Variety (March 1923)

■■fc ».< > » ^ » ^ ■»■. Thursday, March 1, 1923 LEGITIMATE ft BROADWAY REVIEWS HUMORESQUE 'flarah Kaotor ....lAurette Tay!or Xbratiajn. .1...•••••••••• H&m Stdinan £eon Alfred I.lttle r.eoo (cfown up) Ttutha J. Adler jMM,dore Choster Hermann Jaador* (gTOijrn up) liou Koiln Esther Ada Hew Itt £stber («rown up). Dorothy liurton Mannle Sidney Carliale Sol CJlnaberg Frank Munning 2loaie <.••;. ...Lillian Garrlck OIna Berff..... Kl«a Grey Bubx.. •• - • • .Charlotte Salkowltz Z.eon II Sidney Salkowltz Max Elsas Hubert Wlike Stage Employe Jamca H. Hell Reporter Wayne Wilson William Walter H. Brown Mrs. Finailirelber Vera Berliner sense of direction nud a foresight In casting that matched with the sclntniant and vibrant qualities of the star and the timbre of Fannie Hurst's 8tory-plcture-i)lay, which has as much right as anything In years to call itself a current classic. Lait. MR. MALATESTA ['"cy SutKtn Sterling Mi^ry Ma Kitzhutfli W't* Rhy Uirby J.H) Malatesla William KIcclardI Charles liurdette Krippea \'}^^ MarlUH Kotfati Mike O'Reilly Thomas F. Tracy t'ounl d'Armund Antonio falerno Never In his 20 years of profo.s- slonal theatreKoing has this reporter been moved, thrilled and fascinated by acting as he was by the in- describable art and personality of Laurette Taylo •. While pert ingenues are elevating their untnspired no.ses at playing parts not Inftnltesimally suited to their ''type." the greatest Ingenue of a generation, in that bugabooed thing, a "mother part" (yes. a grandmother parti) brought a New York auditnce to its feet with cheers and unashamed and iinic- stralned cries of "Bravo!" Not in aeasons has there Y»een such a dem- onstration seen and heard in a New York playhouse as thundered for a full fifteen minutes through no less than 25 curtain calls. And this in a play that has no essential thrills; that has been seen In every other form that the theatre and print afford—magaslno, movies. book, vaudeville; and that for a woman playing a Jewish grand- mother who scored her most mem- orable triumph playing an Irish brat. Surely this is an epoch-making event in the American theatre. Whether the wiseacres predict box office potentialitie.s lor Laurette Taylor In "Humoresque" or not, it is the greatest masterpiece of com- edy-drama siQce "The Music Mas- ter." and the greatest acting since that, probably, too. Another new producer, author and star make their bow in a season which has had mo/e new names above and below titles than any other in history. R. t;. Kemmet does the presenting and William Rlcciar- dl Is the prescnti'd as the writer and featured player of "Mr. Malatesta.' Kerftmett is a local pres.s agent. Kicciardl is remembered by this re- porter only as the friondly Italian who played in support of Warfleld in 'The Music Master" and enacted the latighable spaghetti-eating scene. Ricclardi, however, shows that ht» is not limited to comedy relief. Ho is a broad and human comedian, a character artist and an author with human understanding and some courage. His "Mr. Malatesta" has an excellent chance to be a success here, a's It has been in London. The Princess Is not the Ideal house for It, since it is principally a balcony- appeal play. Rut somewhere in America it will get more room tci gather the people who will like i' best, and it will carve Its mark. It may even have enough Uiialair.s overflow to fill the downstairs of the Princess for a \\ bile and not wait to find itself in Chicago, Philadelphia and Roston. Not since Cosmo Hamilton's "Blindness of Virtue" has there been as good and strong and fine a do- mestic comedy-drama shown. A man writes only one in a lifetime. Ric- If' Miss Taylor never tours In .ciardl may write greater plays, but "Humoresque." people from San Francisco should journey here to see her In it at the Vanderbilt. They can employ their time to no more profitable