Variety (April 1921)

„ LEGITIMATE Friday, April 1, 1921 i "THE NIGHTCAP." c» Baltimore, Marco ?,Q. 1. Tain. h Constancy !a« li ItafTnH .' rry Mammon I lohu l>aly Murphy l.« st< r Kimwlts II. Dudley Hawley Mfs. Kmiw.ri Elizabeth RtitJon t'hurlt-H Nathaniel Hack Itobcrt Aiutruivp .J« "ine Tatrlrlc Trod fonwtunre ilrant M»'l« Ai>n< Mr.yr.ar1.,,i*. *...#..- *Vtol»*,,Iter»ilnK Kev. Dr. Forbes Wilson Day )\>llifm:in John Wray t'oroper Watroua Charles Bumell Selilou W. W. Shuttelworth Max Ma rein presented "Tin* Nightcap," a new mystery comedy in two acts, written by (luy Bolton, for its premiere performance Mon- day evening at the Lyceum. Tt was most enthusiastically received even in its then unfinished form by a ca- pacity house. Judging by the getaway Max Mar- cln and Guy Bolton have a sure winner in "The Nightcap." Though the title sounds like the name of a race horse it turns out to be a little drink of the "real stuff," which is taken by the president and the di- rectors of a certain bank to mark the occasion of a moat important confidence made by the president to his three directors. It is this con- fidence that starts things going, and there are developments galore. The play is still in a very uncom- pleted form, most of last week be- ing devoted to an entire rewriting and necessary rehearsing up until the last few hours before the open- ing. By the end of the engagement hero with all the comedy concen- trated into the usual time limit this should be a laugh from end to end. Few plays of this type have been seen here with such a distinguished cast. It is evident that it was the skill of the players rather than the real value of the piece that loused the audience. The action of "The Nightcap" takes place at a house party, the story concerning the Jealousy of a man who supposes the host is mak- ing love to his wife and the neces- sity of doing away with this same young man in order that certain insurance money may be obtained to prevent the bank of which he is I sits in the engineer's easy chair and cats the. daughter's doughifuta with a bland smile. This sounds very trivial; but if you have lived through the sum- mery philosophy of Bill Lightnin or the trials of the young lady in "Ti»«*n to th« Right," you know that it a not tno story that makes a John (.iolfn production seem human. The reality comes from the cast and the producer counts for a large share of the addition of another "pleasant" play to our list. In cast, John Cope has the honors } of "Happy New Year" with the role of the railroad engineer who loves his daughter, and, in reprisal for injustice, secures her a place in the presidents home during his sojourn in jail. Phyllis Rankin. is the mother, Lillian Foster a rather pretty daughter, and Edwin Nicander, re- leased from the outlandish role of Tangerine, is a secretary named Rosenberg, playing the part with unquestioned success. Harry Dav- enport has been successfully cast as the father in John Golden style. Oh, yes; that title! In the first act the employes and the son say "Happy New Year" to each other, and you learn that on a New Year's many years ago the daughter, then an infant, was kidnapped. Pleasant association, this, of title and plot, for an optimistic "comedy." Schcuer. ment by F. F. Proctor, and House Manager John G. Wallace and at- taches volunteering their services. Boy Scouts acted as ushers. As the result of the success of the play it is believed the Albany Play- ers will ask Manager Joseph F. Wal- lace, of Proctor's Grand, to book the drama at the vaudeville house tho latter part of April. The Play- ers have already appeared at the Grand several times this season in one-act plays. Buikc. I "SOMEBODY'S LION." WITHOUT THE WALLS Albany, March 30. "Without the Walls," a story of the first Faster time by Mrs. Katrina Trask Peabody, of New York and Saratoga Springs, widow of Spencer Trask, the head of the banking house of that name, who was killed in a wreck on the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad a few years ago, and present wife of George Foster Peabody, multi-millionaire banker, had its premiere as the fea- ture of an Easter community pro- gram at Proctors Harmanus Bleecker hall Sunday afternoon, president from closing its doors. A t Three thousand persons saw the series of unexpected and mysterious performance, several hundred stand- crimes result that hold the attention ing through the play, which was even if nothing that takes place on the stage seems particularly real or plausible. When Robert Andrews goes to Mrs. Knowles* door to ask her to change her room, for instance, there is