Variety (June 1923)

30 NEW SHOWS THIS WEEK Thursday, June 7, 192S ored team, Cared but passing fair With their comedy and songs. Eddie Carr and Co., with his time- worn vehicle, failed to get laugh* and the end of the act just about Went over and lay there. In addition to the six acts or Vaudeville there was "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine" as the feature picture offering: "The Klectric House," ft Buster Keaton comedy, and a news weekly. Fred. CITY What's big time? What's smuli time"' Where does the one begin and the other end? Apparently its a condition of mind affected by the price of admission, policy of the house, number of shows given daily and style of performance rather than any judgment arrived at with the show itself as a standard of com- parison. Take the City's fl^-half show. The City plays pop vaudeville and pictures with a tariff of half a smacker for orchestra and ba.cony and 75 cents for the loges. And does that mean the big-time shows gen- erally around New York this week, with a caser and a half top. avt rage twice as good in entertainment values as the City's show? Yes—it does not. . . All that .first-half bill needed was one important "name" to class it up. As it was the show glided along with a pace and tempo that made many a big-time show of current vintage look peaked. ni.t-ji Harry Scranton and Co. initialed with ft fast wire-walking act that lifted the show into high, speed at the drop of the flag. Nick and Gladys Verga deuced It handily with singing and talk. It's one of those combinations that has the man doing comedy "wop" and the woman atralghting. The man has a reso- nant voice, very musical at time3 and at other times inclined too much to wander off pitch. Although it was hot enough to fry an egg on the 14th street pavement Tuesday night the bunch out front pounded blisters on their hands for mostly everything offered by the Vergas. The trick of having the orchestra play the intro- duction of a pop hit lor bow music and then warbling opera is bad med- I'Mhe for any audience, however, and the jury refused to be "Barnumed" the second time. Jockeying has Its limits with the mercury hitting 90. Bertie Herron and Bonnie Gaylord In a chatty little blackface skit were third, bringing back memories of the •On and Oft" Cameron and Flana- gan classic. The transition from black to white in view of the house caught attention and held it, as any glimpse of backstagt stuff always has. The comedy business regis- tered effectively, but the act de- served a better score than it suc- ceeded in hanging up. A touch of clean-cut class took the rostrum with the arrival of Martha Pryor. Miss Pryor did a quintot of numbers, each with a likable southern accent and a de- livery that was marked with rhythm, individuality and personal charm. A male pianist blended the accompani- ments perfectly. Real showmanship In the Pryor act. No jockeying. No drapes or bunk, but a single singing act that can step out in any mans theatre. Lieipsig. the card manipulator, fifth. He's a wis with the paste- boards. The changing of high de- nominations into lower ones and vice-versa with the rubbing out of spots and transformations is as fine an exhibition of the art as present- day vaudeville affords. Time has polished a technlg that was great when vaudeville was variety. Billy Hughes and Lady Friends was another classy turn that lifted the show. It's the act originally done with Donald Kerr as the solo dancer. Four nifty looking cuties assist Hughes in the various uum- bers. Hughes showed Rome knee nnd ankl< stepping and soft-shoe stuff that was distinctive. He's also there strong on .acrobatic dancing, and would be an acquisition for a Broadway production. Kelly and Wise, next to get away with a con- versational duel, spread some con- vincing hick stuff on the record and boosted the show's comedy average right where it was needed. Baraban and Grohs Co. (New Acts) closed the vaudeville section. and a Buster Keaton comedy was the picture feature. Hell. 23D STREET A fair show for this grade of vaudeville played to half capacity MkihIhj night. It will spurt, con- sidering the good "Last Moment" feature and the corking Buster Keaton comedy, "The Electric House.' The twin reeler packs a laugh a minute conservatively. The recruiting of electricity to assist Keaton's knockabout comedy ele- vates slapstlckery Into a science. The show opened with the Sing- ing Three (New Acts), an added starter. Edwards and Edwards, the first tegular turn, pleased with a rifle routine on familiar lines, but distinguished by the couple's ap- pearance and the man's naive man- ner of admitting he or his partner Is good. The team affeohs hunters' costuming, working in full stage (woodland set). Some of the shot* •re quite delicate and accordingly flashy. Jean T.a