pleasure trip and can find no worthier pilgrimage. She is a miracle. The management has given her a presentation worthy of her. The nrst act setting and detail. In the home of the impoverished Kantors on Allen street in the Ghetto, lead- ir\g to the scene in which the mother takes the last four dollars to buy her son a violin, is a living credit to George Tyler—who, by the way, is not credited in the program at all. .T. Hartley Manners, Miss Taylor's liusband and her sole autjior since she went over the top in .his "l*eg o' My Heart," staged the play. Before opening, Mr. Manners scored the New \ork theatres for their commercialism—their demands of "guarantees." The Vanderbilt engagement is not under a guaran- tee, but it Is paid that the terms are 50-50, giving a, star of Miss Taylor's calibre and a management like the Tyler firm a shade the worst of it •aa percentages rim these nights. It ill becomes theatre owners or anyone else with the good of the theatre at heart tf quibble over Miss Taylor, who Is worth more than the theatre .she plays in at any time, any way you want to take that. Her name and fame will en- dure longer than the solid concrete JOt the buildings themselves. She and Lenore Ulric are the only two stars that America has found In years of whom that can be said. And even thp financial part of It will take care of itself. Such a per- formance of such a play simply must not and cannot fail. As a pure mimic, leaving out all •tOther elements of art, Miss Taylor ^.Js marvelous. Jewish dialect, the most abused of all comedy jargon, Is the most difflcult to dissimulate— "^Tiot for low hokum, with whiskers, 'l)Ut for hone.^t <lramfltic rendition. Those who doubt it should have heard^ the gifted Coburns in "The Rronx Kxi>ress." William Norris did it In "Children of the Ghetto"; It; hasn't boon reached by a Gentile ..tsince with the exception of Laurette Taylor. Slie is kosher. The tretnendoiis i)athos of it is gilded by comedy and studded with those minute characteri.-llca that make a .I<>w want to laugh and cry over the mere seeing and hearing himself in art. as a man might over , an uncanny painting of himself in honest oils or a statue in animated marble. Where she learned to know it must be as deep .a w:onder as where she learn»Ml to do it. On^^ would address her in Yiddish with- out a thoiij;ht aftrr her performance and expect a Yiddish answer. Sam Sidnian, as her husb.ind, risen from tl.e ranUs of a buffoon 'to his i»la«-<» as ;t chaiMeter tleliiKM- ' 'tor and diani.it :■ |i;.i\>'i-. >;■!'>•' Ik'I" rrfijstingni.'- IumI suin'ojt; lie was ^noro than gi>o«l: he was big. And a newronj.M-. Lutlia Adler (apparently of the Adler fan»il.\ of Hebrew actor.- Who gave us Jac(.b Adler and Frarj- eine Larrimor«'), s\n the son. the genius, patriot and soldier who over- joys hpf he.^rt only t6 break it. was 8lori«>us. All the iilavliig showed a never a better one. Nugent wrote "Kempy," and then, like all others wlio score with Klmi)le tale.s of fire- side and the family relations, started writing about politics, boothgging and other "themes." Haniillon did it. too, with "Scandal," etc. This doesn't mean that authors write one such play and grow worse, but one success makes them "different," even if better. Ricciardi has here written a play without a villain, although his own son seems to be almost until the last curtain, and his son-in-law-to-be would be in almost any other script —a count who wooes the daughter of a rich old simpleton. To have him turn out a. squareshooting man in that situation makes "Mr. Mala- testa" worth mentioning, alone; it is an origirml thought in the drama. The play is done in one set—the living-room of Malatesta's home. He is a retired stevedore contractor who came up from the streets of Little Italy and mado his pile. He has married an Irish wife and has an Irish pal. It Is very akin to the psychology of "Bringing l^p Father" and "Abie's Irish Ro.s«." The wife has absurd little snobberies and so- cial ambitions. But she !