Variety (November 1921)

It LEGITIMATE ■ Friday, Novembet 4, 1921 XT FOREIGN REVIEWS LA DOLORES Paris, Oct. 7. Finn in Gemler is to be congratu- lated on mounting the great work of the late Jose Follu y Codina, "I*a Dolores," adapted the French stage by Georges Baud and Felix H. Michel. In three acts it holds the attention until the tragic climax. The production is realistic, with plenty of color. Codina died in 1897, and his pieces have since had big vogue in Spain and South America. H. "Spanish Love" with a certain success in the United States. "La Dolores" is superior to this work, and is considered his masterpiece. Dolores, a common Christian name in Spain, Is the servant at a village inn, and, though strictly honest, has in a moment of passion given herself to Melchor, a local barber and song writer. He cares littlo for the girl, and has composed a ditty irreverently singing her charms. When he wishes to marry he learns Dolores is of a revengeful spirit and threatens to divulge the secret, known to all the men, to his betrothed. The beautiful servant girl has many suitors, even a hand- some sergeant stopping at the inn to court her. But he is not brave enough, in spite of his bragging, to challenge Melcbor and to defend the reputation of the girl, any more than a rich farmer who gives a bull tight in her honor. Laxaro, a seminarist, the nephew of the woman who keeps the inn, home on a vacation, is also madly in love with Dolores. Forgetful of his religious calling, he confesses his passion, but the girl laughs. Her love for Melchor atill smoulders, and when the handsome young barber begs for another rendezvous, to settle a bet with frequenters of the ion, she ultimately consents. But Dolores hears of the bet and swears vengeance. During the bull tight ILazaro proves his metal by saving the life of the bragging sergeant, and struck by admiration, Dolores finally agrees to open her door to him that night. Her first intention was to find a courageous protector when the fickle Melchor appears as arranged. Dolores has not told him she is aware of the bet. When she is convinced of the true purpose of the simple seminarist, who has dis- played his strength in the arena, she realises the young fellow loves her honestly. She then tries to pre- vent the two rivals meeting, the safety of Lazaro being her first thought. But Melchor knocks dur- ing their confession of mutual love; the two men meet in a duel and the unscrupulous barber is slain. Dolores throws herself in dispair Into LazarO's arms and declares she has killed tho intruder, whereupon the seminarist cries to the crowd attracted by the noise that ho is the culprit, for he loves Dolores more than life. The curtain falls with the supposition that the affair will be settled according to the public's wishes. Mary Marquct holds the title role, and is suited for the part of the Spanish girl, whose honor lias been soiled by an unscrupulous gallant. Charles Boyer Is convincing as tho said Melchor. Tho bouquet, how- ever, goes to Pierre Blanchar, a newcomer from the conservatoire this year, who received a second prize at the last examination. He is striking as the moody, then cner- get ic, Lazaro. The show terminates with a sketch by Tristan Bernard. "Daisy," with Firmin Oemier as a race track crook who saves a rival from the police, whereas It would have been so simple to let him do a long term while he remained with the girl they both love. Kendrcw. in one act by H. Duxcnn.ls, de- scribes a nursing home where a hen-pecked husband feigns mad- ness, declaring he Ij made of crystal and needs to be handled gently. He has assumed this malady to find peace, his better half, the lady of bronsc, having rendered his exist- ence Intolerable. The characters are vividly drawn—the resident doctor, who thinks more of the prosperity of his business than the health of his patients; an aristo- cratic inmate, and the painter af- fecting aberration to find tranquility in < asylum. "Madt," piece In one act, by Maurice Leval, Is one of the weekly series written by this journalist for a local journal. The usual dialogue on domestic economy between Madame Mado and her tolerant hus- band. They return home late from the theatre and decide to have sup- per In the kitchen. Then the house- wife becomes aware of many dis- crepancies and failings on the part of her cook. She orders Monsieur to arouse the servant, and after a scene of reproaoh, sacks the half- awake woman in the middle of the night, forbidding her even to return to her bed in the house. A humor- ous trifle of a pampered lady's temper. The present bill at the [Jrand Clulgnol is quite up to the leave the deathbed vacant for their accomplice. Sybil Thorndike is the backbone and mainstay of the per- formance. Kussel Thorndike, George Bealby and Nicholas Han nan give support which could not be bettered, Thorndike