Variety (March 1923)

f> M LEGITIMATE Thursday, March 15, 1923 OUT OF TOWN REVIEWS br HURRICANE Montreal, March 14. Coming at a time when surli drama as is being proscnted on our stage is either M»au»llin or trivial to the point of foolishnoss, Mmo. Oiga Petrova's new play, "Hurricane," is more than welcome—welcome that Is, to those intereetetl in tiie theatre as a social Institution, and who see In It something more than a con- venient medium for the exhibition of pulchritude and Inanities. The authoress has elected to de- scribe it as a story of a life In four episodes. Emphatically, she does not preach. And here she is right. If the play conveys any particular slg- , niflcance to anybody, well and good; but {^reaching should be reserved for pulpits. Mme. Petrova Is cot^tent to let her characters do their own illumination. She takes a girl who hae grown up amid the sordid surroundini;:s of a Texaa ranch-house, with a brutal, bigoted father and a mother worn to suffering by constant child-bear- ing and a cruel husband's despotic hand. The girl, Ilka, sees nothing before her but the sort of life her mother has led. Her soul revoltd. She leaps at the first chance of freedom to win her way to the Indi- vidual liberty she craves, through the only medium ehe can realiz«! aa assuring that liberty—money. " She runs away with a man who has offered her an opportunity to ■ee life. His real character is re- vealed In the second act, which also ■hows us Ilka, having chosen the easiest way. shaking off the fetters of his despicable claims, striving to learn from a doctor who has be- come her sincere friend. He loves her, but she will not.marry, because the life she is living puts marriage out of the question. "Hurricane" i« no play for those who are afraid of facing the cruel truths of life, who prefer to close their eyes to life's ugliness and try to convince themselves that there is no such .thing as .tragedy in the world. It is a play of vehement realism, essentially Slavic In ite character. In its analysis of emo-<| tions, in its ruthlessness, its strip- ping of the mist from ropuleive realities. Its philosophy Is one of inevitable fatali.'^m. There lies be- hind its fabric of struggle and storm In the first act, and H. II. McCol- lum brings to the i)re8entation of the character of the doctor buch natural methods and such sincerity .IS m;tke that role one of the most effeciivo in the play, l.etha Wal- ters must guard against indistinct delivery of her lines, as well fts against prolongation of gestures and over-elaboration of cmotior.al exiuession. Staging, setting and mounting wholly adefjuate, unobtrusive, but meeting all atmospheric reciuire- ments throughout. "Hurricane" is t)f the strong meat of drama—no food for weaklings or fools. Gardiner, •scap« from belnff arrested for a theft. More or less for good meas- ure, there Is a magic stunt worked In tho first act (George Bancroft being the wonder worker), which was designed partly as humor and partly, we would Judge, on its merits as feats of legordemain. It was too long, but served as somethiiig of quate book is missing, with the com CINDERS ■ • Philadelphia, March 1-1. Edward Royce's now musical com- edy, "Cinders," which oi)ened an mi- gagement of two weeks last night at the tiarrick, looks like a valuable piece of property. Though frankly and unblushingly the old Cinderella yarn, it is really considerably superior In book to a number of the other musical shows which have employed, in a more in- direct way, tlio popular legend. However, If the book is acce|.table In Its larger and structural senr^o, it is woefully weak in dialog. Edward Clark was much more succes.sful in hiu lyrics than in his book, as the former are often above the average. Musically, however, "Cinders" shines, perhaps to an even .greater degree than Royce's 'Orange Dlos- soms," .which opened here last fall. At least the present score by Rudolf Friml is peppier and livelier than was Victor Herbert. The motif number, "One Good Time," has all the earmarks of a real hit. It is haunting in melody and the words are rather clever. Other numbers, such as "You Got What Gets Them," "I'm Simply Mad About Men," "Wedding Rells" and '"Cinders," de- pend rather on the spirited and in- fectious manner in which th«y are put across than on the Intrinsic worth of the music, although the "Wedding Bells" number has a C^atchy swing. There is one crackei'jaek comedy song. "Hags Is Royal Raiment," sung by Queenic Smith and Fred Hildebrand. ThB Bowery accent applied to the lines "rags are royal a novelty. A fashion display with some Poiret gowns occupied part of the first sc^ne of the last act. "Cinders" has to recommend It especially the splendid w«)rk of Miss Welford, the asslstifnce given her by Miss Smith and Hildebrand, some unusually attractive music, and the best-drilled and livellrst chorus seen in a tryout here in ages. Its chief lack is good comedy. Waterg, producer. The aettlngs, by Fred- erick Jones, are a revelation. The musical score is commonplace, with two interpolated numbers by Muriel Pollack standfhg out. The piece has been built by Otto Har- bach around an excellent comedy Idea of Frederick Isham's. An ade- TWO FELLOWS AND A GIKL Rochester, N. Y., March 14. r.p.n Ellery Kuth Shfpley Thomas KUery. her lather. .