« a great wife and good mother, and, like the rest, proves wholesome and clean and sympathetic. Ida Fitzhugh played her convincingly and well. The daughter shares some of her mother's pretensions and some of her father's kindly humanity. She loves the count, who loves her. She loves her parents and brother, and they all love her. There are little tempests, but they end with kisses and hugs. Ricciardi makes great use of effusive affection throughout, which most modern plaxwrlgiits haven't the courage to do. And it is one of the true-bluest and sweet- est instruments upon which to play to an audience as long as it doesn't become saccharine and soppy. The play is mainly a character disi)lay of Malatesta. and Ricciardi has given himself a generous enough helping of the spaghetti role. It is almost all Ricciardi. But he makes Malatesta very lovable and .amusing, and in the last net he makes him terrific. That, too, is a great trick — turning a good-natured low onie- dian at the last into a bang-up emo- tion.al hero, winning the problem of the play and turt\ing its climax, ther> letting him down on a laugh. Tiiis Ricciardi is Continental and he isn't always smooth; but he has some slick tricks and seems a born box- ofilce writer. The counterplot is In the relations of his only son and a little blonde orph.jn, raised iti the h<>me like 1/n own child, hived and loxins:. Thf them hate her and send her away. But the old man cannot; he loves her and pities her. and in a truly tremendouB scene he forces—really chokes—the truth out of her. Just then the boy comes In, fresh from winning his first trial and launching his career, a famous case of a girl charged with murdering her illearitl- njate baby because Its cowardly father deserted her. He has freed the prisoner. The father weeps, then comes up like a giant and commands tlio boy to marry the child he has ruinod and acknowledge the child he is about to bring Into the wo.'-ld. The boy feors his mother. The father throws him out with his own loving hands — hands that have alw.xya given only kindness 6nd tenderness. The boy wilts. He has truly loved t!ie girl all the time, but has been afraid of hi'? mother, the climber. When the mother learns tl-e truth she blesses the union, because beneath it all she is first a go.id womari. despite her shabby pretenses an.l feminine ilcli for "society." A^i a corn.^.lian and drani-'^.tic .-xc^or Ricciardi is a welcomr> innovatian. Rhy I>erby, the little horoi.ie, a new face among tfie bright lights, ha.s ap'>ial and yi-iithful .'harm, and Is, perhaps, the out.^tand'ng find of the cast. There is no bad o«'cing in "Mr, Malatesta" anywhere in truth, and some of it Is exeelVnt. What mr tsi.re of return it will get will hf-.ve to be discounted b.v th." Fni'iM theatre f.>' hn attract.* 11 which T.fcdft nothirit' more than capacity— the upstairs tyi»e of catiaoitv prin- cipally. But "Kempv," similarly confronted at tie B^'lmo.nt. was a orofitabie venture. And thi< shouJd be. too. At a hojse lii'e the «epublic or Hudson It would be a cinch. /^ ^^ BROADWAY STORY OUT OF TOWN I (Continued from page 21) from 127.000 last week, being the best of the run. "Greenwich Vil- lage Folllea" held to its |25,000 gait at the Shubert. March 12 ia the next switching date. There is but one show stop- ping this week. "A Square Peg," at the Punch and Judy, and up to Wednesday no premieres were carded for the coming week. At the end of next week, however, the 'TJreenwich Village Follies" will leave the Shubert for the road, "Peer Gynt" moving up from the Garrick an<l the latter house then offering "The Adding Machine"; "The Mer- chant of Venice" will stop at the Lyceum, and "The Comedian" will succeed; 'Rose Briar' goes on tour from the Kmpire, which