Crosve, ft stately blonde. ..With a i.cr> voice, did well with her three numbers. Her rose and black costumt scheme ks effective to con- trust and bet off her blonde beauty. Opening with "A Kiss in the Dark." she followed with a "mammy" number and wound up with a med- ley of standard Scotch airs. Her Insistent cueing to accelerate the orchestra, which insisted on play- ing ft retarded tempo, had little effect on the trench boys, who would hftVQ their own way The musicians made themselves felt in another act later on tW> bill. John IfcKenna and Co. (four people* garnered a flock of laugh* with their "Wanna Make Some Money' skit, which has for its major situation a wager with Mc- Kenna Agreeing to tell the truth for 20 minutes, no matter what hap- pens. The idea is reminiscent and the working out of It not quite con- sistent, at times frnly inane, hut all Is overiookd and forgiven in the rush of the laughs. The idea of the character Whitmore buzzing a prop phone bell without disguising it seriously from the audience, and then have McKenna answer several leading Questions via the wire for the purpose of making him pull an Annanias i« a bit too crude for a big time audience. The vehicle looks good for the three-a-dayers. Leigh and Jones, mixed team, with Jones (a distant relative of Sam Bernard! doing a Bernard comic as an explosive pseudo-baron, ncored with their bright skit. Grace Leigh is a standard In vaudeville with other combinat'ons and feed., like a veteran. It's a sure-fire in- termediary body-of-the-blll act. and can elevate if some of the familiars are eliminated. (lags like "What has six legs and flies?** (three pigeons), can stand elision; also, "Three weeks before I was born mv name was Elizabeth." The line "I find 'em, fondle 'em, feed *em, and forget 'em." is Eddie Buzzell's. which has been converted into a published number (Berlin). The combo has quite a leaning for paprika in some of their points with a punch line In their closing "To- gether" number about'"Satisfy your yearning." with retort by Jones being open to question. Wilbur Sweatman and Co. have a new frame-up practically (New Acts) The comedy and feature followed. Abel. of working up other people's spe- cialties. Borne of the material in "The World of Make Believe" is dry stuff, but whenever it began to creak she breezed on and rolled her own script. Tillis and La Rue. in sup- port, with some beautiful light acrobatics, were the tajent of the half hour consumed. The main idea is a good one. It went across beau- tifully and is a flash. Its long solos and violent dramatics, alone, bar it from standing up as a mid-bill big- timer, and it is a shame to swamp Miss St. Clair, who could walk on in the Music Box and steal any scenes not nailed down. George MacFarlane and Co. (New Acts) gave the bill all the rest of the excitement it had. The ie- mainder was come-and-go middle- type vaudeville. It was a fiercely hot night and the audience was small, which didn't help, either. Canova's Plastic Posing Dogs, in which two white animals, well trained to hold postures, did live double stills, with bits of movies in between to show Canova posing them, made a slow though pretty opener. He calls his dogs Max and Maurice, which may or may not be a stab at acquiring a little prestige earned elsewhere. Melinda and Dade, the brownskin couple that made good in the two-spot over the big circuit, fared all right here, too. It may again be noted that this pair doesn't squeeze its welcome dry and knows when an audience has about enough. The routine never slows up. and the brief running time is all put to good use without stalling. Jim Cullen, the orphan of the Or- phenm. looked hot in his long Prince Albert with the velvet collar. For summer dates he might wear an al- paca or work In his shirt sleeves, even if he wears suspenders. Jim is durable old vintage, aged in the original container, and still convey- ing the kick. His parodies and light whimsies went over as usual. Rubin nnd Hall, not programed, took it pretty easy and got off O. K. on Rubin's eccentric dance exit. The body of the act didn't agitate any- body. Each of these men would do better working with a pretty girl. Lait. FOREIGN FILM REVIEWS 58TH ST. Business has l>een off all around in the split-week houses recently, the advent of summer, weather doubtless being the principal factor and an element which will count un- til patrons become accustomed to the change. No exception here Monday night. The house held plenty of vacant rows on the lower floor. The first half bill was uninterest- ing, appearing to be in tune with the attendance. Yet three turns of the six captured first-rate returns, and that was surprising on such a humid evening. Pietro, on third, was the first to score and should be chedited with the show's individual honors. He