Variety (August 1922)

9 7.^' ' 'VA^ T.ifcT 'n.«:;*»Tf7i^e-K*i'"iT i.»;.»ra -viiB^ti? y>f^3fr,^^- "■;-v:"av«^."'*c.i Friday. Auguft U, 1922 .V LEUn IMA 1 fc ,1 -?.s»v.-,.»T^-|r?;.*i. J" ,.«fTr*^' ' ■• "%■>': 19 BROADWAY,' REVIEWS FOOLS ERRANT V Ore»<wy I^ortng KlnMT Blten C. Tracy I/iCnft* SUmn&rd FrlU WllUama iMbel P»ll _jny Prltch»rd »», LuclU Watson rota Pritotaard • 'Vinc«nt BMrano le Brlprly Cyril Kelgbtley lU Kills.... Alexandra Cariial« HgM •••«•• Bodtl Rosing ^^Orabam. •••••.*• Robert Cummlncs _aldy f Charles Reigsl kikyy Artbur PltsgeraJd Rutb JSUlns .5« Probably worse than alttlnc in Judgment of your own play is the Issk uf commenting on an opus authored by your employer. That makes for a rather Interesting, not to say delicate situation as concerns thfS dramatic critic of "I^lfe," who, ISn passing judgment on this new olay by Louis Evan Shipman. the Jditor of "Ldfe," will probably be compelled to x'ecourse to the un- written law in treating kindly any- thing that drips from the pens of newspaper cronies. For Mr. Shipman who, in associa- tlon with the Shuberts, presents '; •'Fools Errant," disclosed a rather > asinine leading character for all his quixoticism, at the premiere Aug. 21 at the Maxine Elliott. ''Eric Brierly, an impossible, unnatural IdeaHst, who impresses his fellow dramatis personae with his twaddle about "flndincf himself bjxck there - In Minnesota, does not fare so well with his audience. Colloquially, he must be taken with a grain of salt de::;pile Cyril Kcightley'a serious, and almost Impressive, desire to drive home the personation* But it ' Is too much for any man. The four-act play Is a hybrid drawing room comedy and back- woods drama, the action opening in John Pritchard's home. John has a : Wife, Fanny, whom Eric loved years V ago. John also has a mistress, ' Greta, whom Erlo learns to love. ^* Despite the gangly Eric's insistehce that "three hearts c^vnnbt beat as one, at leust east of Salt Lake City, that is," he learns different. Eric learns lots of things, before the play has run its course, with the hope that despite his self-incarceration in Minnesota he will yet emerge from his Coventry. From Act 11 on, the action is pbvlous. Greta, John Pritchard's mistress, ' Starts chafing at the leash and Ve&rns for freedom and a chance to earn her own living, even if It means the |7 a week she formerly Bubsisted upon as a student in Paris * .Where Prltchard found her. Soon thereafter Eric entreats her .' fo "rebuild her bridges behind her," imd one knows the conclusion. '•* Kric is called west. Quixotlo fool that he is, he asks Oreta to go with him—as his wife. Greta, John'<s erstwhile mistre.<^ Imd the Ifrs. Eric Brierly of the morrow, ia overwhelmed but accepts Kot until the fact is literally thrust •n her in so many worda» does she t«alixe that the idealistic-socialistic &ric has taken this as a means to ftubtract John's mistress, and thus Wiminate the odd. angle of the ^Iriangle, in the hope John would . Ireturn to Fanny. Why the obvious ( Aever occurred to Eric, that John "' InigM get another mistress, is flighted in the recounting, or at least )lot taken into consideration. So, in Act III Greta and Eric, Comfortable In their Me.iaba (Minn.) fehack. comfort the miners and their Camilies and, as Eric admits, "make the women conscious of their sex." Kot a very material accomplishment that, although' Greta does ad- Ininister assistance in more worldly <tvays. For a whole year the twain have llyed together and work- ed together—nothin;^ more. Eric, the errant fool, as yet does not ^ealize that he really cares for Greta. Jhe inevitable meeting between Fanny (Lucille "Watson) and Greta (Alexandra Carlisle) occurs for the tllmax. Miss Carlisle rising to un- fcusiHTted heights that won for her lipprobation that was a bit more generous than even the usual first taight .spnandered applause. Fanny Itrrive.s on the scene unoeknown to Eric, much less Greta, and the latter Imagines It a pre-arranged affair In view of Eric's truly solicitovs proposal that she (Greta) go away on an extended vacation. John 'Prltchard conveniently died three months before to pave the way for Fanny's coming to claim Eric and discovering that the same woman Who came between her and John, how separates her froi.n the only man she cares for. Greta, in a ' dilemma, trembles under the la.