no reason why he should go in and help her pack;'but if he hadn't been there there would have been no play. Yet even though such a strain on plausibility are- frequent through- out it makes for extremely good en- tertainment though its value as a play is doubtful. But, as said be- fore, it is the very capable acting that makes the play as acceptable as it was the opening night. Mr. Patrick brings an air of real distinction to the role of the young host, who Is deeply involved in financial and amatory difficulties, and Violet Heming as his ward en- acts the role of the young girl with fine sincerity and sympathy. John Daly Murphy as a grouchy pessi- mist carries away the individual honors of the cast, and Elizabeth Risdon rises to the heights required of her in an emotional part. The play would come under the same general classification as the "Seven Keys to Baldpate," and in its line is the best to have been played in Baltimore for several sea- sons. It received exceptional no- tices Tuesday morning in the locals. The play is handsomely staged, and with the necessary brushing up in some of the situations which it will receive will be in shape to hold its own on Broadway attractions. O'Toolc. given by the Albany Players, who volunteered their services free. "Without the Walls" is a three- act drama of the City of Jerusalem, year 83 A. D. There are ten scenes in the play, three in the first act, three in the second, and four in the third. The story deals with a ro- mance between Alceda, beautiful daughter of the Pharisee, Jahdiel, and Tiberius, a Roman centurion; the opposition of her father, who wishes her to wed Josephus, another Pharisee of great wealth, and the in- "HAPPY NEW YEAR." Atlantic City, March 30. John Golden departed from the usual this week at the Apollo thea- tre when he offered to the public "Happy New Year," "a new Ameri- can comedy," that for two acts was serious drama and only in the last episode presented a modicum of laughter. . • . To those who remember back to tho "Fortune Hunter" and can re- call "Three Wise Fools," "Turn to tho Right" and "The First Year" ther* have always feeejft tears jn a ilucnce of the Christ over the Pagan Roman and the daughter he would wed. It illustrates in vivid manner the Christ's compassion for sin and the humanity of His treatment of the erring woman, concluding with the resurrection of Christ, the news of which brings relief to the Roman and happiness to him and loyal Al- ceda. Mrs. Peabody, who Is the author of several plays on Biblical subjects, shows literary grace in dealing with her play. The lines of the drama are well written, and the play in- spires because of the nobility of its theme. The Albany Players, who have been appearing in one-act plays in Albany and the Capitol district for the last year, presenting several at Proctors Grand as part of the vaudeville bill at that house, scored their biggest hit since they were organized by Jacob Golden, assistant city editor of the Knickerbocker Press, who is business manager for them. Their triumph was an un- usual one, the entire company tak- ing half a dozen bows at the end of tho play with Thomas C. Stowell, who was a star in the Harvard Dra- matic club during his college days, receiving three additional ones in- dividually. Myretta Chatham, society editor of the Knickerbocker Press, made a very appealing Alceda. Thomas C. Stowell, as Tiberius, scored his big- gest hit since his affiliation with the Players. His wife, Faye Smiley Stowell, handled tho comedy ele- ment of the play well in her eharac- teriaztion of David, the roguish ser- Philadelphia, March 30. This year's production of the Mask and Wig Club of the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, as disclosed in a dress rehearsal here last week, and which opened Monday night at the Forrest theatre, is even more than ordinarily a "dancing" show. There is a Russian dance in the first act that made DeWolf Hopper and Francis Wilson and other members of the "Erminle" cast who watched the rehearsal from the wings last Thursday, open their eyes. That dance, paralleling the Spanish affair from last year's show, is a knock-out. Twelve men, six straight and the other six as girls, take part, and they bring it to a conclusion with an acrobatic flop, that pulls the audience off their seats. Looking at it from any angle, amateur or professional, that dance is topnotch. On Mon- day night it got three recalls and was asked for more which was physically impossible because of the strenuous business. A "mirror dance," participated in by the same twelve men, features the last