Variety (May 1923)

♦^•t«s = : = = £S = ss - x = *-* 5 = 5,s,S5 - ::: :::::::3:::::::: Thursday, May 3, 1923 '-■.-•-••"•--- ... 27 = MS -zr THREE PARISIAN PLAYS BLOW TO 'CLEAN STAGE' /Ml Equally Dirty—Comedy and Meller Poorly Received ^Farce Fair • Paris, May 2. -Faubourg Montmartre," a flve- -ct melodrama by Henri Duvernols and Abel Tarrlde. adapted from the former'* novel, pfoduced by Cougue- »n and Gavault, did not fare well,at the Ambigu Comique April 28. The story deals with a traveling galeeman's daughters who. during hia absence, are without the necessi- ties of life. Celine, the elder, be- comes the confederate of Crebe, a cocaine trafficker, and takes drugs, while Gevrinette, her sister, falls in love with a young neighbor, a -journalist. . Crebe compels Celine to attempt to debauch her sister. tout the latter avoids drugs and prostitution, de- spite flattering opportunities and numerous adventures after their father's death. Celine is finally removed to an asylum and Gevrinett* dies of con- sumption In the country, where she bad been taken by fie journalist. Clement plays the father role. Jacquelline does nicely with the ter- rifying Crebe character. Simone Dulac plays the Gevrinette part sympathetically,,and Nivette is sat- isfactory as the\dope fiend sister. "Madame Est Saisie," originally •ntitled "Femme Saisle," a spicy comedy in three acts by Pierre GIVE WHITEMAN CREDIT Production of "Brighter London" at Hippodrome Paid Off Condon, May S. The new Hippodrome revue, "Brighter London," already has paid off its production cost. / The Whiteman Band is given credit for the Hip's record break- ing business. PEGGY O'NEIL AND PLAY OVER THERE AND HERE "Crooked Square" May Be First Presented in London With Miss O'Neil - BERLIN By C. HOOPER TRASK Veber and Andre Mycho, opened ' poorly at the fashionable Capucines April 27. The story is of a poet whose de- voted wife decides to secure a man friend to pay the household ex- penses in order that her husband may. not be disturbed in his literary work. Her decision is not reached until other means * of procuring money have failed and creditors seise the furniture. She consults the husbands of three friends who previously appeared ^likely prospects, but they gibe her when realizing conditions, including the baliff waiting for a settlement. The wife, therefore, encourages a wealthy lady admirer of her hus- band's work, who offers a reward for a private Interview with the famous poet. The latter, misunder- standing the situation, declines the proposal, causing amusing double entendre dialog. The wife is finally saved and the debts paid when an effeminate American Impresario ar- rives, offering the poet a contract for a lecture tour. Etchepare playa the poet fairly. Berthez is an amusing bailiff, Ger- maine Reiss, a delightfully tempting wife, and Marguerite Moussy as the poet's admirer, have Indifferent roles. "Millions Tombent" a three-act farce by the late George Feydeau produced by Gustave Quinson was nicely received at the Palais Royale April 28. Its story concerns Paulette, a demlmondaine, whose peasant valet, Isadore, Inherits a hundred millions and at the same time her aristo- cratic sweetheart suffers financial ruin. She places the ex-valet in her former lover's place and her friends are anxious to curry his favor until • nephew opposes his inheritance. The nephew confesses a money- lender Illegally framed the opposi- tion whereupon the flattery Is again introduced when Isadore definitely Inherits the money. The piece contains amusing situ- ations sometimes risque and not al- ways new. Max Dearly plays the valet realistically. Maud Loti is a ■plcy Paulette. The remainder of the cast includes Prince, Duvalles, Blanca Bilbao and Moussy Field. London, May X. A plan almost unique in its con- ception is to have Peggy O'Neil play Sam Shipman's 4'Crooked Square" over here this summer and then appear in it in New York next fall, as per the original intention of Mrs. Henry B. Harris. Miss O'Neill received