being especially fine as the braggart in "F« ac." Tho stag- ing is simple but effective. MAUGET^S NEW SHOW Paris, Oct. 18. ' Irenes Maugel has resumed his management of tho Nouveau the- atre, the playhouse within the wax works Muses Grevin. He has adopt- ed the policy of the Grand Guignol and Deux Masques, presenting short pieces. The best in the present pro- gram is "Dans la Jungle" (The Re- turn of Imray) from the story of iludyard Kipling, by K. M. Lau- mann. The excitement is well sustained in the discovery of the murder of the former occupant of the bunga- low whose body is discovered in a sack hidden In the roof. "L'Executlon" is taken from Henri Monnier's Popular Scenes by ft!me. Isabelle Fusie., depicting a crowd at a public execution in Paris, in the Empire days, an urchin up a lamp post describing to those below the swift action of the guillotine i de- capitating four prisoners. The au- thoress holds the role of the urchin, and Barencey is excellent in the type of Monnier's iu>w immortal Jo- seph Prudhomme. The sketch, how- ever, would be better if condensed. Barencey is also good in "Trois Types." two acts by Paul Giafferi, present in., three auxiliaries during the war working in a government office. They are of different sta- tions In private life, but thus brought together they play dominos and have minor quarrels like school- boys. It is well observed, but also a bit too long. There is no action, "Haricot Beans" Is a clever little I albeit the public is entertained by comedy, in which two friends agreo this trifle. to share the £2,000 prize offered by "A bas les auteurs.* an act by a newspaper, providing either of Johannes Gravier, is supposed to be them should win it. The competl- a satire on theatrical directors who t inn editor (a remarkably uncouth have a horror of dramatic authors, individual this even for an editor Ono the whole a worthy bill, but and a direct libel on every man in j not calculated to attract for long. Fleet street) calls on x>ne of them. respectability. It is not a wildly humorous play, but it is in admir- able good taste. There is very little story, and what there is, is as light and transparent as gossamer, but it serves to make pleasant entertain- ment. Lady Tree's impersonation of the growling old woman was the success of the don was not particularly happy as Aramlnta. Excellent performances came from Lyall Swete and Roy Byford, and W. Cronin Wilson was good as the lover. tall Curse,** well done by Walter Williams and Yvonne Phillips. The ftlirror of the Fayre" was another fine item, rarely conceived and ex- ecuted. In this there was much good dancing and not a little anato- mical display. Here Trinl made her r old woman was the |debut. Of the dances, that of June evening. Eileen Bel- no longer '\Little June," and Robert Qulnault was by far the best. "Let ami Let Live," a capital playlet, in- troduced Alfred Lester, after which he kept cropping up in all sorts of characters. One. of his songs, "Germs," is a fine number. 'The Old-fashioned Girl" and "The'Seven Ages of Women" were alike excel- lent. "A Legend of Old Venice," the most elaborate piece of scenic work in the production, was a capital spectacle, beautifully dressed and staged. In this Germaine Mitty and Tillio Introduced a remarkable acro- batic dance which will be the talk of London. usual. Kendrew. I0HD0H GUIGHOL London, Oct. 14. In the fifth series of Grand Guig- nol plays produced by Jose Levy Oct. 12 at the Little the horror-lov- ing public gets its money's worth who Is an acquaintance, and tells him he's won. He, however, wants half the prise for himself, more the real prize is only £ 200, although the winner must sign f6r the £2,000. The winner agrees eventually, si- DEUX MONSIEUR' DE MADAME Paris, Oct. 18. Comedy in three acts by Felix Ganders, presented /or the re- inauguration of the Mathurins. The though he is very annoyed to see i title Is the pet phrase of the general A TO Z London, Oct. 14. Produced on the afternoon of Oct. 11, an innovation doubtless due to the arrival of Aramlnta at the Com- edy in the evening, Andre Chalot's new revue, "A to Z," Is one of the best. There are 25 episodes, and all are so excellent that it Is diffi- cult to choose from their number. The authors and architects of this show, merely numbering eleven, have done their work exceedingly well. The gem of the whole is un- doubtedly "The Oldest Game In the World," a delightfully thought out and'produced story of famous love affairs, Ronald Jeans and Ivor No- vello being responsible for words and music respectively. The story of the episode is delightfully sung by Josephine Trix and Marcel de Haes. Another feature Is a Chinatown drama In tabloid form, 'The Honor of Quong Poo," by Thomas Burke, the author of "Linn-house Nights." Then there is a distinct novelty in a sketch which is played backward. Fred Ross