«ihing of Fanny's tongue but in despera- tion delivers a neat piece of diam- atic acting, refuting iho accusations and a i)opular winn* r on the re- buttal. Eric In the last act admits himself a blind fool and the audience depai t.s to let them live happily for- ever .nftor, Fritz Williams. Ml.ss WRtson, Vin- cent Serrano, Mr. K eight ley and Miii.s Carlisle bear the brunt, the — baliuue of the cast bfIng negligible, moHlly bits. It included no less than u^reo difTorent maids nnJ one butler. Mr. Williams was convincing as the old friend of the family, as was Mi.s.s Watson. Mr. Serrano was but fair. Mr. Keightley heightened the tm- realistic personation by stressing his English accent strikingly. Miss Carllsla wai most satlsfylnir. . " The production has been hand- somely mounted, its thrQe sets (last two acts using same set) very taste- fully designed. B. Iden Payne staged it and did Justice to the script. yuB an evening's entertainment, the 0>ty is satlsfacttK-y if one does not i-ely too much on orthodox realism. Eric, in short, is too good to be true, but If oae elects to wander into the realms of imagery, "Fools Errant," most certainly is sufficient unto the purpose thereof. AheL THE OLD SOAK Clem Hawley. the Old Soak Harry BeresfOrd MaUIda. his wife Minnie Dupr^e l^Moy, their daughter Helene Slnnott Gii'M. Jr George Lo Guero Cousin Webster Parsons, the village banker Robert MeWade Tom Ogtlen. Lucy's sweetheart. .Grant Mills Ina Heath ....Mary PhHips Nellie, hired girl £va WilltamB "Al" Robert E. O'Connor Don Marquis' "The Old Soak,"- which Arthur Hopkins Introduced to the natives of this benighted Bagdad-on-the-Subway Aug. 22 at the Plymouth, will probably be with us for many months to come. In- triguing not only the I. R. T. and B. R. T. commuters but visitors from out of town. This delightfully drOTl comedy has all the ingredients of a popular success comparable to "Llghtnln'." The "Old Soak" may even par "Llghtnin* Biirjones" as a metropolitan favorite. As -the author-"Colyumlsf* In his curtain speech said, "It's an inno- cent little thing" that he wrote, in- nocent and quite familiar in its "planting," but wholly delightful and humorous in Its development. The play, imlike the rolling stone, annexes laughs as It progresses. "The Old Soak" is a character conned from Don Marquis* "SUn Dial." although comparatively new to his "Hermione" and the "cock- roach Archy" creations. Possibly in- spired by what "Dulcy" accom- plished. Marquis took a fling at this here playwrightin' thli^g and elab- orated a production around the character which Harry Beresford makes truly living, breathing and kicking. One must forgive the familiar hokum of obviously planting the shares of stock which Mother is keeping to p^ off the next install- ment on the house; one for^ves the erring son who has overdrawn money at his place of business to "rush" a cabaret dancer, who admits she was the first to shake a South Sea shimmy in a restaurant, with appropriate illustrative gestures; one forgives these and other plot familiars In the abundance of gen- uine humor. The laughs are aplenty, yet the audience does not get "laughed out," each witticism or quirk topping the other in a suc- cession of climaxes.. Clem Hawley, the old soak; Is strongly addicted to liquor, to put »it mildly. Though berated by his wife, whoso patience has been tried to the snapping point, and more or less alighted by his son and daugh- ter, he finds comfort down at Jake Smith's place, where he is a hale fellow. Particularly is there a soft spot In his heart for Al, an ex-bar- tender, and Nellie, the hired girl, the only people of his acquaintanceship who still address him a^ "Mister." Al is an occasional provider of wet goods, towards the end picking up a little change in a bootlegging part- nership with Webster Parsdns, the village banker, the "foremost and respected citizen." Parsons had tempted Clem, Jr., to steal his mother's stock and sell it to him to raise money for an investment in Wall street, counted upon to re- coup all his losses and even 'make a stake" for his marriage to the cabaret dancer. Of course, the young Clem (George Le Guere) finds him.self wiped out, at the same time the stock he had sold fox |1.400 ris- ing to 112, \«hich would have meant $10,000 profit. The old .