Variety (May 1923)

NEW SHOWS THIS WEEK Thursday, May 24, 1ft* OUT OF TOWN REVIEWS THE RISE OF ROSIE O'REILLY Jimmy \\ liitn. > H<>bbv Watson Jt'»t> MorKtii Jack MrlJowun Lillian Smith Murjorle J. hup Kitty Jui,. -a 1 »oi •: I.\ Wbltiuoru < , a•♦>fl.r'.»T , .: , ... a Owrt cinrt* Mrs. Caaparonl Adelaide Gloria liuddie U'Kcllly Hobby O'Neill Jobaaon Ueorge Bancroft Jlnsls O'ReUty Virginia O'Brien 1 Silly Mary I*awlor <'utie Ma<ce Emma Hale; Pete Georgia Hale Mr*. Montague Uradley. .Margaret Dunr.unt friteve Johnny Muldoon Molly I'earl Franklin Hop Toy KtMIe Russell Fannie Hetty Hale Annie Hcmlce Speer Lttielburl Tom Dingle <b«rtruo> Patay DWany Kosooe Morgan Walter Kdwio Boston, May 23. Cohan has another one of those things: "The Rise of Rosie O'Reilly" makes fouT in a row. • Back in the hot weather of 1920 Cohan put on "Mary at the Tre- mont, Boston, and turned 'em away until fall bookings barred him out of the city. It was frankly Irish and Boston loved it. In 1921 he opened "The O'Brien Girl" and repeated. Last year he opened cold for the third time with "Little Nelly Kelly" and made summer history ugain for Boston, and for the third time fall bookings drove him out of town. Tuesday night, this time in the middle of May, in the same Tremont where the three previous Irish suc- cesses were launched, he sprung "The Rise of Rosie O'Reilly," the fourth of his summer Boston pre- mieres. And it looks as If next Sep- tember, long stretch though it seems for a burg like Boston, will find * Rosie" clicking off between $23,000 and $24,000 weekly. It looks as If the show stood Cohan close to $175,000 before his first curtain and the "nut" must run close to $12,000 a week. What- ever it is, Cohan has no royalties. Wltmark for the fourth time has the music, Charley Gebest for the fourth time is in the pit with a sus- piciously paternal solicitude for the score, and for the fourth time the entire Tremont theatre crew after an opening performance has can- celed all plans for a summer vaca- tion. Boston worships Cohan with prob- ably the blindest devotion any in- dividual ever received in its phleg- matic history. "The Rise of Rosie OReilly" opened cold without an outstanding name, its first perform- ance postponed until Tuesday night because the show was obviously ragged. Without any real exploita- tion, with no clue as to plot, on a glorious daylight-saving evening. And yet the house was sold out solid, boxes, gallery and standing room, with an advance Bade scat- tered a week ahead, and at least 1,000 turned away at a $2.75 gross Vtop. With an eight o'clock curtain on the tick, the show was still blazing away at 11:30, with 21 principals falling all over each other, 24 musi- cal numbers, six scenes and an en- semble of 60. In costumes and sets Cohan has spent as though it was somebody else's money, and he says he has merely started, wanting at least a couple of weeks before he puts on his coat and brown cap and starts feeding it gas. Cohan's objective in plot is best explained by his tag line in the show, which runs, "This is poking fun at Cinderella." It is satire re- lieving a musical drama, practically every line being a discourse on "Trick devils, these playwrights," "Atta a boy, keep up the love inter- est," 'This is our excuse for moving the chorus into the next scene'* and "Don't feel out of place here, this gang is nothing but a chorus." At the height of a serious scene, where the millionaire's son proclaims his desire for honest work after being disowned, the Juvenile pipes up with "Ho do I; here a lroping for a lont; season," There isn't even a repressed damn In the entire book. There isn't a bare leg, a shimmied shoulder nor a vestige or double entendre, it is a show that every family of Irish nativity within 100 miles of Boston will see en masse, and an equal number of shekels will be left at the window by those of Jewish an- cestry. Why? Who cares! The plot is baaed on a million- aire's son slumming at the end of Brooklyn Bridge, falling in love at lirst Sight with a cafe singer, saving her brother in a bootleKKiiiK fracas, taking her to a wealthy woman's home, being disowned by his father as a result ami marrying her after an 11:30 curtain. All the comedy la in the satire, the- cleverness i- ; mainly in some crackling lyrics, and the show is a wow because of its dancing, combined with the lirst act finale, which is a world-beater. It's a dancin' fool show. One scene has 13 specially hoofers lined. It is doubtful if so much dancing was ever staged in any one show in his- tory, including a travesty on the marathon dancer epidemic. Numbers for popularity are hard to pick so early, although "When Juno Comes Along with a Song" outsold everything opening night. "Let's You and I Just Say Good Bye" and "Born and Bred in Brook - bra Over the Bridce" ran a close ■ecbnd, and most of the music sales were on a three-fur-a-dollar