makes good with an Imi- tation of that stage autocrat, Balieff of Chauve Souris fame, a ballet a long way after Thackeray, capital mimicry from Elisabeth Pollock and a great Noah's Ark number by the Sisters Trix. This clever couple of entertainers stand out vividly from a perfect show and duplicate their previous success at the New Oxford in "The League of Notions." his thousands dwindle to one hun dred. Then his troubles begin. He quarrels with everybody, his past life crops up and costs him fifty, and In the end he has nothing. "The Unseen" is a thrill, with oc- cultism as its foundation. The hus- band of a passionately adoring girl- wife is murdered by poachers. Her parents fear for her sanity, but a year later she is quite well in health and happy because she Is In dally, hourly communication with the dead man. She consults him about everything, even the hats she shall wear. Hypnotism cures her, but she goes raving mad. "The Old Story" Is a little comedy with a touch of tragedy. A young law student Is Infatuated by a working girl. He wishes her to spend Sun- day with him. The way in which he kisses her and mauls her about should be sufficient warning, but is not. She. after telling him she Is a "good girl," is about to surrender when they are interrupted by an old man who has overheard their con- versation. He tells them his story, a story the facislmile of theirs, | which brought ruin and unhappl- ness to Just such another little working girl. In the end, after a spasm of virtuous repentance, the girl agrees to go with her lover on the Sunday trip. Her fate is very obvious. "Fear" is an extremely strong two-act drama from the French—with the exception of one all the items in the program are from the French"—it Is also the big GRAND GUIGNOL servant of Marthe, who has married twice. After having pardoned George for many infidelities, she ob- tains a divorce and contracts mat- rimony with the easygoing, sedate, particular Adolphe. Marthe has a rich aunt who is opposed to divorce, so when the old lady announces her visit the family must appear as she formerly knew it. Marthe thus pre- vails On her new husband to allow the former one to resume his place in the home while the aunt is pres- ent. George rather enjoys the situation and carries it to the extreme limit, aided by the unsuspecting aunt. Marthe has a tender spot in her warm heart for the enterprising George, and has become weary of the homely habits of Adolphe. Con- sequently she is quite willing again to divorce and remarry the fickle George. The new farce closely re- sembles "l7n Ange Passa" given at the Potiniere last Reason. Gandera declares he wrote nis play without knowing of the other. "Madame's Two Husbands" will not have a long run, and there is no great harm done. Gandera has given us some lively plays, and the present one has some amusing situations. Kcndretc. LA FRAUDE Paris, Oct. 26. Louis Fallens, author of this four- act drama, is a Belgian, a former chansonnicr in Paris. His work, mounted by Jacques Copeau at the Vieux Colombier. is suitably con- structed. The action is laid amidst smugglers on the Dutch frontier. Philemon, the eldest pom of Libor, is the chief of the band, in which his three brothers are enrolled, their business being in driving cattle Into Belgium. The fattier Is Ir- ritable, perhaps regretting his in- ability to mix in the adventures. A spy is in their midst, Llbor's only daughter, Rose, who Is in love with the custom's officer of the neighbor- hood and ready to sell her brothers. The last expedition was successful, and Philemon announces he Is now going to commence honest work on a farm to the great Joy of the fam- ily. The second act is with the aged farmer, Dauw, with a young wife, and it was for this reason Philemon had accepted work on the farm. He loves the farmer's wife, and they arrange to elope after having robbed Dauw of his cattle to pay expenses. It is arranged to smug- gle the animals over the frontier, but warned by tho sister, Rose, the customs, officers are ready. They pursue Philemon to his home, where he ia shot. Kcndrcxc. THE HOTEL MOUSE London, Oct. 1. "The Hotel Mouse," which Sir Al- fred Butt and J. E. Vedrenne pro- Paris, Oct. 7. The famous little theatre In the . , Rue Chaptal retains its tradition by drunken roysterers arrive for shel- hunted and only partly clad prosti lute seeks shelter In a little cafe. Her house has been raided, she has escaped, but the gendarmes are in pursuit. The waiter turns her out to meet her fate. A party of half presenting for the new autumn bill two so-called blood curdlers and two farces. Tho "entertainment" commences ■With "L'Homme de la Nuit," drama In two act:., by Leo Marches. It de- picts a monomaniac Englishman, who disinters the bodies of women and steals their hair. Tho police cannot discover the culprit, and ar- rest a valet in the