^on'c, wrongly accused of the theft, lenrns of the state of affairs and decides to leave his own home as dumb evidence of his guilt. This is done to shield his son. the petted, spoiled child of his mother, and thus save her the hurt. How- over, the old soak manages to browbeat the oily village b.inker out of the 110,000 profit that roally be- longs to Mathilda (Clem's wife). The recounting of the tale does not credit Its Ingratiating develop- ment with its characterizations and what very closely approaches vaude- ville hoke and cru.ssfire. The infer- mlttont announcement by Nellie, "Al is hore." was on the order of a catch-phrase in a vaudeville skit, and always productive of a con- certed guffaw. Al enters and bLarts a serious discussion, "how wo all have come down since prohibition," and reiterates .sadly, "it wns an edu- cation to a guy to hear thi>se Inter- e£;ting debate." and discussions in them good old days.'* a quip that was one of the several to win audi- b!e approbation. Mr. Beresford has created an "old soak" that mny be likened to Joseph Jefferson's Hip Van Winkle, drol'. hrnest, good-natured and sincere for all hia shortcoming. Minnie Dupree. playing opposite as bis wife, ran second only to him, although Mr. LeQuere. Eva Williams, Robert R O'Connor and Robert McWade con- tributed tellingly to the total. Cleon Throckmorton has Invested the piece with two effective sets, which are used In the three acts (four scenes). The first two acts and the last ticene of the third act are set in the living room of the Haiftey home, Baycliffj Ij. I. Act III, scene 1, is the office of Webster Parsons* bank. "The Old Soak" Is one of the most Important contributions of the ne# season. It has all the earmarks of a popular success. - Abek DAFFY DILL Batelle ...; Marlon Sunshine ?••''„ Oenevteve Markara ^'*fy .Brow" Irene Olsen School Inspector n».ij Mulvoy *»*"'» TInney Prank Tlnney Dan Brown. Lucy's father Harry Mayo iveiineth Ilobson Uuy Robertson I..ucys Grundmn in 1h«T. . Jaequelyn Hunter tiucy's Grandpa m 1M<J7 Lynne Berry Lucys Mother In ItWU Imogt-ne Wilson Harry Jones RoUIn Grimes '^^'■"« Georgia O'Ramey ♦-^ "Dafify Dill" has been frankly con- structed around Frank Tinney. The show is programed as a "musigirl" comedy, whichv describes It as well as any other monicker. There's a general structure of musical com- edy with slathers of hoke, more than likely most of it Interpolated by Mr. Tlnney; a dash of burlesque and a touch of revue, with the vautTeviUe idea always prevalent. Guy Bolton and Oscar Hammerstein id wrote the book, Hammerstein the lyrics, and Herbert Stothart the music. Julian Mitchell staged it, Arthur Hammerstein produced it, and it opened at the Apollo Aug. 22. Mr. Tlnney has the male end of the comedy department practically to himself. His chief assistant in going after laughs la Georgia O'rta- mey, who does a likeable eccentric rube type of the modified sort. Mi.i8 O'Ramey gets a laugh wherever the dialog or action calLs for it and never overdoes it. Her work is characterized by restraint that keeps the comedy assigned to her bubbling along smoothly. Tinney has delved deep In the archives of standard vaudeville comedy for his laughs. The show holds IS scenes, with the first a beautiful pastoral effect, "The Old Swimmin' Hole." This has the chor- isters on as school kids, and Tinney in black face, as ih^ typical bad boy of the school room, gradually developing into a school room com- edy scene, along the same lines as the school bits, done originally in "Ye Old Village School." a standard of the Elizabethan days, 300 years ago, and more recently by Cush- man. Holcomb and Curtis, Gus Ekl- wards, the Avon Four, and count- less others. This scene ends with Tinney telling the assembled school kids the much traveled gag of Santa Claus getting In bed with mother. * The second scene is in "one,** a Colonial doorway effect, with Irene Olsen. the Ingenue, and Guy