxford. On the other side Mr. Brady will be associated with Charles B. Coch- ran. A slightly different version of the Jules Eckert Goodman melodrama will be offered London theatregoers. The title role will be that of an English boy instead of an American,-played by George Ralph. • if \ m Cecil Lean In "Look Who's Here" will open at the Forty-fourth Street on Tuesday, March 8, Instead of Monday. "Ml Ml," a musical comedy, is in re- hearsal. Fred Walton, Robert Pitkin and Letty Yorke will be In the cast Miss Eve Balfour has signed a Ave- year contract to act in pictures and spoken drama <$he was formerly a member of Sir Herbert Tree's company. In Edward E. Rose's mystery play, "The Master Thief," to be staged in New York next season, Oliver Morosco will present Francis X. Bushman and Bevorly Bayae. The Russian "Isba," Serge Borowsky's musical representation of Russian peas- ant life, moved to the Manhattan Opera House last Monday for two weeks' stay. ■SBMBBBBBsS) The New York Drama League Is trying to raise $26,000 by memberships to ex- tend its dramatlo work in schools, camps and communities. . \ A new "Nine O'clock Revue," second of a series, will be offered to the patrons of the New Amsterdam Roof, Monday, March 8. The artists engaged are: Lil- lian Lorraine. Allyn King, Kathleen Martyn, the Cameron Sisters, Sybil Car- men, Vanda Ho ft, Mary Hay, Florence Ware, Irene Barker, Jessie Meed, W. C. Fields, Arthur Million, Thomas Handers, John Price Jones and Fannie Brlce. Among the Ziegfeld ensemble of beau- > ties will be Martha Pierre, Alta King, Betty Morton, Billle Dove, Charlotte Wakefield, Gladys Loftus, Avonne Tay- lor, Olive Osborne, Peggy Underwood, Vera Bradley, Diana Dore, Florence Crane, Lillian McKenzle, Peggy Eleanor, Babe Marlowe, Florence Dixon, Kath- ryn Perry, Irene Marcellus, Eleanor Dell, Marcelle Earle, Florence Moore, Vangie Valentine, Margaret Falconer, Beatrice Dakln, Peggy 8haw, Helen Ellsworth, Beatrice Savage, Beatrice Carlyle, the Hoffman Twins, Eileen Colby, Hebee Halpen, Florence Rellly." Louise Stafford, Mary Weston and Ethel Russell. be attained In a recent murder case. Mouzon steps forward to make the try. He catches a culprit, but neither de- cency nor scruples trouble him In the at- tempt. In the end his senior's kindness of heart helps clear the accused man, who now turns on and deprives the wife who has loved him of her children be- cause she kept secret the fault of her youth. It was Mouzon who forced the truth from her on the stand, well know- ing what her husband's attitude would be, and of Mouzon she demands an ac- counting. What will he do to make right this wrong? Nothing. Let her ask requital of the law. As he leaves with a shrug she stabs him, and his friends bend over the body muttering that the high office to which he had Just been appointed is vacant. One of them now will get It. That Is their final thought, a comment on political institutions and the men who seek a career in politics In France and elsewhere for that mat- ter. . • The translation was made by Homer St. Gaudens, who staged the piece, and the well chosen scenery was the work of Hewlett and Baaing. Mrs, ..Sidney Harris did some charming decorations, and In a well balanced cast Charles White stood out with particular effect Charles Coghlan also had - a moment that kept him in mind the rest of the P'ay. " Leei. Trailers 0 ' Brnklne Sanford and Henry The .Theatre Guild may be all right for Its members, but Its chances to draw ?~ y l2 g * ud '? n ,ces via the general public f^ th » e w a « r xi k m . ay be gauged by the faot that a Broadway taxi driver Mon- ♦ a I „ even, ?8r <-Wn't even know where the Garrlck waa joto. SACRED AND PROFANE LOVE. 85fi Joicey, ..Augusta Havlland Louisa Benbow Bertha Kent Hnape. ... a. Romalne Callender Emilip Dlas. j 086 Ruben Carlotta Peel Elsie Ferguson Joceiyn Sardls. Peggy Harvey Lord Francis Alcar. ..J. Sebastian Smith Marie Sardis Maud Mllton Mary Ispenlove....i Olive OUver Frank Ispenlpve Alexander Onslow Emmellne Palmer Katharine Brook Rosalie Renee de Monvll a °» n i ' «:&* •• Denlse Corday A Parlor Maid Susan Given "Chris," which George C. Tyler will present In Atlantic City on March 8, will have Bmmett