gets "Pas- teur"; "R. V. R." hits the subway time, and the Frazee will then offer "P.arnum Was Right"; "Liza." the colored show at Daly's 63d Street, moves on and "Go Go," a new mus- ical, will enter In Its place. The belated special matinee sea- son started this week but got off weakly. ''The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" was Regarded having no chance at the Belmont and figures to stop Thursday. "Mor- phia." due to open at the Eltlnge Thursday afternoon, has been set back until next week. "The Blonde Beast" is listed for Friday after- noon at the Plymouth, while next week special afternoon showings of "King Lear" will be tried at the Fail Carroll. "The Laughing Lady" is easily THE CROOKED SQUARE Atlantic City, Feb. 28. Samuel Shipman has brought forth another success. Pursuing a subject which steps into the inside of the "four hundred" circle and endeavors to show how members of that set are held In the grip of a conspiracy of spies who prey on their family life. Mr. Shipman has brought contrasting phases of liv- ing to single charactertj. In thus showing how prominent men and women are betrayed into taking .steps which j)Ut thorn moralljj where their business ene- mies can control them, he has gatrt*- ered a stor.v full of dramatic vitality. It plays with detectives, youth, the frailty of womanhood, the cunnitig of Ingenious human vultures In «Or ciety garb, with real people who live and Jove and occupy important places, and with the undercurrent of the servant group who are merely victims of circumstance. The story revolves about "The Crooked Square." broadly speaking, the. bright lighted sections of Broad- way from SOth downtown. With this heterogeneous group of people and these man.v phasee of life, Shipman ^las welded a play which in the revised state, which will come after a week at the shore, bids fair to be a success of long duration. The story concerns an agency for employment, which in reality hires people Into service positlone for the purpose of keeping an insight Into certain domestic situations. The employes so placed are all under "framed " obligations to the agency, and the Information secured is sold to those who can profit by It In a business way. In the instance of the play the crooks are endeavoring to remove a nominee from the Presidential Cabinet list. They are' fnist rated by a real detective agency and the assistance of a young, pretty, well educated south- ern girl who has herself been "framed" by the crooki of the agency. Between the girl and the brother- in-law of the nominee a love affair Is played that €ometimes removes itself too far from the more on- grossing problems of the story, though after all It Is a play of "popular" hentiments and appeal^- a play of the day and hour and more than sufficient thereto. The story Introduces the cool ex- terior surf.icing of a detective'.- offlce—to the coar.se indifference of a reformatory for girls, where everything is vuli^ar—to a schemer's otfice—and lastly to the palatial lireside of a we.iUhy home. The settings have been accomplished on a lavish teale. Constance Binney, a light, capable he.iuty who has been in minor in- genue rolets of jnomise iii past years and still more rec««ntly in the i)hoto- play, has the had—an event per ably important role In the hands of fJeiMge Renavant. with additional good playing by Kenneth MacKenna. Schcttcr. PETER WESTON Chicago. Feb. 2|. Isjibill.' Weston, John's wife M-irle NonlHtrom Jamrs Weston, her brother-in-in w, P^tiT's M>n Jay Hanna Jisfcio Wosion, Pcter'a dauRhfor Judith Anderson Tho >Tiiid Ilernlre V«>rt .T.)lin Wi'sion. liter's Bon...-,. I'lyde North Pi ti>r Wot^ton Fr«nk Koenan H-Miiv \'»«iinnr.1 Frp<1 Mosloy I'jiiil A'anniinl, Henry's S'n...rrank Ilvran T»i*» Poll. I- OfTiier A. n Hiihn Th" Hutlor , CJeo, \V. Ilarnum wmitim HarMn, a Ihwyer.., .-t'aul Evorlon bov conies home from college, a ] hap.