act. In it, the dancers wear hundreds of small mirrors all over their costumes. It is novel, but the mirrors do not show up as well as was expected. A cabaret specialty in the last act which was crude and roygh at the rehearsal, and at the opening in Atlantic Saturday afternoon, was whipped into better shape by Mon- day. It is opened by a man in con- ventional evening get-up who sings something about the various girls' names used in songs. He was rather lacking in voice, and didn't have quite the pep or personality, to put his stuff over, but he could shake a wicked leg. For the re- frain, various "girls" came on, such as Margie, Mary and others, the entrance of each being accompan- ied by a verse from a popular song using that particular name. A South Sea island dance, which was followed by the song hit of the play, also reflected credit on Charles Morgan, the director, and the man especially responsible for the chorus work. Morgan has done the Mask and Wig shows for a number of years. Aside from the dancing, this year's show is under par, and con- siderably under last year's stand- ard. The music of Charles Gilpin, who has written previous scores, is not as tuneful as usual. "Zulu," the previously mentioned second act hit, is a hummer, and ought to please the jazz bears. There was a minimum of sentimental song stuff thla year, probably because that is so hard for the boys to do. As a result, the score is top-heavy with comic and topical songs, all of which sound pretty much alike. The voices are excellent. The first act is laid on the deck of a yacht, and the second on a South Sea island. Both sets are hummers. The best female impersonator by far is J. H. Hoff who had the lead- ing role in last year's show. This young fellow is a comer* has a good voice, and possesses shapely curves. The rest of the cast ranged from good to indifferent. Many of them would probably have been better with better lines to speak than those afforded by the com- monplace book of E. M. Lavino, the author. "Somebody's Lion," in addition to its Atlantic City and Philly runs, will play a single engagement in Wilmington, and another, following last year's precedent, at the Met- ropolitan in New York. It is a complete sell out for its week here at the Forrest. As usual, almost every paper in town has given the show all kinds of free advertising, especially on the rehearsal. "Somebody's Lion" is charging a $1.50 top. JOAN OF ARC. Winchester. Cardinal of Bn»land Buffene Powers Karl of Warwick H. Langdon Bruce Duke of Bedford W2 ,Tr *$. ?w rl ° Jean Beaupere Sydney Mather Pierre Cauchon. Bishop of Beauvais.... Albert Gran Henry VI of England Xatherlne Roberts Qu««u Catherine, Queen Dowager...^.. Marlon Harney Jeanne d'Arc ..^...Jiaxgaret Anglin Margaret Anglln'a production of "The Trial of Joan of Arc," given at the Century Sunday afternoon under the auspices of the Knights of Co- lumbus In aid of the Hoover Eu- ropean Relief Fund, was disclosed as one of the finest presentations the American stage hag witnessed in many a day. It is a dramatic work of notable dignity, and Miss Anglin's stage creation of the Maid of Orleans earns a place of real eminence in the annals of the theatre, probable as close an approach to perfect poetry on the stage as is attainable. It was a happy conjunction of dramatist, artist and stage designer, and to make the occasion complete an augmented symphony orchBetra gave Tschaikowsky's opera, ^'The Maid of Orleans," during the per- formance. The musical setting was brilliantly played, but the over- whelming tragedy of the story need- ed no interpretative score to make its poignant message carry home. An inspired artist and an equally inspired playwright were for once in accord to that end, and they were supported by a company of singu- larly sincere players and a produc- tion that for dignity and a certain splendid simplicity touched spirit- ual heights. It is difficult to deal with this moving drama comprehensively. Perhaps something of its grip and appeal will bo indicated by reciting a few of the details. Some concep- tion of its power may be conveyed by the statement that the single scene of Jeanne's examination by her French clerical judges and her English enemies occupied 40 min- utes by the watch, and grew from its beginning to its absorbing end in intensity. Miss Anglin stood almost motionless during this almost in- finite stretch of time as time is measured in the theatre. For mo- ments there was scarcely a gesture, but there was not an instant in which the tension of rooted* interest was relaxed. The action involved a background