the seifpt of the "Square" and after reading it thought favorably of the piece with a London summer production in view. This was cabled to Variety and printed. When the paper ap- peared in New York cables were received here by Mf*s O'Neil from Mrs. Harris, suggesting if the star used the piece in England this sum- mer, she could continue the run in New York. Negotlaatlons are con- tinuing. "The Crooked Square" opened in Pittsburgh some weeks ago and played a short time in Chicago, when it stopped, with New York held for it until the fall. Mean- while it became apparent Constance Binney was not inclined toward a continuance of the engagement, as it was reported she is to wed a wealthy railroad man of Pittsburgh. Mrs. Henry B. Harris visualized Peggy O'Neill, in London, as the future star of the Shipman play. She sent the script to her to read for that purpose. Mrs. Harris and Mr. Shipman agreed that were Miss O'Neil to play the piece in London before New York and then open over here, it would be a novel pro- ceeding, calculated to be of advan- tage to the play on both sides. Mrs. Harris cabled Miss O'Neil to obtain her opinion. u APHRODITE" REVIVED Paris, April 28. The French opera version of "Aphrodite" has been remounted at the Opera-Comlque this week, the orchestra being conducted by A. Catherine. Marthe Chenal appears in the part of Chrysis, supported by Allard, Oger, Azema, Vlllabella, Dupre. Mmes. Baye, Sibille, Esteve, Niny Roussel, Calas, Famin, Monna Paiva. WON'T TAX AT SOURCE London, May 2. A delegation of theatrical and trades union representative* called upon the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer to suggest that foreign artists be taxed at the source. The Chancellor refused to con- sider it. DRINKWATER'S "CROMWELL" London, May 2. John Drink water's "Cromwell", will open at His Majesty's toward the end of this month. The piece is now on tour. HACKETT DISPUTES SELWYN Ixindon, May 2. Walter Hackelt disputes that Archie* Selwyn can place "It Pays to Advertise" for London presenta- tion. Hackett says he and Roi Cooper Megrue control the sole English rights to the piece. I'p to date Hackett states he has not been con- sulted on the subject of producing the comedy on this side. A Brox Sister III , London, May 2. The blond sister of the Bros girls '• i'l in her room with Influenza. Hussey in Victoria Palace London. May 2. Jimmy Hussey is opening May 7 at the Victoria-Palace (vaudeville). BEDROOM SCENE OUT London, May 2. The official censor has ordered out the bedroom scene of the "Music Pox Revue" production for over here. Vaudeville at Ambassadeurs Paris, May 2. Oscar Duxrenne opens the Am- bassadeurs Friday (May 4) with local vaudeville, including Mayol. which will be continued until a revue is installed in the house. Mogadon Lease Settled Paris, May 2. Cora Laparcerie has consummated the lease for the .M'opador. Maxime Guard from Iho Theatre champs Blyieei has been" appointed press represents,! ive. We senfeld Directs 'Covered Wagon' Loud'i), May -• Hugo H* I* nf. i.i is . omlng di- rectly to London and will dlrecl th« local showing of Fatuous Plaj era' "Covere 1 Wagon" special Dim. Berlin, April IB. Die Schonste der Frauen. (The most beautiful of women.) . This is the best of the latest crop of operettas, which is not saying much. The music by Walter Bromme Is either trivial or over- orchestrated, but credit must be given him for trying to do somev thing above the average. The libretto by Richard Kessler and Will Steinberg haa at least the advantage of having its third act the strongest. The story concerns Alice, the niece of Prince Joachim. She is to be married to a certain Prince Georg whom she has never seen, but whom she has heard has been having an affair with Molly, an operetta soubret. Alice Objects to this marriage and having met Milardo, a tener In an operetta troop in which Molly singe, Alice runs away to try and get an engagement in the tame company. In the second act Alice Is engaged to play a role in