-^ more opportune for lu-r than lawyer, his mother's pride, aimed atif'T tlie i)l,iy. Her youthful i)i.iii;int a grand match and a career. He seduecs thi' girl, who has grown t'> .1 .\KiuiK woman. The mtutal con- sequence is r<'ve:ii d. Ih' is afr.iiil to marrv her. because his mother lias «o primed hitri wilh IPI' llliMVl- in.^ r«'pelitions of her iiopr that h- marry a sot iety girl ami In- .1 stylish I'ather than a good and true man. Tlje gii ; suffers mis«M-abIy between hf-r coiifli.ting hnpulsos. Btit she d«'Cides t«» go ;jway. Sli«» ••anno! d»'- sert the people \\tiO have so b--- friendctl iier. and d<*( libs tj malvL- l)«'auty ofttiines cairi*'s by the fore of a gentle, convincing art, and again loses itself ia the forced de- mands of some biK moment. l'!'iuall\' important wa.<>- Rtitli Don- TT/^tJx In a minor rnlp. The bark* K^oS^nd of st.'ipe traditions that are wr+l. .Miss Donnelly ga\e her the ahiiity to play witlioiit force a very true i»lt. I'Mvvard llmery has two well-filled <:e»-n«'s. i^anu'lu (laythorne di.Htin- trtiished another part, as did fJladys Ilan.-on. There was another notice- "For tohdt dors it avail a yttan if he fjnincth the vholc ivorld and losci hit soul?" ^ .1 • Th.it Is the plot and tells the afory of "Peter Weston." In VNhat looks like a sure-fire show, Frank Keenan bowed back before the public from a successful screen retirement. It was a bril- liant opcnhig In the Harris for any star, and Frank Keenan's worship- ers were there In legion. • . Someth/r.j» new to Chicago was enacted at the drop of the curtain, when the audience Is usually fight- ing its w;iy to the outdoor air. This audience seemed to sit entranced until they woke with thunderous applause. They forced each Indi- vidual artist to take two or three bows. Also one of the authors, Frank Dazey, and three words of thanks from the star. The play, whieb bad Its birth and tryout In Columbus and Dayton, ran liko well-oiled machinery, it was written by Mr. Dazey and Leighton Osmun, staged by Sam Forrest. One setting is used, the Interior of a mlllion.'iIre's library. The stage set- ting was in keeping and In harmony with the acting and general work of producer and artist. In this town, where strong language on the stage is at ill a foreign element, two lines creat<Ml a stir. If they remain, us they should remain, It will mean much more to llie success of the piece. Peter Wertvon (Frank Keenan") Is ji manufacturer of pumps in a rural town, which lie l.uil^ and named after himself. He is an lr<m-willed father, who has forced his ideas and Ills i)Ower upon his entire family, li\ing to see his well-laid plans go amiss; bis youngest non drinking himself to death, bis oldest son a nuirderer of his tlauKhter'H lover and father of an exi)ected child born our of wedlock. Kc<'nan c-anic back with force an<l r<d-blooded action that swept tlu' audience off its feet. Judith Anderson ns the d.'iughter was one of thr>se phenomenons that I .all for starring overnight. She has «'V<ry»liin>,' —youth, beauty, ^r.ice and .ability. Marie Nordslrotn as Isab«'lle Weston and tlu» wife of .lohn Weston, the muid'-rer, was sijpeib. The t'Htire cast was wfll n!«1i pfffect. Xm- frrrgrtllng th?? workmanlilcp tnanrw-r in whicli tlje .authors lian- <ll« (I :i situation of calamitie.q and ni;i(b' it interesting and tlieatrlcal «•: ouKh to spell "jlasH" and "money." It not only turned out an artistic h!l. but should prove a linancia! * success for Sam If. Il.ariis. the au- ihors .and the actors. the strongest of the newer produc- tions. It is Kthel Barrymore's third appearance at the Longucre this season and her best. Last week she played an extra matinee for the first time, and in the nine perform- ances the attraction got $15,600. Of last week's quintet of new plays "You and I," at the 'Beimont, stands out as having the best chance. It drew