of a stagefirl of people and progressed by a series of eye- hold ing pictures, but the frail figure of the Maid was always the center of paramount attention. The response of the audience at the curtain was a tribute to the actress such as does not often fall to the lot of an artist. Ordinarily a scene without change of person last- ing nearly forty minutes would be an ordeal to exhaust any audience. At the Century Sunday afternoon its climax found the audience at tip- toe of sympathetic intentness. There are four acts and each ends in a tremendously moving picture. These groupings havo the force of tableaux, although they fall into place with a naturalness and an artlessness devoid of the slightest suggestion of artificiality. The sec- ond act closes with Jeanne faint- ing after tho terror of tortures, as are assembled In a palace chamber looking upon the market place, ail of them shaken according to the degree of their part in the crime, all with eyes transfixed upon the square beyond the just visible balcony. A sense of doom hangs in the air, and grows and grows as the conscience- stricken plotters watch the grue- some ceremonies. Bedford staggers into sight, as the others make to flee from the spectacle, forces them' to watch the accomplishment of their design, and, standing at the foot of the throne denounces them one by one, until they lie huddled about prone on the floor as a mist of smoke rises from the pyre and en- velopes them. The acoustics of the Century were too much for some of the players. H. Langdon Bruce, who plays War- wick, has a voice in keeping with a field commander, but many of his speeches were lost to the audience. It was Miss Anglin who triumphed over the difficulty. Her bell-like voice carried to the furthest corner and lost none of its exquisite tex- tures. Truly a great artist in a great dramatic work. Rush. ITS UP TO YOU. Ned Spencer «*harle« K In* Dick Dayton Douglas Leavitr Jim Duke Harry Short Freddy Oliver Ray Oeon?» Colonel Stephen Forrest... .Albert Baekete A Collector Frank Michel Sheriff McCabe Royal Cutter Harriet Holllater Lilt Rhode* Kthel Holllater Ruth Mary Dookwood Mrs. Van T.an*lo Holllater. .Florence Earl* r,ntta Do Vere Norma Brown Hortenae Geasltt Florence Hope Suzanne .Madeleine Dar* Rose Rose Cheater T.orratne Lorraine Garrison Thea , Thea Thompson Ruhy * Ruby Hart Marcla Marcia Byron B.lle Belle Maycllff Dorothy Dorothy Selridgo Gtadya Gladys McManu* Majory .....Majory Grant Claire Claire Daniels Patricia Patricia Mayer Violet Violet Lobclt Madeleine Madeleino Dare Sus.inne Suaanne \Thaan I'emry Persy K\U* Phylls Phylia Reid John John Clubly Carl Carl Levov Thomas Thomas Dawber Jack , Jack Andrews Lawrence Lawrence New Harry Harry T^evoy Leona rd Leonard Mooney George George Carpentier William Moore Patch brought "It's Up To You" to the Casino March 28 and thanks to some un- usual individual performances and a regular musical comedy last act it should ride with the money for a reasonable time. Various experts have been out on the road trying to discover just what the trouble was with this show. The trouble with it lay right under their noses all the while. It opens on a cold stage. Tho attractive set is in green, the coldest color there is and for what seemed ten minutes a burglar tip-toes round a darkened stage. From off stage to tantalize the audience comes girls* laughter and Frank Stammers, who staged the piece, would better have opened in the good old-fashioned manner. These girls are at a house-party and could have been making things hum when the curtain rose John Golden presentation. "i'.utj *»»* *»*< ^*&^V'Vxm***4 Directors lately seem to be for- the sinister English cardinal, moved I getting that when people go to a pressed as the stern and forbidding Jahdiel. Miss Mary Ids I In re, as a faithful nurse of Alceda; .Tame: C. Jones, as the Pharisee suitor; Ray- avo per- I mom l Keeker, as Nicodemus. a ruler with j In Jwael; Laurence :>. Hill, as the success of "The First Year" be- I Manus, a gay Roman courtier, and fore him, to try a straight play j Guinevere Rifenburgh, as - ser- wherein the easy going folk can be va 5*J contributed to its success. costumes, which were his- accurate, were loaned by ibody, who was unable '.o there has always been more laugh- ter than tears, while the optimism has usually bubbled. But Hale Hamilton and Viola Brothers Shore seem to suaded Mr. (Jolden, perhaps persuaded to cry at the end of the | J ne < o first two acts, and then polish the '"many whole with an amusing but logical *\*' . ff denouement finale. Their tale is of a child of 15 brought