Variety (May 1923)

•mtMif, Sty !»;'!«»•• newi^jhowb mmwmau ■ 31« BROADWAY REVIEWS , THE RIVALS Mr Anthony Absolute Madyn Arbtckle CaptaJn Absolute ...Sidney Blackmer VkolkMuMl McKay Morris Bob Acres .....Francis Wilson Sir Lucius O'Trlflrer J. M. Kerrigan Fax John Craig David James T. Powers Mm- Malaprop Mary Shaw Lydia Languish Violet Heming juMA Eva Le Gallienne Lucy..* « Vivian Tobin The Equity Players are presenting at their 48th street theatre practi- cally the same feast that the Play- ers' Club served last June at the Empire. Francis Wilson, Violet Heming, John Craig, Mary Shaw and James T. Powers, who appeared for the Players, are also In this cast. Craig, however, is playing Fag this year instead of O'Trigger last year. (Henry E. Dixey did Fag for the Players.) One part has been added —or restored—and it is done by Miss Le Gallienne. The other newcomers are: Maclyn Arbuckle in place of Ty- rone Power: Sidney Blackmer In place of Robert Warwick; McKay Morris in place of Pedro de Cordo- ba; Vivian Tobin in place of Patricia Collinge; J. M. Kerrigan as O'Trig- ger . The "Rivals of 1923" is announced as the "Francis Wilson version." The original Sheridan script was some six hours in playing length. The late Joseph Jefferson cut It down as a starring vehicle and eliminated it to the book used by the Players. Mr. Wilson (who played with Jefferson) has fattened it up again consider- ably, resurrecting mufli talk and considerable business of the sort one might easily fancy an actor would rescue for an actors' organization. He .hasn't improved it except by the presence of MisA Le Gallienne, who Is a soulful and charming Julia. The character adds nothing, though in this instance the player does. Julia, St might be worth noting, was the principal feminine role in 1775, when "The Rivals" was first uncurtained at Covent Garden.. and was once played by Mrs. Siddons. With such a brilliant nucleus from the resounding artistic and popular triumph of the Players' revival less than a year ago, this Equity enter- tainment could scarcely be less than gleasant. Furthermore, the settings y Woodman Thompson were excel- lent, far more helpful for the playing of this satirical classic than were the - massive and majestic sets as they appeared in the huge prosce- nium of the Empire. The substitutions were not all happy ones. Maclyn Arbuckle had neither the unction of a Jefferson nor the power of a Power in his Sir Anthony. Sidney Blackmer, given to playing wailing juveniles when professionally engaged, was f at best a sorry hero. In the reflection of the Square-shouldered Interpretation projected by Bob Warwick he was rather pathetic. Miss Tobin rivaled with charm and Ingenuous finesse every grace of the famous performances given by Miss Collinge, and Kerrigan was Sir Lucius to the ground. McKay Mor- ris snowed under the memory of De Cordoba as the testy, volcanic Faulkland. So, on the whole, it struck a balance, though the sparkle of Dixey was sorely missed In Fag when portrayed by the stolid Craig. This appears to be a "benefit" toward recouping some of the losses of Equity's ill-advised season. It is scarcely likely that any of the artists is accepting any compensa- tion for the week. A free-hand esti- mate of the east at regular commer- cial salaries would be that the com- pany pay roll for the single week would be between $6,000 and $7,000. Business Tuesday evening was better than fair, but considerably under capacity. . The boxes were empty and there were vacant seats on all floors. Underdone presswork alone can account for it, because last year the more capacious Em- pire, in exceedingly hot weather, scarcely knew a vacant seat, and the single week there could have only whetted rather than dulled the draw of an all-star resurrection of Sheri- dan's cutting comedy. Moreover, Equity loyalty helps this venture palpably; it seemed that half the audience was composed of profes- sionals. Mr. Wilson fancies himself as Bob Acres, and it is easily seen that he has had an unbridled hand in this, for he not only contributed the "ver- sion," but fattened up his own part by ad libblng into Sheridan's mas- terpiece little moments for his own whimsicalities, some of them almost grotesquely anachronistic to one fa- maliar with the pure English of the Georgian period as apotheosized in "The Rivals." As an artor Mr. Wil- son is guilty of irreverent insolence: but, then, Sheridan may have died peacefully, without ever anticipating that his Bob Acres would some day be done by a president of the Equity Players, Inc. Miss Heming is a charming and legitimate Lydia. as before, and Miss Shaw is an uninspired Mrs. Mala- prop (the role so affectionately as- sociated In th»> minds of theatre- goers of an old* r generation with the late Mrs. Drew). 