Corrigan, Lynn Fontaine and Arthur Ashley in the cast among others. The New York engagement of William Collier In "The Hottentot" will begin at the George M. Cohan, Monday, March 1. It is by Victor Mapes and Mr. Collier, production manager, Sam H. Harris. A. H. Woods has purchased Osslp Dy- mow'e "The Bronx Express," which was recently presented by the Jewish Art Theatre. The adaptation Is by Samuel R. Goldtng. At the Shubert-Crescent In Brooklyn on March 18 "Lassie," a musical comedy by Catherine Cblsholm Cushlng ana Hugo Felix, will be staged in advance of lis New York production. The Colonial, Richmond, Va„ Is to be rebuilt and enlarged to a seating ca- pacity of 1,880 and operated as a picture house. The cost of reconstruction Is es- timated at $160,000. Director Frank P. Donovan, formerly with Vltagraph and Paramount Is re- cuperating from a serious nervous breakdown.' He is home In Brooklyn under care of specialists. "The Wedding Ring," a melodrama by Owen Davis, was produced for a single matinee in Boston Friday by the com- ?any now appearing In that city in "At :46." The new Davis piece will be given production in New York next season. "Stand from Under," by William An- thony McGuire, was presented Monday night in Stamford, Conn. In the cast were John Halllday, William Morris, Richard Dlxv Sue MacManay, Eleanor Gordon and T.-Tamameto. R.,H. Burnslde has resigned as shep- herd of the Lambs. The retirement of Mr. Burnslde came as a complete sur- prise to most of the 1,600 members. The resignation Is attributed to factional dif- ferences in the club which have lingered since the actors' strike. Supreme Court Justice Nathan BIJur last Friday designated Otto C. Sommerlch as referee to take testimony In a divorce action begun by Mrs. Jack Curley against her husband, Jack Curley, wrestling pro- moter. This Is the third tilt In the Cur- ley matrimonial tangle. On the "Imperator," sailing March 6, Arthur Hammersteln will leave for an English and Continental voyage in com : pany with his wife, and also A. H. Woods. Hammersteln's trip Is said to concern the opera, for the ,ten-year agreement expires shortly between the Hammerstelns and Metropolitan. ' "The New Dictator" has been chosen as the title of the musical version of Richard Harding Davis' play "The Dic- tator," announcement of which was made by Charles Dillingham. Included In the cast are Frank Craven, Gladys Caldwell, THE LETTER OF THE LAW. Madame Vagret Zeffie Tilbury Bertha Leona Hogarth Vagret Russ Whytal Catallena Josephine Wehn Delorme Goldwyn Patton Madame Bunerat....". Maud Hosford La Bouzule Clarence ' Derwent Bunerat Charles N. Greene Mouzon Lionel Barrymore Ardet Charles Coghlan Benolt ...James P. Hagen Janitor Wallace Jackson Mondoubleau ...Frank Klngdon Police Sergeant. Jacob Klngsberry Policeman Herbert Vance Brldet.............; L. R. Wolhelm Etchepare Charles White Yanetta Doris Rankin Etchepare'a Mother Ada Boshell Attorney General of France, Lionel Hogarth Lionel Barrymore opened at the Cri- terion Feb. 23 in thlB adaptation of Eugene Brleux's "La Robe Rouge." John D. Williams made the presentation, pos- sibly on behalf of Famous Players, for this morality sermon by the French author may score as a feature picture where it failed as a play, due largely to Its subject matter and the slow moving manner In which the Involved plot Is .presented. Never clear, It depends for effect on Mr. Barrymore's personal qualities. His drawing power will get a certain proportion of' people; but the stream will not continue in full flood He was said to favor putting It on be- cause of the opportunity It offered his wife in a minor role, but as the wife of the accused man she managed to create a picture far more appealing than her elocution. Cast as a girl who had been seduced In her youth and kept the fact a secret from her husband, Miss Rankin had a big opportunity In the second act when she turns on Mr. Barrymore, playing the examining magistrate, and fairly raises the roof In an emotional scene written cleverly and soundly conceived. She raised the roof all right but, unfor- tunately, the depth and physical strength necessary to carry full conviction were lacking. Conversely, the appealing sim- plicity