the operetta, as one of the girls became sick at the last moment. They need someone for the dress rehearsal to take place before her uncle and Prince Georg. She meets the Prince, who does not know who she Is and tries to flirt with her; she slaps his face. Then the dress rehearsal of the operetta in which Alice makes a success and after which Prince Georg again makes love to her. The third act is in the sitting room of Prince 7 Joaotiim, who is waking up after a party the night before. Molly, who has now trans- ferred her affections to Joachim, has also .spent the night there and is discovered, to the horrer of the servants. There is some quite funny business in, which she steals the breakfast brought for the Prince. Meantime Prince Georg has really fallen in love with Alice and comes to tell Prince Joachim he does not Intend to marry his niece aa he loves the soubret in the operetta, named Alice; which, of course, makes it very easy all around. The cast Is nothing to boast about. The only amusing work is done by Paul Westermeyer as the director of the operetta company. How much of It belongs to him and how much to the libretto we don't know, but rather suspect it is mostly a per- sonal creation. Ferry Zikla aa Prince Joachim has some amusing mo- ments, but Is much too coarse for the part. Elsie Kochhahn, from Vienna, gives a routine performance as Molly, but Lorie Leux as Alice is simply impossible. The piece will probably continue through the sum- mer, for the Metropol has its regu- lar patrons. Other Operettas Within the past two weeks three other new operettas have come out. "Maedi," at the Berliner theatre, book by Gruenwald und Stein, from the French farce, "Miss Josetta, My Wife," and music by Robert Stolz, is generally weak. The only good things have been taken from the farce, and that little is usually killed by the Way it la placed. The cast, which Includes Hilde Woerner in the leading role, is'competent, the only really amusing performance being that of Claire Waldorff in a soubret role. The music Is by Robert Stolz, and has really nothing to recommend it unless you happen to like to have the operetta melodies of year before last dished up again in diluted form. Stolz is also responsible for the music of another new operetta, "Die Liebe geht um" ("Love Flies About"). produced at the Walhalla theatre. This music has, if anything, less ex- I cuse than that of the foregoing. I Moreover, the libretto, by Bodanzky and Hartwarden. is so ridiculous it will not bear repeating. It is about the sort of thing one expects in a second-wheel burlesque show. Th# cast, which Included Alfred Leutnner,* Josephine Dora and Fini Zernetts, worked under too great difficulties and found it quite im- possible'to leave any Impression ex- cept that they knew that they were wasting their evening. A certain hodge-podge at the Apollo theatre, called "Die Mode- konnigin" ("The Queen of Fashion'), is just a little worse than anything f'se. It is the poorest excuse for an attempt to show models wearing dresses of a big house here. Comedy by Critic At the Klelnes theatre, under the direction of Georg AlUi.ann, a com- edy by Fritz Salten, a Viennese dra- matic critic of much ability, has lust been produced. "Das itaerkert Band"' ("The Stronger Tie*, for such is ihe name of this comedy, is not wholly worthless, hut there I* loo nun li irnitutlon of ih" "Old Hei- delberg" atmosphere, which now seems t<> be so successful in Ger- many again. It Is moat amusing that n publican Berlin seems" to take to much delight in these comedies of bogus royalty with their rather hildlfth Minimi ntality. The plol revolves about i prince who l' " fallen in love with a da ugh a doctor. When he comes iu lh« throne he does not want to give up his sweetheart.' The situation is solved by Moving him keep her as his morganatic wife. Such a solu- tion is well enough for Germany, but in America would be thought im- moral. All the figures are senti- mentally drawn, except that of an old countess, who