'The Rivals" depends so much on Mrs. Malaprop and Sir Anthony, the tw<> characters that made it live and which were hailed as finished monuments of xar- ic profundity before oui Kevoiu- * Hon, that those who see this scin- tillant old comedy for the first time at the.Forty-elghth street will prob- ably never grasp its humorous phi- losophy; nor will they In the sub- dued and languid conception of Blackmer get any notion of the gal- lant blade of that day that Sheridan meant in this young captain. But there is still so much of the beautiful in it, so much wit which has lost nothing through the dec- ades, that the most commonplace Brooklyn shopgirl may yet And it a fascinating odd evening, and can subway home impressed at least with the formidable array of names" and the "Francis Wilson version." j^. COMEDY OF ERRORS (Ethiopian Art Theatre) A *i!"!!i? Arthur T. ifay a -f r«»? \ Sidney Kirk pat rick V™™"? V*'VY - Charles Olden n^i.K^i 0- i0t s J rr * cu «)--B*n-»n»ton Guy cMuinazar Solomon Bruce w"fj?i°' V <' • • .Nathaniel Guy su2!^2f iY * * w Lewla Alexander TWh Merchant Leroy Bingham a 2!Si_ Laura Bowman iSTSn. Kvelyn Freer J: uolana Edna Morton Courtevan Marion Taylor onic * r Coy Applewhite In a freaky season of freaks it re- mained for a gentleman from Cleve- land, Ohio, panting for greatness, to present in a Broadway theatre a group of negroes playing Shake- speare's "Comedy of Errors" to the accompaniment of a jazz band In a circus-tent setting. It wasn't thrilling, it wasn't bizarre—it was absurd. The jass strains weren't meant to be satire; nor was the version at all modernized; nor was the circus at- mosphere carried beyond the setting and a silly business of changing the tabloid settings at the behest of a melodrama - made - up ringmaster whipping about some stagehands m Pierrot pajamas. It had no rhysfe nor reason, it developed nothing, it was simply incongruous—like .mix- ing salt and sugar just to be differ- ent. There is considerable talent in the company, and it made itself mani- fest in "The Chip Woman's For- tune," a typical even if witless and pointless little homely comedy of the negro-section of a city of today. There the acting was honest. Evelyn Preer as a sick wench was wonder- ful, and the whole company gave one a thrill of something different, with a sane reason for being so. In the chop suey rendition of Shakespeare's little-revived comedy, which was always a bore when of- fered under the most idealized and inspired conditions, only the clown- ing of Charles Olden as both the Dremios saved it from putting all the three hundred or so patrons to sleep. That the colored population had already made up its verdict was manifest by the presence In the bouse of exactly five patrons of dark blood. It was a premiere and the main floor was woefully shot. That the management was at fault was beyond argument. These players are exceptional for their race, but they cannot and must not vie with the solidly intrenched white theatre, let alone attempt to outd*0 it. No white company on earth would have the gall to play "The Comedy of Errors" for money these days, yet Raymond O'Neill ventures It with negroes, most of them only clever amateurs, In sur- roundings of the type made famous by such master producers as Arthur Hopkins in "The Hairy Ape," and to such tunes as "I'm Just Wild About Harry,'* and "Carolina in the Morn- ing." If that is art or highbrow stuff, then a drunken teamster doing a skirt dance In a delicatessen store would be a conception of genius. Misses Preer and Morton, care- fully and shrewdly surrounded, would make the skies ring, and Charles Olden will be heard from in a happier and saner event, surely. At present the Ethiopian Art The- atre is ahopelcss mess of misguided and maudlin stupidity superinduced by a strained effort at being smart and "unusual." It should be rescued by sober persons who have the in- terest of the colored race as well as this potentially excellent organiza- tion at heart—and it probably will be. Lait. FOR VALUE RECEIVED Described as a melodrama in four nc's by Ethel Clifton and Bta**-tl by AukuxUii Imuran, who plays the lrjullng part. Thf proKram dr*s not Indicate the t.Bimle»S of th«* production, which opened at the I.o:.