encored twice and was still in demand. The accordeonist has been playing a lengthy time in the pop theatres, but the booking has been for a week in each stand as a rule. His most artistic num- ber was iti simulation of an organ, the selection being a semi-classic well fitted to its treatment. Stevens and Hollister, accorded topline billing, returned to the 58th St. with "Back in Beverly Hills," a skit that wears well in the three-a- day field Following l'ietro, the couple got over for a fair score. Edwards and Bcasley (New Acts), next to closing, succeeded In turn- ing in the score the spot calls for. Helen Smiles Davis, who won her middle name while abroad as an en- tertainer for the A. F. P., tried No. 3 with Karl Nelson, but the pair never got going. A special silk dro.». which tableauxcd into a dressing room for the several changes, helped in a sight way. but th. mate- rial offered is neither amusing nor entertaining. Miss Davis looked very nice as the "Follies" chorister and In the even more brief dressing changes, she looked classy in the first frock, too. but if the couple ex- perts to Win a spot attention must be paid to the act itself. Carson and Kane successfully closed the show, their dancing reg- istering in a way tlr: an encore 1 t was earned, it was announced as "our idea of a step dance" by Car- son, but that meant nothing. Miss Kane sported bare legs, In tune with the thermometer, and she attracted attention at all times with her frocks. Both looked refreshing In the white costumes for the r.iilitary finale, that counting in making the act a good dancing Hash for this time. 'The Knight and Mis Knave ' (New Acts) opened. lb<<\ 81 ST ST. 'The Son Dodger" was taken out as the feature act and "The World of Make Believe" booked in without time to change the program. Illness of a principal in the act originally billed was the explanation of the management. The stop-gap proved no disappointment. It is the Hoeky and Oreen ensemble act featuring Nola St. Clair, the clever juvenile and versatile « omedienne. Miss St. Clair ran away with the turn. She has a free and easy man- ner and an exceedingly valuable u.iy GRAND GUIGNOL Paris. May 28. We have another show to chron- icle at the little Grand Cuignol. in the ville lumlere. which is well mixed with the accustomary doses of farce and drama, but this time it is not a credit to either this famous chamber of horrors or the city of Paris. The first number is a one-act drama **Le Devoir de tuer" by Rene Berton. posing the problem whether a physician has the right to kill a patient when he knows the victim is past recovery, but may continue to live a time in terrible agony. • The author shows us the practician j has not only a right, but it is a j duty. A poor fellow is dying slowly | from a cancer on the liver and begs to be put out of pain. If he dies before a certain date his wife loses her claim to a pension, but the sympathetic doctor in connivance with the wife changes the mor- phine for strychnine* in the syringe. Who would convict for such a deed? We blame M. Choisy a great deal; more for having mounted "J'veux voir Virginia." one-act farce by Jose de Bery8. This Frenchy produc- tion is the yarn about a false Amer- ican artist paying a big. price to a janitor for the privilege of watch- ing his niece in a state of nudity. The exhibition is supposed to be held in the adjoining room, and the amount paid in a false check. The police arrest the generou spectator, who is an escaped lunatic in the form of a false art student. Indeed the entire act is false. M. Arquilliere, -the actor, has turned playwright and given a two- act drama "Nevrose." An Oriental Countess is desperate at the idea of being separated from her young lover by the return of her husband. She suggests to a former admirer that he should put the legitimate intruder out of the av. but the former favorite, not blind to the truth, and having nothing to gain, declines. The husband challenges the younger lover to a duel, .hereupon the wife tries to disarm her lawful companion by a night of volupty. As a matter of fact, the husband is killed i:i the duel, to the visible joy of the wife, but the former admirer* takes the law into his own hands and shoots the unnatural woman. This drama is played in sombre scenery, to create an atmosphere of halucination, the action being rapid and ably constructed. It is followed by 'I, Jalouse." one-act piece by Michel Brega and Georges Hoffman, explaining the troubles of an author possessed with a jealous wife, The dran itist is flirting with an influential actress, his caly object being to have his piece accepted, but owing to the in- terference of the spouse who de- clines to see her nose put out of joint, the poor author loses the only opportunity he ever had of get- ting a plu: produced. On