basis, all wrapped up and sold blind. A fine music-selling angle has been adopted by Cohan in his finale when he runs over his best numbers in sequence in a manner that retells the plot, but gives a final identifica- tion of numbers that is better than a dozen song peddlers ballyhooing the lobby. Outside of the battalion of danc- ing acts, including Muldoon and Franklin, Dingle and Delaney. the Olorias, Eddie Russell and Emma llaig, Bobby Watson as the juvenile and Jack McGowan as the hero carried the role honors off. Watson is playing the part to Cohan's heart, being as near to what Cohan would be as is humanly possible. The role ought to be Cohan's, and he must be itching to play it, even for a matinee. Virginia O'Brien in the titular role was obviously nervous, which may account for her lack of personality and the gracious ease of Elisabeth Hines, who could crash it over. A switch of roles with Mar- Jorle Lane would seem logical With Little Wily Kelly"' still jamming them into the Liberty, New York, it is difficult to even try to hunch what "The Rise of Rosie O'Rsllyy" will be doing a year from now. Cohan certainly has another one of those things; mpre power to him! Libbey. WINNIE AND THE WOLVES Philadelphia, May 23. As its third offering the newly formed Philadelphia Theatre Guild presented for the first time on any stage "Winnie and the Wolves," a comedy by William Gillette, adapted from the series of magazine stories of "Winnie O'Wynn." The premiere at the Lyric Monday night was quite an occasion for this late in the sea- son, and the house appeared very enthusiastic. It cannot be said that in this, his latest work, Mr. Gillette has equaled some of the splendid things he has done in the past. Even construc- tively (a department in which the author-star shines) "W T innie and the Wolves" is occasionally slipshod, and its second act, which is under- stood to have been re-written once, can stand a repeat. Nor can it be said that "Winnie" possesses any profound depth or any meaningful theme. Nevertheless, it is, or rather will be when that second act and one or two minor points are ironed out, a rattling good stage play, splendidly actable, judiciously mixing laughs and thrills, and if given the right person in the name role, of almost sure-fire popular appeal. As is so often the case in the adaptation for stage purposes of a series of short stories involving the same characters, the characters themselves are developed more log- ically by the dramatist than the action itself. "Winnie and the Wolves" as a play concerns two dis- tinct incidents in the life of Winnie O'Wynn. the little London girl whose father, before his death, told her that most men were wolves, to be avoided. What is more, the two incidents are not welded together to any further extent than that Winnie herself and one or two other char- acters take part in both. The first act and a greater part of the second concern a frame-up en- gineered by a nobleman to divorce his wife. Winnie is employed as the co-respondent, but she knocks all the plans awry by telling the whole plan to the wife and promising to .act as a witness for her, instead of for the husband. The wife, grateful for the help, insists on engaging Winnie as a companion, and introduces her to some aristocratic friends. Here, at the end of the second act, is where the first plot ends and the second begins. This one concerns the attempt of a certain Major Mountarden, a noblemnn who is notorious for the reckless gambling that takes place under his roof, to use Winnie as a decoy. As it happens, Winnie's father was a gambler, too, and she detects the crookedness in the Major's roulette wheel. With the help of a little cockney crook who Insists that she be his partner in crime, she exposes the fraud and is instrumental in the reimbursement of a number of young fellows, including her own sweet- heart, who have lost everything they possess at this particular wheel. One fault with the play lies in the character of "Winnie" herself. How- ever, this fault may be rightly laid to tin door of the player and not to author or adaptor. As played by T-«'la Fisher it was hard to toil when Winn if was a crook and schemer and when she was an innocent girl. madly In love with young Cecil Fair- bairn. Miss Fisher played the part in one key throughout, a monot- onous, sing-song key. with few lights and shades. She overdid the de- mure, naive "dumbbell" part of the role. It must be admitted, however, that the play did not bring out, as the stories did, the true character of Winnie O'Wynn, and her gradual transformation from a very cunning and very shrewd little ''gold-digger" to an honest and sincere girl. As played here the outstanding role was that of John Henry, the cockney crook who first met Winnie when she was employed as the co- respondent and conceived such an admiration for her cleverness