}. acje May 7. Alm^ric Thompson Augrustln Duncan Hi-verly Mason Maude Hfnaft.rd I-Mvrcnce Fannin? Ix>uls Kimball l-Yllman Thornrt>kc l« Ctc U °™" n cnfhoiine Mafon Juno I>rndkj Anthony Harry Wakcmoic it.inlco Quinlan May Hopklni Another of those single set and small cast plays brought in for n tag end of the season in an < I perlmental way. A pood deal of promise to this particular pi c< which has a novel feminine tv Which may pet it talked about. The big scene <>f the four acts is an emo tlor.nl explosion In the third when Ihe woman violent!) refuses to marry the man who has been her benefactor and who she feels sure does not love her and makes tho offer of marriage out of pity. There is something of the same idea here as in the play brought from England some years ago culled "Hindle Wakes" and which created some discussion for the rather sensational refusal of a girl to marry the man who had wronged her at the command of her parents. The moral aspect of the new piece at the Longacre is somewhat sim- JJar. The weakness of "For Value Re- ceived" is that it does not maintain itself. The passages leading up to the big moment of the story are interesting enough, but thereafter the theme goes to pieces and the final act la made up chiefly of triv- ialities and comedy relief. Augustln Duncan plays the diffi- cult role of a blind man, an author who depends upon his secretary for all his needs while she has stolen money from hhn to pay for the musical education of a younger sis- ter. The contract between the sec-i retary and the novelist is that the girl's services are fully paid for, and she takes the position that her sacrifice of her youth to the blind man fully compensates for the money she has taken. Into this situation there enters a younger man, 'who offers her the love she has been denied, but she knows the youth is really in love with her sis- ter and maneuvers .the situation to bring the young couple together. When the noveltist's hard-headed, practical lawyer tries to make her agree" to the loveless marriage with the blind man, she reveals that it has been her work that really has made the writer famous, and she renounces her contract, leaving the novelist in the hands of another secretary. A year later the writer's affairs have gone wrong—his work is bad. his household is mismanaged, and his temper is frayed under the annoyances of an empty-headed, frivolous girl secretary. The bond- age of her sacrifice, however, has become a habit with tho woman, and in the end she returns, to embrace a life of service to the bliiid man. The playing is in all -cases supe- rior to the play. Mr. Duncan al- ways shines in the Interpretation of roles of repressed force such as that of the blind novelist. Maude Hana- ford reveals a good deal of emotional intensity in the big scene of the play, while May Hopkins brings a world of youth a,ad grace to the part of the younger sister. Harry Blakemore did extremely well with the role of a conventional colored servant. - Rush. =s PRIDE . Thomas Burton William Austin Alicia Burton Martha Leftler Bell Boy Kenneth Dana Kljthr-r Harry HuRuenot Victor Eugene Redding Due de ValSfont Fred L. Tiden Peter Bonn Robert Fisher Richard Stevens Leon Gordon Audrey Valmont Juliette Day Duches* de Valmont Hilda Bpong Mrs. Bohn ., Camilla Dalberg Andrew Fred J. Martell Anderson...,_, Beach Cooke This is the second play by Thomp- son Buchanan produced this season by Oliver Morosco (Morosco Hold- ing Co., Inc.), the first having been "The Sporting Thing to Do," in which Emily Stevens was starred. "Pride" was once in the possession of Henry Miller, and It was proposed after rewriting to present Louis Mann in it. The Morosco theatre held the premiere May 2. Friday night last found about fair attend- ance on the lower floor. While it is true that Broadway's season le con- tinuous through the hot months for real hits, it seems an extra hazard to chance a new drama on the edge of summer. The Buchanan play has feminine appeal, but it Is doubt- ful of attaining the goal of a run, especially because of the late entry. "Pride" is a sentimental comedy- drama. If the author had any idea of wooing laughter he forgot it and held to the main idea of bringing a tear to the eye. Kerchiefs were in plentiful evidence at the finale of the second act and, too, in the third. That is quite all right while the weather this May persists In acting like March; if summer comes early it may be different. The story is that of Due De Val- mont, aristocratic Frenchman, who, because of his escapades, has not seen his wife nor daughter for 10 years. He had married a Chicago heireSs and could for the asking se- cure enough money to sustain him. Arrived in America and broke, he secures a Job as a waiter in a hotel owned by a former countryman, who was once his valet, but from whom he refused aid. His daugh- ter and wife have returned from Trance. The girl, now grown to maturity, is In love with a wealthy American youth. She takes to the new waiter and makes him a friend, finally sensing the truth that he is her father, for whom she has yearned. It is the contact between father and daughter that becomes the main theme in 'Pride," quite submerging the final reconciliation r.r father and mother. The play's mist effective and affecting scene is when the daughter goes to the arms of the pscudo waiter, who, though