the whole the new program of the Grand Gulgno] has proved ft slip. Kcmdrew. the title), in ft manner that indi- cates a calamity accord!. ; to local folk-lore. In the morning young Harbois calls to tell Fromont his father has died, whereupon the crafty old cul- tivator declares without going into details that he is able to testify relative to his neighbor's unhealthy physical condition, thereby suppos- ing a natural end, if the heir will give (not sell) the plot of land he wants. In this drama the audience has all the impression' of f. wicked crime without knowing any deta'ls. and as such it is an interesting ef- fort. There is another two-act drama "Une Main dans I'bmbre." by Pierre Patau and Jean Velu. a sort of echo of the war. A German general is tempted in a moment of fear to con- fess to a Dutch journalist that he assassinated a mother and violated her two daughters while billetted in a French mansion. His companion, having by a subterfuge got the other visitors out of the way, flies at his throat and strangles him. The news- paper man from Holland is a Frenchman in disguise; he is "The hand in the shadow* tracking down unpunished war criminals. "Mon Frere de Lait." two-act farce, also by Pierre Patau, is a bit near the knuckle, with an unex- pected denouement. A man is flirt- ing with his cook; she tells his wife who persuades her t sleep in the spare bedroom while the lady takes her place. But a friend from the colonies pays a visit and the -hus- band decides to put him up for the night, generously suggesting he shall join the cook. The colonial foster brother (vide title) willingly accepts. Meantime, the repenting cook, hearing of the situation, warns her master when it is too late, and the husband is seen fretting at his own stupidity. How- ever, the friend, a bit off color had declined the favors of the supposed cook, it developed. The*farce is well acted, and quick in movement, constituting a really comic sketch of the poet Chaucer style, but totally unfit for modern export. In spite of a few laughs and a passing shudder, the new program of the Deux Ma? likewise. sques proves a slip Kendrew. AUX DEUX MASQUES Paris. Its) 2'.'. The little theatre known as the Deux Masques, a sort of competitor to the Grand Guignol, under the di- rection of Marcel Nancy, has also treated Us habitues to a new mixed show. There is nothing much to report. Starting off with the smutty sketch of 'T/Imposslble A.veu" already mentioned and for Which a substi- tute COUld have been easily found, wc have a two-irr drarna. '\.c L'EMBRASEMENT Paris, May 2!>. A separate group of dramatic en- thusiasts calling themselves the Oeuvrlers (workers) were given hospitality by Lugne Poe at the Maison do l'Ocuvre for a matinee and presented a remarkable three- act piece, "L'Embrascment" ("Con- flagration"). No regular playhouse has had the privilege of producing a work of the same power during the entire season, now almost ended. The author has attacked a delicate subject in a proficient manner. A married couple watching them- selves grow old have retired to a small country town. The man Is a painter of a certain talent and his pictures have brought him mild no- toriety. The woman is reconciled to the role of housewife and is the companion of her husband at the fireside, without any anticipated change to break the monotony. But the husband, well turned 50. feels the oppression of provincial dull- ness and is bored to death, notwith- standing he has his art lo occupy the time if he could only muster energy and Inspiration to paint. Then into this dreary existence n young girl appears as a beacon. She js an orphan, taken Into the homo as general servant, although her refinement and education arn fat above those wont t'» acr pt mh h Chlen qui hurle" by Rene Wiener a pastoral of peasant w..\s nnd means. Harbois has refused to sell a plot of land to his neighbor, Kro- mont, both cunning farmers, .-so the latter insinuates to the gjod-for- nothing sou of Harbois that hid father \<* Buffering from heart disease and when he quits this earth all his fortune will belong to the disreputablo lad. During the nlghl the dogs a.re heard barking (hence a menial occupation. >t appears, however, she preferred domestic service in the country to the temp- tations of the capital, and so sadly but confidently entered the painter's household as she would have taken the veil In a nunnery. Her presence, full of youth! ul (harm, quickly al- ters the dreary aspect of the art- ist's daily life. She fills the place with sweet gaiety. The man's ar- dor is rekindled despite his r>f. years. nnd he seeks to be continually In the company of this young creature, whoso charm and chastity inspire him to resume his painting. The maiden becomes keenly In- terested In her master's work, and on his supplication consents