^ .JacU Benntit Jack Moreland John Halllady Jltn Dale Allan l^inehart Johnson QeorKe 8nii»hnel<l Doria Wadaworth Claiborne Foster a pas.<^ionate sincerity, a fearless-• raiment when worn for virtue's salTe" nc«H, a fidelity to an ideal, and such penetration of introspective an.alysis as makt'S it of compelling Interest. Mme. Petrova has handled her dialog with extirptional fikill. It will endure cutting here and there, but in the main it is unusually pungent, arresting in signinoance, and devoid of unessentials. Its dl- rectnes.a, Its freedom from triviali- ties, its daring and its disconcert- ing simplicity hold attention. This play Is But It would be both futile and childish to criticize it on a^^count of its subject when that suhject is handled with such potency and such courage. Mme. Pelrov.a set out to tell the story of a life in dramatic form upon the .st.ige. She has succeeded in telling that stoiy in a manner that grips her audi- ence, holds its attention closely throughout—held it so until after 11:30, and even then brought her four curtains T'alla as a recognition and reward—and certainly provides I ample food for interesting debate. She has done her work frankly, skillfully, without any unnecessary beating about the bush on one hand, without any false prudery, without any vulgarity, without any coarseness not inherent to a char- acter, and absolutely without any pandering to un*"lcan mentalities. This play may be terrible; so, often enough, Is life. Of its essential truth there can be no doubt. To the Interpretation of the character of Ilka. Mme. Petrova brings all of her resources. And they are unusual. Her methods arc subtle. She can convey as much by a shrug of the shoulder, the turn of her wrist, a glance, a swift tightening of the lips, as niany other actresses by much more la- borious and obvious means. .She Is at her best in the building up of a climax that bursts with tor- rential passion. You know it Is coming, and yet, when it does come, you are taken aback in spite of that knowledge. The comp.any Includes some gifted arti.'^fs. Dudmilla "forttzka. who plays the broken mother with such intense realism, is a young woman with a brilliant future. Miss Forrest lends just the essential touch of pathetic Interest to Masha —no more, no less—avoiding any tendency to sontimontallty. Lewis Wllloiighby plays with a restraint that proves most effective in the scenes between liiiii and Ilka, and lends verisimilitude to Oillloult mo- ments of conllictin;; cniutiona. Jud- son Langill proves adequate in the slighter role of Richard Peterson. Robert Bri.stc'-, though at times not quite natural enougl). lends to that of tlie unbreakable Joe Jennings a realib-m in keeping with the re- volting character. Patrick S. Bar- rett gives a powerfully drawn por- edy department badly in need of bolstering. In the vocal division the principals are deficient. The play- ers are relegated to the background an4 sacrificed for the benefit of the production end. Enthusiastically received at the opening, the piece should proceed ea.Hily on its present merit?, with a topnotch rating asgurcd with addi- tion of comedy and singing voices. Record business is anticipated here fur the w^k. Burton. make It a howl. Another promising number Is the "Argentine Arango," especially when it is danced by Ralph I'Oggs and Katharine Witchie for an encore. The v.ork of two or three of the principals Is also 'way ivbove aver.- age. Last year, when "Orange j Blossoms" was here, m.iny. Including j the writer, piel;e<l .N'nney \Velfi)r«l ;is ! a real comer. Her work in the title 1 role of this musical comedy bears 1 out that impression. It's as diffii-u't ^ not without flaws, j a part as a musical comedy star was i ever called on to play, because she has long stretches of talk, much of it extremely sentimental and gush- ing, and .«he"s time and time again called U})on to turn bathos into pa- thos, yho does it. Though her voice Is liglit it Is full of sympathy and feeling. Likewise, she is a li':;ht and feathery dancer and a capaUlo tlramatic actress. An undressing bit which she had In the first act was robbed of any possible offense by her manner of putting it across. Queenie Smitl), who also played in "Orange lilossoms," is likewise one of the show's assets, both by hor dancing and her work as comedi- enne, witn little enough material. Hildebrand, though inelined at titnes to overdo and become silly, was a third who slione, and .