wrung with paternal affec- tion, declare* he in not her fathei Prlae had brought him to the point of wanting to work for a living and pride in breeding give* him the in- stinct to protect his daughter. Juliette Day as the daughter cap ADRIENNE Philadelphia, May IS. Louis Werba's latest musical com- edy, "Adrienne." opened at the Gar- rick Monday, running the first night until nearly 12.10. Summed up briefly, it may be characterized as one of the best dancing shows and one of the weak- est In respect of comedy that has been seen here this season. There is a superabundance of "book." The program gives credits as follows: Book and lyrics by A. Seymour Brown from a story lb y Frances Bryant and William Stone. It is easy to sup- pose that the original story was highly melodramatic, since even in the musical comedy there is a gen- erous slice of melodrama toward the end, Including even gun play. The plot concerns the attempt of three crooks to fleece the daughter of a millionaire. They masquerade as swamis and yogis, and arouse the girl's interest in the occult sci- ences and psychic studies. Then they persuade her to visit a sup- posed Hindu shrine somewhere in New Jersey, and oaiy the efforts of her fiance and a young detective foil their plans. » "Adrienne" is 'in two acts and three scenes, the first being very short, with a drop supposed to rep- resent the prison wall at Sing Sing. A number of crooks are being let out following the expiration of their sentences,, and among them'is Bunk Allen, who is met outside by two confederates. They unfold to him the plan of robbing the millionaire's daughter. This first scene isn't a.bit like the usual musical comedy stunt, bein<? not in the least beautiful and in spirit much more like the prolog of a "crook" play. This atmosphere makes it all the more incongruous when Billy B. Van, playing the role of Bunk, pulls a number Of comedy lines for the benefit of the warden, who for the minute is his feeder. The second scene of the first act is in approved musical comedy style and is one of the most charm- ing sets (of the older school) seen here this year: It represents the terrace of the heroine's cdUntry home, and is so arranged as to per- mit the chorus to come trooping down from balconies and through numerous garden gates, all of which adds to the attractiveness of the stage picture. The third act is laid in the fake shrine, with the customary riot of colors and Oriental drapes. - Both these settings, as well as the cos- tumes, point a large expenditure. The two comedy characters are Bunk, played by Van, and John Grey (the heroine's father), played by Richard Carle. The attempt to make this character amusing was only fairly successful, and that doesn't mean anything to the dis- credit of Carle. Carle's business of flirting with the girl crook, dis- guised as an Oriental, was sad stuff, and the two songs allotted him, "As Long as Your Wife Don't Know" and "King Solomon," both talking numbers, are not worthy of the ef- forts expended on them. To Billy* Van as Bunk were given a few moderately amusing lines, and more opportunity to develop clever business than Carle had. His cos- tume as the masquerading Hindu was in itself funny, and his lapsing into underworld slangy as contrast- ed to his otherwise pompous and affected utterances, seemed to strike tho audience as excruciatingly amusing. However, "Adrienne" will need something besides cutting to bring the comedy up. It will be a case of actual rewriting and rearranging of the book. On the other hand, even on the flrst night, the dancing, chorus num- bers and general tempo of stage action could not be criticized. The chorus was a corker; it worked hard and successfully. ft wasn't what you might call a real beauty chorus, but it waa by no* paeans lacking In good-looking girls, and those who lacked something in pul- chritude easily made it up by their hard work. In addition to the ensemble danc- ing, there were a number of "teams" which jumped In every now and then, and saved the show from lagging. Frldkln and Rhoda was one team that worked hard and success- fully; St. Clair and Gavonne added to the gaiety of nations, and Lou Lockett carried off individual honors on a number of occasions. Then there was May Cory Kitchen with some toe dancing that was exceltent and some more that was not so good, and the Keene Twins, who were generally brought in to put the finishing touches on a number hang- ing in the balance. In the last act, too, there were the Red Rascals, that unusual bunch of tumbling Arabs who helped put across a number called "I'd Be a Wild Man" with a bang. In some ways, it might be said that the show was top-heavy with dancing, but the fact remained that most of it was so good, and most of the rest of the show was so weak, that it may