that he elected himself her partner in double-dealing. His adventures up the chimney in search of the evi- dence of the crookedness of ( the gambling apparatus, and, following that, his part in the overthrow of the Major, were the high points of the play. When the fourth act opened he was sitting cross-legged on a table watching the game to see that the Major fulfilled his part of the bar- gain to return every cent to the men he had fleeced. Winnie had decided that the money must appear to be won back at play, and John Henry appointed himself as censor of the proceedings, a part he played most excellently. This role was played here by Ed- ward Douglas, undoubtedly the cleverest player in the resident com- pany, and he made a wonderful hit in the role, so much so, in fact, that after the third act the audience, failing to get Gillette out before the curtain, gave Douglas what amount- ed almost to an ovation, and in the fourth act every speech of his was greeted with laughs. It is a "fit" role and he played it in just the right vein of eccentricity, melo- drama, and straight comedy. 'With Madge Kennedy playing the role of Winnie and Douglas opposite her, "Winnie and the Wolves" would be effective even without a re- writing of that second act. The other roles, including those of the crooked lawyer, the dissolute noble- man seeking a divorce, his innocent wife, the Major and his wife, the young hero and an "English ass" sort of a person with a great line of burlesque chatter, do not stand out, but. being well played as they are here, are all in keeping with the play. Robert Rendel as the hero and C. Haviland Chappell as the "English ass" did the best work of the local players. The scenes take place as follows: The first in a lawyer's office, the second in the home of the divorce- hunting nobleman, and the third and fourth on the estate of the gambler, with the roulette wheel in an ante- room at the rear of the stage. Waters. • BROADWAY I REVIEWS . V— ?■; ' -•■ SWEET NELL (Of Old Drury) Nell Gwynne L-eurette Taylor Lady Castlemeine ..Lynn Footaaae Duchess of Pprtssnostk.Hasanks Adanaowska Daay O'uvim lUrffUArtW Myors Tiffin ••••»••••••••••«•••• I ^um Bert Charles II ......»* Alfred Liunt I»rd Jeffrey* ...Hitit Orunwood Sir Roger Fairfax Regan Hucheton Lord Rochester • Richie Line Ix>rd Lovelace Schuyler I^add F*erdval. •••.••««...«....•«.• L^o ocera Rollins..... Hoirard L ladss<r Lacy ......Leonard Booker Clavenng Edward Holland Alderman George Baxter Second Alderman...— Gharner Bataon Meroer..... Lionel Chalmers William •••.....Seymour Jamison liord-ln-Waiung James Bell Bllff n Paul Jacchla And ensemble of 10. "Rolling Home" is a combination of "Get Rich Quick Wallingford." "Turn to the Right" and "The For- tune Hunter" ideas, though at pres- ent it lacks the finish of these es- tablished productions. It is a clever idea for such a comedy, ingenious in its working out, and with a star In Donald Brian, who is a sure-fire draw. All it needs is a little dressing up to have a chance for an all-summer run in Chicago. The introduction of songs slows it up, and while Brian sings well, it is doubtful if this feature can be made so popular as it is in Chaun- cey Olcott shows. "Mother," in the first act, is a nice bit of sentiment, but the song "When I First Met You," providing the climax to that act, does not permit of the enthus- iasm desired. The climax of the second net is a line or two of a song which the orchestra has been play- ing. The music calls for an orchestra, which Is a departure for this house. The orchestra was gotten together possibly on short notice. The plot concerns Nathaniel Alden, who leaves Lower Falls. Mass.. and is gone six years. In his adven- tures he thinks he has struck it rich two or three times and wires this In- formation home without correcting the impression when his dreams are punctured. The town folks think he is a millionaire, and when he finally does come home they give him a royal reception. He is coaxed into promising to invest all his money In the town at a public meet- ing, but later determines to make Rood, which he accomplishes after the usual difficulties. There is enjoyment in seeing the distinctly American trait of "bluf- fing" played up for comedy, and this play capitalizes that point. The part written for Brian is a rich one Frank Allworth, as the chauffeur, plays very well. (Miss) T.ee Patrick, as the home town pirl loved by the hero. Is charming without overdoing It. Lila Frost, as Alden's sister. plays a role intended probably for a 16-year-old, and. while not realizing this youthful touch, doe? the part admirably. Theodore Rabeock. who has only one scene as the inebriated owner of the fine car. has little (.]