to the home of a railroad president as the daughter ho lost in infancy. There is a son with socialistic tendencies who fights for an accused railroad engineer sent to Jail, and in the end the engineer proves to bo the real father, and tho daughter falls in lovu with the Focialistlc son. For a final curtain ihe hard-headed railroad president i SCHEFF IN "O'BRIEN GIRL" Fritzi Scheff has been engaged by George M. Cohan for the new musi- cal comedy. "The U'Brien Girl," attend tho premiere presentation of her ploy. The setting of the court of Jahdiel'fl home was designed by Dorothy I.athrop, of Albany. Devotional selections were given on the organ by Floyd Howard Wal- ter, organist at the Mark Strand theatre. Prior to the play Kaster solos, arranged by the Albany com- munity chorus, were sung by the audience, led by Russell Carter. The hall was donated for the entertain- $ 44 + 4 Leading Makers of Stage Attire For Men and Women We costume complete!) mil- osical and dramatic produc- tions, moving pictures, nets, revues and operas. 143 West 40th St., New York to admiration in spite of himself, murmuring in awe, "She never even trembled." The curtain rises again. Jeanne has been carried from the chamber and the whole assemblage stares through the portal. For richness of color and for mute power, this moment was only sur- passed by the final picture of the third act, an act of such dramatic force that it left the audience spell- bound. Jeanne knealt quietly in her dungeon, head up and crucifix pressed to her lips and eyes lifted in weird mist of light. The audi- ence would not be satisfied to have the curtain stay down. Just as a picture it would rivet attention; as a dramatic scene it was supreme. From first to last this wealth of sumptuous color is always an ele- ment In the play, but it never in- trudes. Rather it merges into the spirit and poetry of the whole pie- s' ntation. The settings and cos- tumes never strike one as mnamen- j tation. Rather they arc part of the whbfe*'cohiplW6 illusion of re;ilily. Stage presentation can go no fwr- ! ther. The sense of simplicity doubtless is intensified by the most skillful treatment of fin- story. From the rise of the curtain the playwright's purpose is the single one of pictur- ing Jeanne in her infinite solitude, crushed and baited hy the ponder- ous machinery of self-seeking, re- lentless politicians. The situation Is built up with masterly skin. The progress of ev< rus moves inevitably to a very pageant of cruelty In the tribunal hall, where all the forces of church and state concentrate on the frail little creature at bay be- fore her jiidt^< s. An epic of pathos. The last a< i writes a new chapter in splendor of staging. Jeanne has been condemned to the stake, and . •. •. . 1 < i • V' ' ' ' : . . I : ■ J the personages who have been con , etrned in' jtpe naf^ntou's, pU'so.'ipio I •' 1 ► •*». v-i. • 1 ; girl show they expect to see a girl show. Two-thirds through "Tt's I T p To You" there was a conspiracy on to keep the girls off the stage and things didn't really get started till tho middle of a second act given over mostly to farce comedy efforts to advance Augustln MacIIugh's and Douglas Leavitt's plot. At this point Florence Hope, assisted by Harry Short, started a riot of ap- plause and stopped the show with "When I Dance Alone." This song and Miss Hope's amazingly amusing eccentric dancing got things really started and when the curtain rose on a rich, deep last act set the audience finally settled down to en- joy what a musical comedy really should be. Mr. Patch has dressed the show throughout in perfect taste. There is fine costuming and such of David Rennett's dance numbers as were seen before tho last act were clev- erly devised and made one wonder why there weren't more of th-m This thirst for more was qu- ncio i finally, but the show hung in the balance for too long a time while the authors attempted to develop a farce. Winn finally real entertain- ment values were loosed the faco of things changed. The curtain rises on a. third-act tableaux, revealing Ruth Maiv Lock wood as the center of picture* Her pinging here perhaps made more impression than elsewhere, but all through she worked with speed ;md expression besides being very charming to look at In a succession of elaborate gowns by Hchn^ider? Anderi »n Her song done, a half circle s formed to fram** 11 series of s)> "i a 1 ties done by, Arthur tTorey, the No:ri Sisters. Mr. and Mrs. Karl dales and Maslova and .Make I iff. All scored. But COT<*y w.< it '"' itnr* of the show. ( 'oven d< With gvdd'h .. f fl Ota 1( • • 1 ^ ■ t .1 I