well be called the sav- ing grace of Mr. Werba's produc- tion. Another distinct asset to "Adri- enne" is the presence of Vivlenne Segal as prima donna. Miss Segal's) voice is as clear and as powerful as ever, and her personality decidedly ingratiating. The way she put across such of Albert von Tiizer's songs as "Sweetheart of Mystery," "Love Is All" (the motif), and "Where the Ganges Flows" (the real song hit of the show), was a distinct tribute to her ability. - The "Ganges" number was assist- ed by the presence of the Lyric Four, which Included Edith 'Hollo- way, Pauline Miller, Jean Young and Angela Manilla. Their harmony waa most effective and proved one of the most applauded features of tne evening. They also helped sing a number called "Pretty Little Home. 1 * Others in the cast who had very' little in the way of real opportuni- ties, but who did what they had to do satisfactorily, were Laura Arnold, as the girl crook; Charles Cahill Wilson, Doris Arden, Grace) Studeford and Dan Healy. The lat- ter won his greatest success by a couple of fast danbing numbers. It cannot be said that Harry Fender was especially happy in the role of the hero, though hn voice was ade- quate. The oriental numbers in the "shrine" scene gave occasion for some very seanty costumes, but they were as unattractive as thsy were brief. "Adrienne," iri plot struc- ture, in comedy methods and to some extent in music, belongs to the conventional old-fashioned school, but its lively, Cohanesque dancing, staged by David Bennett, and the efforts of that Indefatigable chorus lift it partially out of the rut. It still has some distance to go. Water*. FOREIGN REVIEWS ) -»i LE DJORGH1 ■ tured flrst honors in the playing. Her dialect more than once sug- gested the speech of "Kiki." Sus- tained dialect roles are no easy as- signment, but Miss Day created a lovable little lass of the tri-color. Fred L. Tiden played the repentant Parisian father, the role being some- what more subdued than he has been used to. In the matter of dia- lects, of which there were an as- sortment, Tiden's effort was mod- erately successful but quite shad- owed that in the forceful charac- terization. Robert Fisher handled the part Of the hotel proprietor skilfully, but with a dialect that sounded more Alsacian than French. Hilda Spong as the motaer carried her manner cleverly. peache Cook was an un- abashed and unmannerly reporter The program held five names of guests in thf hotel, none having I line to speak. Producing "Pride" at this time of the season Tr:.iy have a picture angl e, the legitim ate branch of the Morosco Holding UO, establishing the show on Broadway and spelling it to the picture making branch. It is the growing belief among authors and managers that the only chance an average p'ay has must come fr out pictures and stork. That np- p!l< y. to "Pi ids." Ibit. Paris, May 2. The Trianon, directed by Louis Masson, a hustler in every respect, is continually inviting its patrons to sample the numerous new operettas produced here during the season. The latest is "Le DJorghi," in three acts, by Wilned, music by Edouard lEfant. Djorghl, in Hindostnnee, means the chief of a clique of fakirs, the Oriental musical comedy now un- der observation being laid in an- cient India The plot is simple and clean. It might have been even a little more lively, for we know W«l- ned is capable of better lyrics. Satlava confides to his uncle, a maharajah, he is madly in love with Princess Sita, and the ruler orders the wedding festival to be prepared. He desires the princess for himself and Intends to repudiate his present wife to marry Sita. This meets with disapproval, and the disappointed lovers arrange with the local DJorghi, on promise of graft, to prevent the Maharajah from carrying out his plans, which is done, and all terminates to the* satisfaction of the characters and the audience. M. l'Enfant is already known in England, having written the score of the "Little Girl in Red." at the Gaiety, London, a short time ago. His present effort 'is well orches- tered, but he is a bit betrayed by the Trianon chorus, which, Uko that of the Opera Comique, Is often off color. M. Masson displays enterprise in revealing old and new works of composers whose names have not become household words among the Paris playgoers. There are so many Inside combinations at the lyrical houses here, even to political in- ftnenoe, that a musician cannot ex- pect to be launched unless he has friends at court or means of finan- cially aiding In J,he production of his work* It Is not talent that alone counts to-day. k< ndr\w. Carme] Myers, picture actress, has brought another suit for divorce against Isador P. Kornblum. New York lawyer, charging desertion and abandonment. A similar suit a few months ijejo was dropped.