^Iargaret Dale, veteran character actress from the dramatic stage, made the most out of a futile part. Otherwise the cast was not so good, and a number of changes could be made. But the chorus is unusu- ally intelligent and accomplished and also unusually well trained for an opening night. The male contin- gent was tho first good one of its kind seen here In a number of sea- sons. Jack Whiting, a local society boy, who was also in "Oiange Blos- soms." Is too good for the chorus. He would have fitted Into the juvenile role, to which Walter Reagan is not adapted. There were a number of stunning girls in the chorus, most of the statuesque Ziegfeld type. The opening scene of "Cinders" is laid In a kitchen In a flat or) East 99th .street, New York. It Is rather go<id of its kind, but its wealth of small details makes it difllcult for the Ht.igo crew when it closes the act following a more tha!i usually attractive conservative setting in the second scene. Hence a. bad wait seems almost necessary between these two .scenes. The second act has a conventional scene in a modiste shop, with rich curtains and hangings, and this Is followed by a brief interlude in Cen- tr.il Park, using only a drop, a lamp- post and a bench. TIiq. final scene Is a society drawing room. The story concerns a girl, drudge in a household after having been discovered In an ashcan (hence tiie title), who puts on a dress she was intended to deliver to a so''iety woman, and wears It to a charity ball. The u.««ual complications ocnir As might be Imagined from the title, "Two Fellows and a Girl" is a story of the eternal triangle, and not a new version at that. The fact that there Is nothing new in it is testimony to CJeorge Cohan's skill »in putting It over In accept- able form. The piece is by Vin- cent Lawerance, but one who is familiar with Mr. Cohan's work quickly grasps that the producer iias probably had as much to do with the making of the play as the author. Mr. Cohan personally su- pervised the premiere at the Ly- ceum, after which it was taken di- rect to Chicago. There are diver- sion and humor in the script, which a really good company handled In acceptable style. The author has aimed at light comedy in a setting that is a cross- section of every-day life. There Is ii certain subtle <inderstanding of humans running through the lines and action that reminds of Booth Tarklngton. It lacks plot, but the three acts, taken as a whole, tie up reaspnably well, although there is little doubt that the last act will undergo some revision. The author, or perhaps Mr. Cohan, has built up the play In such a way that the auditor is required to exercise his mind a bit. Tho story deals with two young men who love the srame girl. They appear to have about equal chances and the girl is puzzled to know what, to do. Finally sh« tosses a coin, unknown to the two men. and decides to marry Jack Moreland, although the Impression is left that she inwardly favored Jim Dale. The men have quarreled, so when she ! announces her choice Jim goes aAvay. Jaeic and the girl marry and live more or less happily. Jack treats her at times like a pretty doll, and she resents that he does not think it worth while to discuss his business with her. After five years Jim returns from London, where he has made a fortune. Jim had \owed eternal love foj the girl, ro upon his return there Is deft maneuvering upon the part of hus- band and wife to ascertain his sen- timents. Jack provides a "flapper" to divert Jim's mind and as a crisis i'lipp-i's in view Jim decides to marry her. The story Is commonplace enough, but it is the by-play that makes it worth while. There is nothing particularly serious In the piece, and as often as it takes an appar- ently serious turn it Is deftly 'switched back Into a lighter vein. What little semblance of a plot the play has is well managed. The two scenes and the costumes were satisfactory, but the work of the players Is worthy of more than passing notice. Ruth Shepley is an appealing figure throughout. Her distraction as a much-wooed girl is particularly good. John Halllday and Allan Dinehart share honors for equally good acting. Claiborne Foster as the modern flapper leaves little to be desired. Mr. Cohan made a curtain speech, did a few steps, and regretted that he did not have his dancing shoes or music. He was sure that the play will be a big success. He said that It was evident the audience liked the first two acts, but warned that the third had not been given to the players until three o'clock that afternoon. This act, which" ought to be the strongest of the three. Is the least satisfactory. It lacked punch. However, there are material and Ideas in it that can be improved upon. The first act also needs speeding up.. With some pruning and remodeling, such as Mr. Cohan Is adept at, "Two Fel- lows and a Girl" ought to go THE REAR CAR Chicago. March 14. A plav In thre*" acta by Edward E. Ko»e, which ©pencil a; the Cort theatre In Chicago orf Feb. i». Nora O'Xelll Edn.