to be* come his model for a study of tho nude. She is quite pure in her in* tent ions, only admiring and respect- ing the artist, who is old enough to be her father. But is It a genu- ine inspiration for true art en the part of the man or an excuse to satisfy his craving desire to con- template the perfect lines of this rofined; healthy maiden within hi*. clutches? The elderly artist dare hardly put the question to himself, and will only acknowledge in his own mind that the presence of this innocent, confiding girl has fired him with renewed energy to paint, such as he has never before experi- enced. Then, as the picture progresses, the virgin doubts the purity of her own soul, for she begins to fear the growing affection and warm admira- tion she feels for her employer and benefactor are the reticence of a deeper sentiment that may lead to a violent passion followed by pos- session at the first opportunity. The wife visits the studio one day and discovers the canvas on which the painter has expressed the voluptuous exuberance he has not yet dared to openly declare to the model. She Immediately sizes up the situation, taxes her husband with forbidden and evil designs and recalls* him to his duty. As the moral man he is, the artist realizes the sin he was about to*commit, for he is now sure the servant girl loves him. He promises to renounce the flesh and the devil, but would cer- tainly have ultimately failed, de- spite his honorable endeavors, were he not assisted by his former model,' who, to spare grief to the wife and shame to the husband, accepts an offer of marriage made by the gar- dener. It is true she gives herself to the young laborer with the same spirit of resignation as an incurable would commit suicide. Fortunately the gardener is a straight, sensible, intelligent, hard- working fellow, capable of winning a woman's esteem and assuring her a lasting happiness. And the eve- ning of her departure for another village with her husband the young woman laughs as freely as when she first entered the house. When she has gone the artist sadly shuts the door, more than ever feeling the weight of his age and thanking the . great Architect of the Universe for sparing him from eternal remorse. This painful tragedy of unre- quited secret desire Is unfolded in an impressive style of dramatic art by a young author giving his first effort to the public. He has suc- ceeded beyond his own hopes. It Is as good as a church sermon and just as effective. Many men will see themselves reflected as in a mir- ror. It draws one of the great dramas of human nature. There are many honest folks who have thus suffered, and it behooves all of us to refrain from throwing a stone of contempt at a guilty neighbor. Kendrew. SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL (Continue dfrom page 18) tious revival is a credit to Its spon- sors and its servants. It is an earn- est, fine thing, carried out in an ap- parent spirit of honor to the Insti- tution In which it was conceived, primarily and in honor of which It is done.—the theatre. Mr. Drew, Miss Barry more. Fran- cis Wilson. Tom Wise, Charlotte Walker.. Carol McComas. Charles Richman. McKay Morris. Henrv Dixey. Albert O. Andrews and Violet Kemble-Cooper essay the foremost roles. There is glory enough for them all and for all the others, some of them recognized and established stars who played silent parts and fragments. *%}{ there uas ■ Rln K l0 performance that stood forth even more than the general acclaim. It was that done by Charles Richman. For many a season Richman has played heavy things in modern melodramas; he ha* been accredited, but no one who saw him in raw films and such junk as "Help Wanted" nnd "Bought and Paid For" could have dreamed that he had within him the dash he sparkle, the buoyant elasticity to play Charles Surface as it was probably never played-before in all its mellow traditions. Miss Barrymore was an equally exhilarating visitation. Youthful coy. light, winsome and whimsical". her Lady Teazle (immortalized bv the unilving Lillian Russell) was a un.te-wigged . champagne bubble. And Mr. Drew, master artist of high comedy, was the crustv Sir Peter to the adorable life. Miss Walker, making a resplendent re- appearance after a long New York Qbsence, looked like a flapper and Played ■ young star animated by the vibrations of s first exciting HO -ad way chance. This reporter, surfeited and some- times- choked with the dramatic < la mi rap of his day, with witless and spineless vaudeville, with gaudy revues and blatant bur- ies..ins. sat as in a peaceful, flow- ered heaven Of ethereal bliss as this nagennt of personalities mi.ved be- fore his vision, animating the nun- cent atmosphere of a garden of In- toxicating eomed v. To him "The School for Sc.ndil' was the delight of years. Tail.