Britisher's em- ploy who is known as the Man of the Night. The audience is kept suspicious until the end, when the real offender, known as a ro- spectahle married painter, Is tracked. Paulaia plays the part of the Englishman with conviction, Mile. Conzalves being his unsus- pecting snouse. The Impression of the scalping is well felt without being seen. "Lo Rapide 13." one-act drama or Jean Sartene, is more impressive and realistically mounted. It de- picts a railroad signal cabin, with the usual husiness of passing trains. The solitary signalman Is smitten ter from the storm, and one of them makes a bet that he'll stay in a neighboring wax work show until morning—he has never known what fear is. Left alone with the effigies of murderers and their victims, with a choice of the guillotine, tho elec- tric chair or a garrotting apparatus as his couch, his nerves soon begin to give way. Tire culminating point I their coups lead* comes when he touches a figure | to the French by Miss Tennyson Jesse and H. M. Harwood. For the first three acts Its sparkle is Just a little too brilliant and subtle for popu- larity, but the farce of the fourth act redeems everything and saves the situation. The last act had much to do with the cordiality of the piece's reception. The story is of tho Continent and Continental "crooks" are the leading characters The .Mouse is a delightful girl, who is nothing more or less tlrnn an ex- port hotel sneak thief working In partnership with a criminal whom die (-alls her "godfather." Ono of to a love affair, say nothing of a general entan- which moves and is warm He dies element of the dramatic personae of terror. Tho figure is the hunted | ;im i tho vml of „ 1( . n iay shows the FUN OF FAYRE Drostilute, and she, too, goes mad before the gendarmes drag her away. The dead man they Ignore, thinking he Is only one of the show's exhibits. The growth of ter- ror, verging on insanity, is splen- didly depicted. "E and O E," stand- ing for EiTors and Omissions and not a chemical compound as might !»•• thought,* is a rather gruesome comedy by E. Crawshay-Williams. A man is badly Injured and dying. His young wife and her mother are eager that ho shall sign a new will, but he has little to leave, having for years earriod out a system of with an attack of nj.opWy, leading | finingr thrm for their'errors and to a collision on tho line, vith all | omissions. He dies the horrors of a railroad catas- trophe, the relief train and removal cf the victims. Wmc. Maxa, the star of the house, has an opportunity to scream as the signalman's wife. "La Dame de Bronze et le Mon- Aicur 4e Criatai," farcical comedy They persuade a neighbor to Impersonate him so that the win can be signed. He dies, but leaves what is left to himself. The-plot is spoiled, however, by the Mouse receiving the reward which dramatists generally reserve for virtue. The dialog is full of ironv and hard-hitting witticisms, and the whole play is brilliantly acted. Dorothy Minto is the Mouse and scores heavily, whether burgling or love making. She also adds addi- tional piquancy to the production by wearing a costume of black tights when on her depredatory ex- peditions. Holman Clarke as her "godfather" and partner Is also re- sponsible for a fine and highly pol- ished piece of work. ARAMINTA ARRIVES London. Oct. 12. Araminta Arrives." the comedv with which Leon M. Lion and Nor- , ,..,..-. - lnau McKinnel followed "The Love dead body felling out of a wardrobe. Thief" at the Comedy on Oct. 11, is into which the women have lg- a. horse of another eolor. It is Vic- nomlnously thrust It in order to lorian alike in plot, atmosphere and song 'iMto^n^ThtoTS^ London, Oct. It. C. B. Cochran has given us of his best In "The Fun of the Fayre," which : o produced at the London Pavilion on Oct. 17, after the cus- tomary postponement. As a spec- tacle much of it is very beautiful, although scenery counts for very lit- tle, the effects being obtained by the gorgeous colors of tho dresses and the grouping. Some of these dresses, as seen <>n the first night, may be said to rival those of either "Chu Chin Chow" or "Cairo" in dar- ing, "altogether" tights, covered by thin open mesh netting, being ex- tremely popular It Is In such a costume that "the most beautiful girl In the world" makes her bow to Loudon audiences. Frankly, she was disappointing. There are hun- dreds of girls more beautiful than Trinl, and thousands more talented. We had been led to expect too much. Novelties abound, and it was not until well after 11 o'clock that any- thing went wrong with tb/» hig show. Then the Fratellinl Brothers bade fair to wreek a triumphant evening. In the last scene of all they Intro- duced every stale old clowning and knockabout trick known to the ages, and. to put It mildly, they "got the bird." They -hould never have been allowed to go on with such poor