-\ Hibbanl Ruth I'arson Audr-y Hart Titus Itrown Janif^a nradburj-. Jr. AKIe.i .Murray Ili>l>ert Conneas i> lv.r Hanks Edwin Wolter Sli.ridiin .Sooit T.iylor Ho'.me.i Kirk Allen WHll.-.m Roselle John ir.ake William Shpl'.y Roxy Ann MorrlcU Luther llanie? Jay Wllaon Luke e'arson James Durkln "The Rear Car" is hardly worth serious conslderatlbn in its-present form. It must be completely made over to have a chance. Rather a good idea for a mystery play, it is possible to develop a satisfactory' Rtairing vehicle for Taylor Holmes., though there is the handicap of the role of a crazy chap—harmless, but daffy. At present there is a sort of attempt to remove this impression In the last line or two by having him«as a detective who has adopted this method of gaining his purpose but fails to ring anything like true. As the play stands It is idiotic in the extreme. It would hardly be possible to devise an evening's en- tertainment with less sta^e "sense.'* It requires thinking, and this men- tal labor does not get the theatre- goer anywhere. After watching the play <"arefully. it is safe to ehal- lenge anyone to tell just what the author intended. Mr. Holmes, In a curtain speech of the same character as his part, says that the players don't know how It is going to turji out and this Is easily believed. It may be a little irony of his directed at the author. Busineps was light when the play was seen and this is wat to be won- dered at. One must be an ardent admirer of Taylor Holmes to sit through it. There was some ap- plause appreciation of his efforts, but that was all In the way of en- thusiasm on this particular night. The first ai^t came to its c«>nclusion with the people puz::ied. The sec- 'ond act was given enough applaule to justify Holmes in appearing for some ob.'-ervations in his character. When the third act" was concluded most of the people A-ended their way home quietly, though a few clapped their hands a little. Mr. Holmes is a capital actor and plays admirably. The role is a play on the absent-minded type of "The Professor's Love Story.' A crazy chap, who cannot keep his mind on anything, even love, calls himself a dee-flectoi' vinste.td of detective) and Vmtts into a private car which is carrying the long lost daughter of a railroad president eastward to her father. Tbs thre* acts taka place In this car. The fact that in* terest Is maintained through thr^e acts is « strong point in favor of the play and Is evidence that it Ls pregnant In possibilities. £)dna Hibbard has the most Im- portant role next to Holmes. She essays an Irish girl comedy role and does it pretty well. The other parts are so plainly tied up in play- ing to Mr. Holmes that they are never able to awaken individual in* terest. , Ijoop. THE SLAVEMAKER (2D REVIEW) Baltlfnore, March 14. With the last act of the new Sam Forrest and Norman Houston play made the first act and with the ad- dition of two scenes In the series of flashbacks which tell the story of the fall and rise of Fanny Camp- bell. "The Slavemaker" seemed fairly well set when it left Balti- more for this week in Atlantic City. And with the other two acts, which are concerned with the home life of Fanny and Tom Camiibell and with the struggle of Fanny to* keej) an evil brother-in-law from getting her back oh the dope, some few changes have been made. Where corned beef and cabbage was used to realistically portray a home scene, chicken fricassee, which does not emit quite so much of an odor, was substituted. Much of the husine.*i« portraying home duties was done aVay with. Con- sequ»«ntly the action of the play was speeded. But it Is the flrst act, with Its series'of flashbacks, that has been really ehifted. A new scene, show- ing Tom Campbell being sentenced to three years up the river for a Jo'o which he was not connected with, opened the show. Tho Judge sits on his chair back at the high desk; Tom is on one side and Fanny on the other. The sentence is given, the usual plea, etc., but in this tiny scene Mary Ryan, who stars, does some effective pantomime work. Then comes the scene in which Fanny goes to the home of her sis- te.