virtual capacity most of the evenings of the first week for near- ly I7.U00 grossed In the small house. '"Hall and Farewell" went to nearly 110.000 at the Morosco. but must pick up If it is to rate a success. "The Sporting Thing to Do" was a bit under |7,500 at tne Rltz. which means the piece Is a week draw. "Anything Might Happen" was un- der $6,r)06 In six days at the Cora* . edy, and "Rita Coventrj-" wfi« quoted at |5,000 at the BlJou. "The God of Vengeance" pulled real business at the Apollo in the strength of Its downtown rep of be- ing dirty. In nine performances it grossed $13,200 for tho first week on Broadway, which ia probably ^ more money that It could have got- ten In a month down town. "~"^ Bertha Kalich la a disappoint- ment on tho subway time. At the Montauk, Brooklyn, lust week her "JItta's Atonement" drew less than $5,000. It was expectv;d the former Yiddish btar would start fomothing in the Bronx thia week, but Mon- day's takings at the opera houee there totaled $250. "Pa.sslons -for Men" at the same house last week just beat $5,000. "The Passing Show- got $14,300 at the Broad St., Newark, with an extra performance In. "Blossom Time" led the list in the neighborhood housea, gctttOK & little under $19,000 f6r it« second week at the Majestic, Brooklyn. 3uys and Cuta About Even The list of buys, it la surprising to say, is increasing even though , the Lenten season is upoor ua. By ~ tho same token, however, the cut rate market Is running true to form and the list of attractions that are being offered at bargain rates are al«o on the increase. Thia week there were 27 attractions for which the agencies heW outright buys, while there were 24 attractions on the bargain counter on Wednesday afternoon. In Hie advance agencies there was some complaint as to business the first three days of this week, but In the cut rates there waa a llouriabing demand for seata. ' V '. .^v -', The attractions that came In this and last week were not Included ^ amojig the buys, those being hold by the brokers Including "Caroline" (Ambas.sador), "The God of Ven- geance" (Apollo); "Klkl" (Bela.sco); "Seventh Heaven' (Booth); "Wild- flower" (Casino); "The I*ady in Krmlne" (Century); "Anything Might-TTappen" (Comedy); "M«»r-. ton of the Movies" (Cort): "Rain" (Elliott); 'Rose Briar" (Empire); "Give and Take" (49th Street); "Se- crets" (Fulton); "Loyalties" (Gai- ety); "Lady Butterfly" (Globe); "Ice-bound" (Harris); "So Thia Is Lohdon!" (Hudson); "Cllnglng^^lne" (Knickerbocker): "Little Nellie Kel- ly" (Liberty); "Polly Preferred'-' (Little); "Laughing Lady" (Long- acre); ''Music Box Revue" (Music Box); "Why Not" (National); "The Old Soak" (Plymouth); "Mary the 3d" (39th Street): "The Fool" (Times Square), and "The Dancing Girl" (Winter Garden). Two of tho attractions that were added to the list that had been re- fused buys were "The Laughing Lady" at the Longacre, which got its buy after being in town two weeks, and the buy for "Why Not," on its moving to the National, ae a favor to Charles Miller. V V In the cut rates the 24 attraction.*! offered doubled to a certain extent some of those held by the outright buy boys. The shows at bargain prices were "Caroline" (Ambassa- dor), "The (;od of Vengeance" (Apollo), "Sun .Showers" (Astor), •It Is the Law" (Bayes), "You and I" (Belmont). "Rita Coventry" (liljou), "Whispering Wires" (Broadhurst), "Wildflower" (Casino), Shubert vaudeville (Central), "The Lady in Ermine" (Century), "The Love Child' (Cohan). "Lixa" (Daly's), "Rose Briar" (Empire). "Sally, Irene and Mnry" (44th Street), "R. l'. R.** (!• razee), 'Icebound' (Harris), "Hail and h'arcwell" (Morosco*), "W hy • .Not" (National), "Up She Go**»^- (Playhouse), "A Square Peg'* - (Punch and Judy). "The Sporting Thing to IK/' (IJitzt. "J>agmar'" (Selwyn). "(Jreenwich N'illage Fol- lies" (Shubert) and 'Mary ttoe Third' (3ath Street). ;;^*^ ^*