with which she begs that the truth be withheld went straight to the heart At all times she was an excellent toll for the star, feeding him Just the stuff he Is so well adapted to turn to full theatrical advantage. More than ever In this part dating back to the early 90's does he remind the old timers of his father. His hair Is arranged so as to emphasize the re- semblance, and' as the heartless, push- ing, place seeking French attorney he has added a carefully differentiated study to his collection. There is this, about Lionel Barrymore: he never seems the. same. His brother has something he hasn't got, but John Barrymore is always John Barrymore. He does not submerge himself as this man Joes and has without any tricks of make-up In this carefully staged and presented play by Brleux. It shows the wife and daughter In the home of a French prosecuting attorney hoping for advancement for the head of the household. If only a conviction can JANE CLEGG. Henry Clefegv Dudley Digges Jane Clegg..........Margaret Wycherly Johnnie Russell Hewitt Jennie . Jean Bailey Mrs. Clegg ; Helen Weetley Mr. Morrison Ersklne Sanford Mr. Munce Henry Travers "Do you love Henry T' asks. the elder Mrs. Clegg.of her daughter-in-law. To whloh the wife responds: '. "I'm aa fond of him as any woman can be after 12 years of marriage." It should be further explained that during the aforesaid 12 years prior to the opening of the play, "Jane Clegg." the audience is Informed that Henry Clegg has been "found out" by his wife and had solemnly promised to give up the other woman. St John G. Ervlne, author of "John Ferguson," is the author ot_the play, presented Feb. 23 at the Garrlck by the Theatre Guild. It Is not an original Idea In any way, teaches nothing, but merely depicts a series of well-drawn char- acters. But as they are types from the lower walks of life, with no "aristo- cratic" relief, the piece is almost fatally handicapped. Theatre-goers — generally speaking—can conjure up no romance unless there Is involved, on one side or the other, a personage of the higher walk of life. In "Jane Clegg" we have Jane, a woman of rather unusual sensibilities for her position In life. She is the wife of a .middle-class salesman connected with some shop In England, and the mother of two children. She resides in a small house In the suburbs, Just one of hun- dreds of thousands, with two of the four gas jets Ignited for economy. Residing with them Is the mother of her husband. Mrs. Clega senior, tells Jane that Henrys father was pretty much the same and had to be constantly watched to prevent him straying from the path of chastity. Jane replies that when she found her husband had been untrue to her she would have left him only for the fact that she was unable to support the two children. Since then she had In- herited $3,600, and If such a situation again arose she would act differently. Jane remarks that It seemed strange that a woman who leaves her husband on moral grounds is treated by the world as if she hafd gone off with another man. She resents the position of being set down as merely a wife and behaving with the utmost submission. "It doesn't seem right somehow, having a mind and not being able to use It" Henry comes home, has his, supper and endeavors to wheedle Jane out of the Inheritance. She declines to give him any part of It saying It is for the children. Later she finds out he wanted to run away to Canada with his "fancy lady," but she makes good his embez- zlement to save him from Imprison- ment and sends him off. All of which surprises the husband, who says: "You speak as If you WANTED me to go"— to which she answers: "How else would Jou have It?" The piece ends with ane turning out the lights and going upstairs to her children. The two lead- ing roles—that of Henry and Jane—are splendidly portrayed respectively by Dudley Digges and Margaret Wycherly. Digges makes of Henry a most de- spicable rotter with not one redeeming trait, and so well does ho visualize this that one conjures up a feellne of utter repulsion for Henry. Miss Wycherly, as the fine-grained, patient, strong- minded wife, is always legitimate and consistently untheatrlc in her methods, while Helen Westloy