ma- terial. Their appearance struck the one false note in a night of perfect harmony. Opening with Bartholomew Fair in 1665, with King Charles, Lady Castlemaine, Nell Gwyn and Sam- uel Pepys. the show runs through many episodes, all good and mostly original, much more original than we generally see in revue, until the end is reached in a modern circus. In this last scene Cochran sprang his big surprise on LondSn by put- ting the Dolly Sisters 4nto the ring with their Pony Trot. Their recep- tion was immense. Among other good things: Arthur Roberts proved there was indeed a lot of life in the old dor as a policeman on duty and slumbering in Piccadilly Circus, a scene whic* also yielded a capital Part 2 was opened by Parish and Paru, wh#> had very little time al- lowed them In which to make good, but succeeded admirably. When the show runs closer and they get a bet- ter chance they will be one of the big things of the production. "The Way to Write a Play" demonstrated what a hash three amateur authors can make of a play, especially when : each of them writes an act without knowing what his collaborators have done or are" doing. Starting with a modern problem Idea, the second author made the play Grand Guig- nol and the third turned It into old- fashioned musical comedy. This last episode was somewhat lacking in humor and might be cut with good results. However, it held an exceedingly good wedding number. "Let the Boy Win His Spurs" was one of the very best things of the evening, the first scene showing tho tent of Edward II at Crecy in Au- gust, 1346, where he made his fa- mous speech, and the scene changed to the Trocadero, August, 1921, where some of the "boys" who had won their spurs banquet ted in honor of their host who had just been cre- ated a baronet. Alas! the boys were all naturalized enemy aliens, all of them had made fortunes during the war by profiteering, swindling, even blackmail. In the hour of their adopted country's need. They all had British names famous in the country's history. In this Morris Harvey gave a brilliant perform- ance. Another good playlet with Alfred Lester as a nervous chauf- feur pursued by his amorous mis- tress, brought the show to the road leading to the Bull Ring at Toledo. Here Trinl danced, but it was poor after the brilliant work which had preceded it. Germaine Mitty and Tillio gave another remarkable dance in the arena of an ancient Roman circus, and we then come a modern circus ring, the Dolly Sis- ters, many calls, a speech from Al- fred Lester, In which* he told the public that they were welcome to the authors and producers, as the company was fed up with them after six weeks* rehearsal. The curtain fell after being up for over three hours and orty minutes. Chief honors in the production must go to Germaine Mitty and Til* Ho, for without any support this brilliant couple would draw crowded houses; the Dolly Sisters, who are still tho leading lights of "The League of Notions" as well; Evelyn Laye, good in all she did and ex- ceptionally so as Nell Gwynn; June, our own British dancer, and as good as the best of the ballet school; Walter Williams, Clifton Webb, Morris Harvey, Alfred Lester, Par- ish and Peru, and a host of other clever people. In fact, the show was rather overloaded by genius, the brillianc and length of tho cast mak- ing personal performances very sketchy. The whole ran smoothly and without a hitch, with the one unfortunate exception already men- tioned. Gore. CAIRO London, Oct. If). "Cairo,'' which is the Oscar Asche version of "Mecca." was success- fully produced at His Majesty's on October 15." Today all London if talking of its gorgeousness and ar- guing as to whether the big scene is simply lascivious obscenity uncon- trolled or art in Its highest form. Asche has his all on Art with a very big capital A. The scene In question is that of Ihe orgy in the ruined pala■■«■ where, to clashing and delirious music, men and women work themselves up to fever heat of sensual abandon and fall exhausted, their limbs entwined. As a spectacle It is womhrfulll beautiful, and, after all, it is i mat* ter of "evil to him who evil thinks.* The whole show is a worthy suc- cessor to "Chu Chin Chow." and would be a success even if its bac- chanalian excesses were eut com- pletely. The cast is a very .strong one. but so even do the principaJ parts appear that no one stands out above his or her fellow players. Os- car Asche IS the showman-wrestler, All Shar, and he. on a line with his now-famous orgy has been brought to task on account of his undue ex- posure. Lily Brayton is beautifully regal nnd declamatory. Courtice Pounds sings well and the whole long cast work hard to reach a de- served success, but the spectacular portion of the show will be the big pull. The music is not so g«nsl as in "Chu Chin Chow'—at any ram from the popular point oi view. G'ur*