is amusing in her frankness and vitality when she starts on one of her tirades. This latter part is played with perfect mastery by Adele Sandrock, one of Germany's best old actresses. If this la old-fashioned acting the present writer, for one. is all for the antique. The other parts are rather pale and sentimental, but Carola Toelle is charming as the morgan- atic wife, and Hans Schlndler makes the prince quite a pleasant Idiot. Other actors who should be men- tioned are Erich Kaiser-Tietz. Ber- thold Rose and Rudolph Mass. There is no question that the play is a monetary success. / A "Gewollt" Play ' Georg Kaiser, the author of "From Morn to Midnight." has had his lat- est piece produced at the Kammer- spiele, "Die Flucht nach Venedlg" ("The Flight to Venice"). It looks for the moment as If he had written himself out. The present play Is what they call in Germany "ge- wollt"; that is to say, the author wanted to write a play, but did not have any material ai hand, so he wrote one any how. Kaiser has taken his theme from the relationship between Alfred do Musset and George Sand. De Musset fled from Sand in Paris because she was untrue to him with other mvn and stole his Ideas to make her me- diocre plays, and BOVela. She pur- sues him to Venice, where he is liv- ing happily -alone, and there dis- turbs him, even having an affair with the doctor who is called to at- tend him. But she also leaves this doctor when receiving news from Paris that Flaubert wants her to collaborate with him on a new mag- azine. In other words, the dramatist is here trying to show the difference between the true poet, symbolized by de Musset, who really feels, and the fake literary artist, symbolized by Sand, who steals her ideas from others and has no honest depth of feeling. Unfortunately the play Is dramat- ically weak and the characters have no life of their own. Kaiser's style, which is telegraph- ic, has now become a feeble man- nerism with him, and leaves one quite, cold. The cast worked very hard to try to get something out of It, and it was a pity to see so much good talent wasted. Walter Janssen played de Musset, Agnes Straub, Sand, and Wilhelm Dieterle the doc- tor. Every now and again they al- most interested. Business Is very bad: doubt whether there were 30 paid admis- sions in the theatre. SOUTH AFRICA By H. HANSON » Cape Town. March 29. Leonard Rayne's Co. in farce "Tons of Money" at the opera house. Business Is good. The play is amusing and well produced. Freda Godfrey, recognized as South Africa's leading actress, plays Lou- ise Allington, making a distinct hit. Basil Osborne does good comedy work. The rest Is in good hands. March" 31, "A Royal Divorce," with Leonard Rayne as Kepoleon. Mr. Rayne has been absent from the stage for some years. His return is looked forward to. Freda God- frey will play Josephine. The African Theatres, Ltd., pan- tomime "Robinson Crusoe" drew capacity for Ave weeks during its season. Show well staged and produced. Flfilip D. Levard pro- duced and won high praise. Week March 20, vaudeville acts. Maxwell Carew, female Impersonator, good. Cornelius and Constance, dancers, clever. A. C. Astor, ventriloquist, newly arrived from States, hit. He is one of the best vents seen over here for some time. Ivy and Doris Lee, excellent show with good songs well presented. Charteris and Dickson, two women, clever and entertaining. One of them /has a good voice. Stuart Barnes, American monologist, big grip on his audience with some amusing and entertaining stories. His act Is of the best. Flying WinskJlls, probably limit in daring aerial act. These boys put over some breath- holding tricks. Week March 28, Cornelius and Constance, A. C. As- tor, Charteris and Dickson, Stuart Barnes, Flying WInskills act, Ivy and Doris Lee, Haywood and^Hay. Manager Collins has made the Al- hambra a favorite mo^ng picture theatre. Good orcheetr*runder Con- ductor Riegelhuth. March 19-21, "Afraid to Fight" (Frank Mayo); 22-24, "Wet Gold." Commencing March 26, Charlie Chaplin in "Shoul- der Arms." This excellent picture drawing capacity. GRAND—Manager Lerner is doing good business with pictures; 19-21, "Cousin Kate" (Alice Joyce); 22-24, "Playing With Fire" (Gladys Wal- ton); 26-29, "The Gilded Lily" (Mae Murray); 30-31, "The Son of Wall- ingford." WOLFRA MS.