Robert- son, juvenile, siru^lng a pretty love song, with Miss Olsen's daintiness and looks, and Robertson's class and voice, serving as pleasing cpntrast to the rough and ready comedy that ran throughout the show. After the opening Tinney dpflfs the the cork and thereafter appears in white face. In the third scene of the first act he Is a wise cracking hick, proprietor of a sporting goods store, with a free hand for the insertion of impromptus and seeming impromp- tus. Miss O'Ramey also figures In this scene In a bit with Tinney, based on the underwear a bride is to wear. This Is a bit peppy at times, but Tlnney always slides over tick- lish spots With the assurance that made him different In vaudeville and established him In the legit. One of the best comedy bits Is a burlesque drama, "The Coachman'p Widow," with Tinney and Marion Sunshine, the soubret of the show, made up like old-fashioned tintypes, doing a mock ballad with the usual travesty trimmings and Interpola- tions by Tinney. This has a funny basic Idea for comedy, but can be built up considerably. ^ Harry Mayo, the baritone of the once Empire City Quartet, has an unimportant role of a father singing once or twice and landing distinc- tively with his me.low voice. Mayo should be given more to do. ' One of the very few smashes In the applause line was a whirlwind dance by Ted Wing and Frances Grant. This tied the show in a knot and deservedly so. In the final .scene of the first act, a double quartet of chorus men. about the funniest looking aggrega- tion but the beat,singing bunch that has been seen in a musical show In years, warbled tunefully. Tlio first act ran from 8.40 until 10. It can stand cutting and re- vision, especially in the matter of comedy. Tinney is funny with wliat ho has, but it is all so familiar, tlie gag.s especially. Allowing that Tin- ney made even the cynical flr.«4t nighters yell at som? of the oldest ones the way he handled 'em. the show isn't fa.st enough in a comedy way and can stand a lot more laughs even if it is necessary to u.se still more of the standard ones. The .same goct. for the second acf which lia.*? five .«?fene<«, tho outst.md ing one bijjig a .'^liip, a work of .-irl 5»c«<nlcalIy. Hero Tlnney digs up thv "rubber-ln-the-mouth" bit, bur lesquo magic md Juggling and tb« burlesque mark.sman.'iltip stuff that has been a surefire with acrobatic comedians ever since vaudeville was variety. Tinney does his specialty with the orchestra leader, introducing a bit of travesty cornetting as formerly In his vaudeville turn years ago. A rambling speech on the lines of the tangled language monologists and bringing in a recent stag story by subtle suggestion without making it offensive, is also a Tinney specialty In the second part. Miss O'Ramey has a well written f omlc song, "Doctor," In the second part—one of those numbers that need careful handling which. Inci- dentally, it rc»celvea. Kenneth Keith wrote the song. Another dancing team, Mary Haun and Galdino Sedano, assisted by Frederick Renoff. flffUre In the sec- ond half with a*piratical pantomimic affair that brings forth some great whirlwind and classical stuff, and tells a story of Jealousy and love with a touchkOf the Apache thing. Several of the songs have a likable lyrical Jingle, especially a jazzed nursery rhymes number, "My Boy Friend," "Chlnky Chink" and "Red Skin." The music averages with- out anything standing out particu- larly, but with all of the niunbers tuneful. The chorus should be an attrac- tion. They're all chicks, about 20 of 'em, a lively bunch, strong on looks and running through the for- mations with agility and pep. Mr. Mitchell achieved some pretty ef- fects. The "Red Skin" number has the girls in bare legs slapping their thighs. That's the "Red Skin" part of it. Several other numbers util- ize the hare legs thing. There's a bit of plot, too, with the Cinderella theme uppermost, with Miss Olsen as a sort of present-day Irene and Mr. Robertson as the prince. The Keene Twlna two pretty little girls, appear with Miss Olsen and Mr. Robertson In several numbers. All of these are effective- ly staged and carry a touch of ro- mance that brightens the show. "Daffy Dill" will