as the mother of Henry Is Juts the reverse, enacting the whining, snivelling old woman alter- nately with decrepitude and the virility of a woman of 30. Two other well drawn characterizations were in the The annual play presented by the rrohman office in association with David Belasco was shown to New York at the Morosco theatre on Monday night It is Arnold Bennett's "Sacred and Profane .21*" adapted from his novel entitled "The Story of Carlotta." The presenta- tion also Is responsible for the return to the speaking stage of Elsie Ferguson. The piece had previously been presented in London, where it had but fair suc- cess. In this country it should get a lot of money. The first act will make the play as far as Broadway has any- thing to do with the making of any play and the reason is,that Elsie Ferguson, in the role of Carlotta Peel, a young and' undeveloped writing genius, spends the night in the apartment of a famous pian- ist whose playing has Infatuated her. The dropping of the curtain with, her In the planistls arms, to denote a lapse of time, and her slipping from'the room the next morning and stealing out into the street to make her way home will be enough to get the money Into the box office. The initial performances in this coun- try, after the break in, were given at the National, Washington, D. CL last week. The gross receipts there were $21,490. The question of how long the piece will remain at the Morosco on the terms now in force between the Frohman office and Oliver Morosco, a rental at $4,000 week- ly, which still has* two weeks to run, for as soon as the dollars start rolling In Morosco will sit in for a percentage ar- rangement under which the house will get a bigger slice than $4,000. As a play, however, there Is naught that recommends "Sacred and Profane Love" very highly. The author In adapt- ing his novel tacked on a conventional ending that brought the lovers together In the usual clinch. The' book had the hero returning to his life as a great art- ist and the woman who rescued him does not figure in that life as his wife. In the play the final scene brings his pro- posal of marriage. Had the original end- ing been left the piece'would have been more of what 1b called "a great play,'' but not so satisfying to those who will spend their money to see it and after all they are the. ones that count Miss Ferguson plays the role of Car- lotta Peel cleverly. She looks wonder- fully pretty and gives the character a touch of the realistic that will hold any audience. Her delivery did not seem any - too certain and in her emotional scenes it was difficult to hear her at the rear of the house. In the first half of the first act she displayed touches that brought the house right to her. As the pianist Jose Ruben gives a per- formance that is very clever. In the third act as the morphine wreck, he really does a piece of worth-while act- ing. In. the last act he does not seem convincing. Alexander Onslow, playing the publisher, is on only in the second act He Is the leading man type and por- trays the role assigned to him very well. Renee de'Monvll, playing the role of the French prostitute, gives one of the . clever characterizations of the-piece. Her appearance in the third act gives her nothing to speak of, but she has a big scene in the last act in which she shines. The play is rather remarkable for the number of characters that show In one < act and then are never seen or heard of again. In the first act there are two women who run the lodging house, Aug- usta Havlland and Bertha Kent, both giving excellent performances, especial-. ly the latter. They fade off and never come back. In the second act there are five characters who appear only here. They are played by Peggy Harvey. J. Sebastian Smith, Maud Mllton, Olive Oliver and Alexander Onslow. There Is one each in the third and the last acta Denlse Corday, doing a French bit In the third act and Susan Given with a bit In the final act. Others in the cast are Katherlne Brook and A. Romalne Cat- lender. Fred. PRODUCTIONENGAGEMENTS. Joseph E. Brown, with "Listen, Les- ter," {o join John Coftjs "Jim Jam Jem's." - * -' • ■ _ .. .•■•-■.- ■ ■ . I ■- $m -. m - ■ ' - - .. * i ■»." -;■ s V 1