—This three-session hall popular bio, under capable con- trol of Manager Phillips; 19-21, "The Homestretch"' (Douglas MacLean); 22-24, "The Blackbirds" (Justin Johnston); 26-28, "Caught Bluffing" (Frank Mayo); the serial, "Adven- tures of Robinson Crusoe"; 29-31, The Galloping Kid" (Hoot Gibson). PREMIER (Roudebosch)— Mana- ger H. Phillips, In charge, is doing excellent business with attractive film offerings. NEW PAVILION (Claremont). His Majesty's (Mulrenherg), Regal (Wynb«rg)i Globe (Woodstock), Lyceum (Observatory), pictures. THK PI Kit—Under direction of the African Theatres. Ltd., vaude- ville and nlcturesj big crowds. production acknowledged suVcess. Miss Vanbrugh. came before the cur- tain, thanking the big audience. STANDARD (African Theatres, Ltd.).—Leonard Rayne's Co. In "Are Tou a Mason?" week March 29. EMPIRE PALACE—Capacity bus- iness for fine vaudeville, due to pro- duction of the London success, "Round In 50." week March It. Show well staged and performed, produced by F. Max well-Stewart. S eas o n promises financial success. I ORPHEUM—Despite counter-at- ' traction bill here drawing crowd, due to energy of Manager Alexan- der. Week March 19, Stephenson and Macbeth, Jack Barty, pictures* Week March 26, Anna Hana, come- dienne; Great Wleland, humorist. NEW BIJOU—Week March 19, "Saturday Night"; Week March-29. "Orphans of the Storm." CARLTON, JEPPES, LYRIC-** Pictures. Johannesburg His MAJESTY'S Week March J9, farewell week of Vorke and Adams in 'Welcome .Stranger"; full houses for this amusing play. March '_'6, English Stars, Irene Vanbrugh and Dion Bouclcault, opened South African tour, under direction of Af- rican Theatres, Ltd., with "Mr. Pini id of the people, the only child of iPasssg Bjr." Theatre packed and Pretoria # GRAND—Week March 19. CornsJ- la and Eddie (Americans); Dora Dare; pictures. Week 26, Stephen- (Continued on page .'13). Mi- ni LONDON •(Continued from page 2) Frank Petley, Fred Groves, Roth- bury Evans, Thomas Paunceforto and William Farren. The piece was originally produced at Manchester in 1919. Sam Mayo, for many years * vaudeville star, has gone in for re- vue management. His show, "A Week in a Night," opens on the Gul- liver Circuit. Besides playing the leading part the comedian has writ- ten the music, book and lyrics. •Phe cast for "The Insect Play," due at the Regent May 5, Includes Edmund Willard, Claude Rains, Ivan J3erlw, Harvey Adams, Brom- ley Devonport, Algernon West, Kin- sey Palla, Noella Sonning, Joan Maude and Malre O'Neill. The mu- sic will be by Frederic Austin. At the end of the run of "Plus Fours,'* at the St. James, Peggy O'Neil will take the play on tour. Her route is now being booked. At the examination In bankruptcy of Phillip Charles Townsend, de- scribed as a theatrical producer, the Items in his /statement of bank- ruptcy were said to be: Cost of living since 1919, £9,000; losses on horse racing, £1,000; gifts, £500; K. Lewis Waller tours, £25,000; E. Lewis Waller, Ltd., £2,000; "Love Flower." £3.500; "Her Son." Mixed Marriages'* and "If Four Walls Told," £6,999; "Mary" and "The Gypsy Princess," £1.000; King l'p" and "By All Means, Darling.'* £2,750; "Just Fancy,'' £1.500, and Interest on loans. £7.500. The examination was adjourned. j In the Divorce Court April 19 Justice Horrldge granted a decree for the . restitution of conjugal rights to Mrs. Eiiraheth Perry against her husband, Clifford A. Perry, known as Laddie Cliff. Plain- tiff, an American, said her marriage took place in Detroit in 1913. Her husband left her in 1922 and failed to return despite her entreaties. It is reported that when the decree is granted Laddie Cliff will marry a prominent member of bis company, is! *