probably work into shapes during the week. Its chief fault Tuesday night was tho comedy, which as a whoie could not be described as weak, but which can stand much Improvement- A lot of money looks to have been spent on the production, the show being par- ticularly attractive scenically. Ben. THE WOMAK WHO LAIJOHED John Neilaon. a Ifiwyer. .William If. PowpII Frieda NoJIson, hia wife.. .Martha Hcdman Minna Becker, her step-sister..Oltda Leary Edward Locke spoiled a whale of a 30-minute playlet to make a three- act play out of "The Woman Who Laughed," opening at the Longacre, Aug. 16. The piece has the appear- anoe of an economical flier designed to keep the theatre alive during this uncertain preliminary to the regular season. The cast has only three persons and the production involves only one stage setting. The invest- ment probably was inconsiderable and the cost of keeping the play on in the face of warm weather and listless public still more moderate. This is not set down In deroga- tion, for it is a cameo organization and a bijou production. The piece was none too well received at its premiere, an oppressive Aug. 17. Indeed it is rather an Irritating pro- ccedTng. The Interesting first act comprehends pretty much the whole story and the two extra acts con- tribute little not manifested pre- viously. Probably the first act, which now takes 45 minutes or thereabout."!, could be pruned suf- ficiently to get the whole story Into the same stretch of time and make it a better entertainment. The opening chapter is Ingenuous. Frieda, the wife; Mina, her step- sister, and John, her huaban4. form the domestic triangle. Immediately there is a liaison In progress be- tween John and Minna for the furtherance of which the other woman has been drugging the wife with chloral. A letter from Norway, detailing Minna's free lance love affairs "before her arrival In the Keil- son menage, confirms the wife's suspicions, and she turns the tables on the intriguers. She drugs them both with chloral and ropes them together on the living room settee, her plan being to compel tho Idea of a ridiculous Intimacy upon the hus- band that will cure him of his in- fatuation. That is the first act. The thing is fairly complete thus early. Nevtrtbelesa the completed story is carried on through two more acts, (luring which the wife badgers both her victims, pretends to poison one and then makes believe to shoot her- self. Tho author must 4iave been embarra.ssed with tho situation he had made for himself. He couldn't deal with it too seriously, for then it would have been a grewsorae pro- ceeding for August or any other kind of weatlier. lie couldn't very well have mudo it a straight-away comedy, for tli»n it wouldn't have had a kick, and it had to have some- thing to Justify another hour. So ho comi)roml.se<l di.-^.astrously with both oxpedionis and mad*? it nothing so much as an exasp^ratitig hoax. The result i.s a mere the- atrical piece of fii lion. ,\t the end of the se(orid ;v< t when the compliea- Tion.s h.-..i i.ii. .1 Ml) TTfTTrrtrpf'.'iTr. it was even bettin«r it would all turn out to be a dream. i:;st Instead If wa.^ mi'r»*ly thr- wif»*.s lnf;.ntilr« de- vice to bring h' r hu-sbrnd to hi.s sen.se;^. a pretty eruiie junl ci»ild)»l! I)i(H.f( ding th.it coiiMn't b;ipi>en nnyw'uro lut on the stujje. Th>,' mo- tives of all thre« personagoa wera tho same. And besides, the material sprMdC astonishingly thin, even if the per- formance does confine itself to an even two hours. Mr. I«ocke hasn't the trick of spinning nothing into an attractive pattern, although he does possess the knack for witty passa^CM of dialog. The honors of the performance were William II. Powell s, the only natural person of the three. He played the chuckled-headed« victim of the siren with vast finesse and nice effect, although the sentimontal passages fell flat, more because they were absurd in themselves than be- cause they were inexpertly handled. The enterprise is merely an in- cident in the pre-season time of tentative tries. Rush. LIGHTS OUT A eomedy Jn three acts by Paal Ptckey and Mann ruge. ITt's^nlcd by Mrs. Henry B. Harris at the Vanderbilt theatre. New York. Auff. 17. 