. port unity. Cora Williams as mother of the young man gives a delightful character study. Mary Havncs as "Abigail," a housekeeper, has only fair material. Edgar Nelson In the comedy role, which la very similar to such a role in one of the other "Sweet Nell of Old Drury" is one of a threesome of costume plays around Nell Gwynne done almost simultaneously about 22 years ago. The other two were called "Nell Gwynne" and "Mistress Nell." Hen- rietta Crosman, starring in the role now recreated by Laurette Taylor (who, of course, never saw her play it), brought "Sweet Nell of Old Drury,** by the then famous Paul Kester, through as an outstanding triumph. All this'followed the pub- lication of some memoirs of the reign of Charles II. during the rule of the hated Jeffreys as the bloody Chief Justice of England, in which the story of the orange girl of Drury lane who became the king's mistress and the benefactor of the poor, was exploited with its romantic anec- dotes. Nell Gwynne was a semi-histori- cal, semi-fictional character. As an acting part she is the ideal com- posite of almost all lightly dramatic heroines of the mediaeval centuries, having the range from a street gamin to the mistress and guiding genius of a monarch, as well as a little lova tragedy of her own that never blooms and no end of adven- tures and hair-breadth escapades. Why Nell was never done in an opera is almost unexplainable; she would be a perfect soprano star part. As a film she was attempted some years ago by Fannie Ward, and was successfully though not importantly screened. So much for the history of the folk-lore favorite until Lau- rette Taylor played her. This reviewer begs Indulgence of ROLLING HOME Chicago. May 23. A comedy In three acts, first prevented at Fort Wayne, Ind.. May 17-19. and hav- ing its Chicago premiere at the Hartia theatre in' Chicago May 20, if?s. it is Aiis audience before launching into presented by Cart Reed (In association with 4 Jimn Shesareen). Donald Brian, star. Mis. Mary Alden Cora Williams Abigail , Mary Haynes ltiyllts Weston Lee Patrick Andrew Lowe Edgar Nelson Robert Alden James Seeley .Vathanlol Alden Donald Brian Daniel Mason Prank Allworth Arabella Alden Lila Frost General Wade Weston Jack Raffael Samuel l'emberton Ouy Nichols Calvin Lowe Edward Poland William Chubb Waldo Whipple Jerome H. Savage John M. Sullivan George W. (Jrubble Theodore Babcock encomiums regarding Miss Taylor, with the explanation that the wom- an is to him the most exquisite thrill in the American theatre, no matter plays from which the author may have drawn inspiration, is satisfac- tory. The play as it stands is entertain- ing but lacking in meat. * IN THE NEXT ROOM Atlantic City, May 2S. It must be confessed that it was all very thrilling—in fact, quite the most exciting thing we have seen on the stage since "The Monster" instilled its mechanics into our ster- ile brains. But "In the Next Room" is rather devoid of mechanics, though the plot hinges a little on a certain mechanism. It is truly a melodrama of mystery, well written, instilled with dialog and presenting a vehicle requiring acting for every part, though most of it is of the '"type" design. Originally titled "The Boule Cab- inet," which is situated in "The Next Room" of the first act, the play revolves about the presence in this room of a certain wonderful French cabinet of rare design. The adven- tures about this cabinet include two murders, a mysterious transforma- tion, a drugging, sundry plots and counterplots that are only visioned and lots of things that are very mysterious and apparently in the class of suspected clues, but not pertaining to the case. Hardened by many years and mystery plays, it must be admitted this concoction by Eleanor Robson and Harriet Ford form a story by- Burton Stevenson which was suffi- ciently clever to make you hang on to the .'eats. In going back to "The Argyle Case" of several years past and in which Miss Ford had a hand, if recollection serves, there is a cer- tain similarity in construction—a likeness in good dialog. But this play has the added inception of some one who has appreciated the cleverness of the modern mystery and at the same time avoided the excess of claptrap which consumes many of the so-called "mysteries" of the day. Th( re Is some very good acting in typifying the parts, though hardly any of the names were familiar to us before the curtain rose. George Hidden as the butler first appeared ami di.i ;1 splendid nervous bit, Mary Kennedy, a young, pleasant .,• . al- together effective actress, h. \ the heroine role most satisfactorily. Wright Kramer made up a polished gentleman of refined tastes and doubled hack in a small roie. Mor- ris W. Ankrum* a nervous footman did a rather hard part very well and i'aul Leysaac also added French dualities. DeAtriCi I'iintice had some feverish moments and there was a l»rief part by Cornelia Otis Sk inner. Mcheurr. (what manner (or Manners) of roJ the humanizes. He has seen he play everything within the range c even an extraordinary actress