- in Brooklyn—and It isn't the home of ehurch members. The next flashback Is In her bed- room, shows her as an addict, and depicts her acquiescence when her brother-in-law (playt-d by Felix Krembs) demands she "earn" the cocaine which he gives her. Next shows a room in the house where the ladies of leisure and the : men with money gather to get ac- quainted. Here she meets a fellow who is pretty decent and sympa-, thires with her. He tella ner the story of the Magdalene. Tho scene rovert.s to her bedroom and shows her reading the Bible, quoting the pas.sage wherein the Christ forgives th*e woman who sins and te!ls hor to sin no more. The next scene fhows her In an employment agency Uhis scene is new) asking for a Job. There Is a wistful look on her face, and the employment agent begs her to smile. But she has nothing in her heart to smile for. He coaxe«, dares her, all in a nice manner, and as the curtain goes down she does coax a smile to her face. It was a whimsical and attractive ending to an act which was of necessity disconnected. But at the same time, when one or two of the .«^ets in'the flashbacks have been Improved, the act will be'strong and interesting. ' Bisk. \. BROADWAY REVIEWS JACK AND JILL Buffalo, March 14. John Murray Andeison's latest musical comedy, "Jack and Jill," opened Monday night at tho Ma- jestic to standing room. The pi^ce has nine featured members In the cast. Including Ann Pennington. Brooke Johns, Donald MeDonald, Georgia O'Ramey, Lennox iMwle. Virginia O'Brien, Cliftun Webb. Roger Imhoflf and Beth Benl. It Is a typical Anderson revue in three acts done In a dazzling riot of light and color calling for the heav- iest and most elaborate pu^uction '*r<^n h«^re In years. The costumes THE COMEDIAN Thp Comedian Lionet Atwill O. Malllart A. P. Kayt Jacqut-niie Filsie Mailfay I^rlerc H. Paul DoufPt Bioch.» Albert f;mn Sobort \V;;;iam I»renz Stage .Maii.igfr Will Himlaon -Monupt-Pombia H. Coopor »"*Hffe Antoin;^ t" Vivi»»r Rose Winter M.irguerlte Slmonest Evelyn Ooanell Yvettp .MargTiaritc Denys Marcelie .Myra Florian Aliae Eiinionia Nolloy Henri Jneques de ■Wolff- Marie MaquUa Dwight r^uclrn Harold .Seton Stage hand;*, electrician.^, property men- • bolilnrl the •cone-H. A Belasoo premiere is always an event. Belasco stands single and unique, in that he overshadows every other element of his adven- tures in the theatre. Stars, authors, theatres, <;ircumstances — they all trail in the wake of this white- haired destiny-maker in American .^tago art. The triumphs are his; the failures—were there any—would be his. In "The Comedian"' he onco more offers ].,ionel Atwill. whom he lion- ized in "Deburau." This reporter, in reviewing that venture, nominated It a labor of love. "The Comedian ' so much resembles "Deburau" In its significance tliat it may, ton. be classified Its an almost altruistic consummation liiougii it iias com- mercial )>oientiaiitics ami c.\u be oper.'ited at a profit, while the other couhl nor. an<l Belasco knew it couhl not when he undertook it. "Tiie Comedian" in not liiglibrow and cannot miss a certain popuiir appeal. But it is not what the timlt of the grim, despotic father including a love affair and elo.^c and effects are lavish to a degree. | nioney-seeklnf? producfr would Inp .surpassing all previous efforts of tile at as good Jifatre,' it i**, l.l;e ii.\ predecessor, a story of a comedian' and his love and his heart and his art—and the conflicts of them. It is not this time a tragedy, though its love storj' comes to an unhappy end- ing. Its theme is the preponderance of his work to the worker In the arts —a principle that Bela.sco has so long and signally Jived that one may readily comprehend why he loved this .Sacha <luitry dram.a and adapt- ed it him.self and tolled over It so arduously and so devotedly without taking count ahead as to whether floorwalkers and manicurists would speak well of It. There is probably too much of that sound and Intangible theory to tickle wide public inte«i-est or In- trigue the seekers after Cinderella diversions. It is a serious thing and leaves a thought as well as a mem- ory. It is not by far without enter- tainment—there is laughter and ro- mance and there are tliriils and rip- ples and chuckles and shrewd twist.". But it wasn t designed to he ,a "Kiki" or a "Cold Diggers." Behisco doe.s not ivnn those in the ides of M\rch. When he goes afrer money ho know.s how and when. Tliis time he is seekiJig a balance e'sewhero than In his batiUs. He i.«j keeping faith with his ideals; he i.^ paying bark to the l>ub!i..' Hr«me oT w!:at the public has so gener.;u: ly paid to hir.i. And it it iKU i.^vt^'t l-ib..r i.vct, "Tho Comt'-_ dian" ht a su'et--,:.^ ill eveji mure ways tlian '.'". .'•.j»o)i..')r projected it to be. Atwil" who ;ilw.iys draws intense- ly symp-.'.t!i» ti ' roles, is not e.'-sen- tialiy a nvnipitli't ic actor. Mr. Beli.s.'o will lift his «'ye<5 .at tlie sug- gest icn and sml^c; but A\'ariield could Itiv" i!in.> f]'(* eon'r.li.in as Atwill .'id j; •.;o h!;.j • nd • ou'd 'JI do him. ■k .