1U22. Walt 8«basUsn Felix Kr«>mba Uart>ara Peyton Marcia Byron lira. Chrstt>r Oallant.. .Oliv* lUrper Thora KeUh Koibea William .Shelley Brakeman Albert Powers Mr. Peyton William Incarsoll Kcbert Wlnslow... Robert Ames Porter .Cy Plunkett Hairpin Annl? Beatrice Noyrs Butts McAIHster Zx>rin RaWor "Camera Eye" Pecker Philip I.ord Silent Jim Sam Janney High Sbioe Jo« .....C. Henry Gordon NiKht Watchman...,,,...HnlUra Botiwurtb Mr. Wellsback William K. Morris After a postponement, Mrs. Henry B. Harris picked Thursday night (Aug. 17), the hotteat during the summer, to present a new comedy by Paul Dickey and Mann Page at the Vanderbilt theatre. It was so hot that even this being the only opening, it did not attract a suffi- cient audience to flll the lower fltoor with "paper" out. The neat nat- urally made the audience restless and unappreciatlve of the comedy. In spite of this, the show looks as though it had a chance with the masses. All that it needs is plug- ging. If Mrs. Harris will hang on to this piece, utilizing cut rates, per- haps, to get her over the rough spot, there appears enough in It to make it a winner. Thia prediction is made in spite of the opinions of a rather hard-l>oiled audience that< witnessed the opening and con- demned it generally. "LlghU Out" has Just the wallop that the masses like. It has a neat love story, some mystery, a corking crook angle and a touch of the motion picture stuff. The high- brows won't like it; but to those who go to the theatre for a laugh this piece will fill the bill. The opening performance was a little ragged, and the ending of the final act a bit weak, but other than that there seems to be no outstand- ing fault that can be found. It is in three acta the first in the ob- servation car of a train baund to New York. Tho second Is the apart- ment of a successful picture play author, and the fin..! one shows the studio where his writings are filmed. The opening act has mystery. On board the train are an engaged couple and tho mother and father of the girl; a couple of crooks, man and woman, and the youngs m^ with the satchel. The satchel ia the pivotal point. At the station b«>for9 boarding the train an attempt was made to insure the bag for $1,000,- 000. and this put the crooks on his trail. Their efforts to get Into the bag and the planting of th^ meeting of the engaged girl and the man with the satchel are the principal points. When the curtain goes down It has been disclosed the bag contained scenarios the young man had written, after having.taken a correspondence course, and he Is on his way to New York to sell them. The crooks corner and force hIA to open the bag. When they discover what the contents are their disap- pointment is so great they are ready to knock off the author, but, instend, the principal crr>ok decides to throw bis lot with tho writer and give him first-hand underworld material for a picture serial. His motive is not so much that he .wants to go straight, but to disclose how he planned and executed a ceii.iln bank robbery where he was double- crossed by his partner, who has run away to .South America. The second act finds the screen version of the crime story a whale ot a hit and the young author col- lecting royalties in handfuls, while tho crook who is his source of In- formation Is living with him ond giving a perfect picture of the suc- cessful screen writer who has be- come "i.lgger rich" overnight and affected tl>e usual bulling front which in real life has enabled so many people in pictures to get by. To those in the know on fllniM this touch will bring many a lauKli, for their imagination will be able to conjure up any number of peoplo who will fit the type. The world-wide circulation of the serial has had the effect desired. The double-crossing crook comes b.ick to tho big town to find who is .showing him up and to revenge himself by Indulging In a little •••liooling. Then it is disclosed the rtrl in tl>e first act and the ntjthrjr^ have fallen In love and it Is the girl's father who was the victim of the bank robbery. The gen«>ral iMiblic opinion is the bank job was .in inside one and ih » president of the bank the person that engineered (Continued on po^e 19) ii