excep Topsy and Cleopatra, and believe that she could play both of thee better than they were ever playe before. Miss Taylor is beyond any rivalr as the finest comedienne Americ; has ever produced. Yet she ha made history as a tragedy star—ii "The Bird of Paradise" and in "Hu moresque"—one the most phenome nai money hit in native records an< the other one of the most immediat Broadway failures. It doesn't matte what Miss Taylor plays or when she plays it or for whom. Her per formance in "Humoresque" will b* remembered by those who feel am understand as long as will her "Pe< o' My Heart," which built a half dosen theatres. And in "Sweet Nell," that dear ok gibberish of feathered hats anc flowered speeches, of arch villain! and banishment ami regal pomp *n4 court harlots and Pall Mall fops anc imprisoned virgin wards—in "Sweet Nell." which would be as heartrlj laughed at with almost anyone els* in the role as was "As You Like It' with Miss Taylor's quondam western stoek revival recently, our Laurett< makes the unreal seem actual and the maudlin seem gospel truth. Her indescribable charm is some' thing iridescent. If a king can b« entranced by her and make ths hard-boiled audiences of this dai believe it and sympathise and cheer, it may be understood why a humble trade paper reviewer is enraptured. The audience Tuesday evening was not a typical Actors' Equity fol- lowing. It was what the managers speak reverently of as "limousine trade." This is a desirable but not explosive sort of patronage. Yel Miss Taylor was applauded until the 48th Street theatre, which has known less happy nights this sea- son, rocked. She played Sweet Nell so that this shelved scrap of old- styled tinsel, rusted and tarnished by decades of neglectful forgetful- ness, returns like the soldier Nell saves—back from its banishment in triumph and in love. More than that no mortal could do on s stage. The supporting company (Equity has changed its tactics since it so ambitiously started with its all- equal billing in which Jane Cowl was not even featured—for now Miss Taylor is starred) la of a quality in tune with Miss Taylor's key*- If this be that dreaded bugaboo, the ail- Equity cast let there be many more. This, of course, is a selected com- pany of distinguished players who are loyally coming forward to re- trieve the disasters of the Equity Players' season as producers, sad it is likely that the main principals re- ceive no pay at all. A commercial producer could scarcely a ssem ble such an array and pay off, even from the fat receipts being drawn by this revival of a musty and ancient script of an even mellower and more ancient episode. It hi likely that the costly players derive their reward, beyond aiding their fraternity, In a chance to essay the verbal as well as physical silks, wigs and furbe- lows that your true actor so adores. Maybe that can explain the selection of such old papyruses as "The Rivals." "Sweet Nell," and Sophocles* "Antigone" by the Equity Players for their Garrison finish with drafted notables from their upper ranks. In this cast Alfred Lunt as the king is a delight. Miss Fontanne, a notable comedy star now playing a conniving court hussv, is superb. Leo Stark as a "ham" of his day is delicious. Herbert Grlmwood as a murderous "heavy" Is terrific. Schuyler Ladd as a dandy of that era is glorious. This reviewer has not always enthused about Equity or its plays. But In this instance he must give a complete bill of admiration, not for- getting Hartley Manners' scholarly and brisk direction, and Woodman Thompson's splendid period settings and costumes, which must have cost a heavy kopeck: benefit or no bene- fit, the original investment In "Sweet Nell" must have run into the manv thousands. To attempt this in 1923 for a show of middle-nge royalty (even without any author's royalty) is a bit daring. From a financial viewpoint it looks even now hazardous, as the hot weather is coming on and manv cir- cumstances stand against a long- continued run. But, whatever the money results, it is a resounding success In production, presentation and playing. z.aif. AREN'T WEALL? Pp. 1ii.,..i br Charles Dillin-fham. tvUii Cyril Maude starred. May 21 at <;,i.-tv i\ew »ork. A comedy written bv Frederick Lonsdale, first »»ro .-ntr-fl in i..>nji»n by Marie Lonr. with Miss I. >hr ytnrro.i r>ir*< ,. i f„ r the dale*j-, New rork, bv Hugh For.l " ' ,!" r, ",V 7 • •-,. ; (JeorRe Tswi^ '"■' V."'" ' ''• lli> '" Loaiie Il.i^rU J.a'lv I nr;!!;:: Arthur \V.-!'s M ii• in Steele i Lake 1 Irenham M am t Tat ham m .'>■ I Terry-Lewis . .DenlS <SurnPv . .Jack Whiting Roberts l$»:itfv C'yri! M i U 1«« .Alma Tell l ' latent? lieu Itoherts Hon. Mrs Rroesl Lyntos n ,. , Marguerite St. j,»hn Krn.st T.yn:<>n Itarry At-hfnM .r hu \v;::,»cks. fTrcy Mi'lar A success in London, this almost typical Knglish corned v. excepting idea ind much of its dialog, may in