Variety (October 1923)

A Thurwlay, October 4. 1023 LEGITIMATE if NEW PLAYS PRESENIB .. WITHIN WEEK ON BmY CYMBELINE C/mb^M iV. I.. OrwyUle ^^0n Fr»nc« B«ndtii«n IHxttaumiM -^L^ Splhern BaIuIV * AJb»rt Mowaon OuldOTliu '• Murry KInnal Arvtncui H. FUher WMte PlMinlo ■- Vlnctfit Stamroyd Oorn^lus Frank Prten Biitlah Ijonl John MacKmrlan« Britlah Lord rorb— I>awaan Qye^n Li«nore ChlPD»n4l«l« 'Hel«n Florence Fair V Ouetn'I tjiar--'- ,.-. ...Bunimlo Webb JnMMn....*. Julia Marlowe ' lacmmo Fr«(1«rlrk I<e«ria Phlltrlo T. (1. Ilalley (7,lu« Wallla RolxTta Roman Capuin »...l>an)a Auburn Roman Captain Verne Colllna French Gentleman MUano Tllden • ' Sothern and Marlowe's Shake- : apearean Festival, first appearance •■: of these stars In New York for a ', considerable lapse of theatrical time. „: rtarted at Jolson's Tuesday with ' "CymboUne," one of the immortal dramatist's latest, loni^est. wordiest, least popular and least known ro- mances. It played solidly fcom 8 o'cick until midnight save for one flvp-minute intermlbston required while Mis.s Marlowe made a complete change to male attire. Th» curtain went up sharply at 8, and some bonehead,- apparently re- membering how Morris Gest had sot away with it when the Kusslan Art Theatre opened at the same house, ordered that i^o one be seated "dur- ing the flrst act." The "flrst act" ran until, 9.SO. The house was in abysmal darkness, to the extent that one could not see even the seats. About twp-thirda of the audience havingr arrived after the deadline, the confusion in the rear was tre- mendous. Usherettes had been posted at the heads of the aisles with their arms stretched from seat to seat, fiKhting back the crowds, which packed the standlns-room area. ■ The result was that the Shake- spearean premiere guests were soon crowding like a priseflght crowd. Some broke away down some of the iCIsIes and started fumbling for seats in the dark. Too late the hous^ manager retracted his orders, but could not by then reach the ushers, between whom and him there were ■olid masses of people—and every- thing in Stygian blackness. He had to shout his orders over the talk on the stage. Ushers' flashlights began to work like fireflies In a meadow, and presently most everyone was seated. When the counting of noses was made it turned out that despite the crowds that had struggled for their seats, hundreds were unclaimed. Xiarge blocks were empty, indicating that some trusting or helpless brok- ers had been "stuck." What an • Irony—scalpers "stuck" with seats . for the opening of a Shakespearean masterpiece! Thousands of stu- dents, school teachers and other Shakespeare lovers would have given their modest bit to be there, but the "attraction" was being sold on the sams principles* as "Artists and Models" or some sex comedy hit. therefore many devotees were turned away at the box office and many scalpers were marooned with stacks of seats. "Cymbellne" was written In 1$0J, seven years before the bard's death, and first produced at the Globe, In London. Had It been written by anyonse else it would never have been heard of again. If ever at all. Fancy anyone presenting such a script to the Shuberts In 1921! He had better pick his window before he offered It. In all, 240 minutes of talk, mostly monolog, about sorrow, grief, woe, agony and misfortune. It was a "costume play," that boogy to commercial managers, even when It was first read, for Its period is of the earliest Roman emperors and the ancient Britons. If memory is accurate since high school Eng- gllsh IX, "Cymbeline" is a drama- tized tale of Boccaccio. It has much of the villainy of "Othello." the rav- ings of "Romeo and Juliet" and little of the romance of either, since the principal figures are married and separated by an unreasonable and (these days) somewhat unplausible exile, and cast into doubts of one another's good faith by rather flimsy double-crossing caused by a silly waiier. The tale wanders Into fields and caves, wars nnd Intrigue.'?, mysteri- ous potions, docapitations and what- nots, half of all of which. In all de- cent tolerance, could well be blue penciled. Imogen is Shakespeare's purest, most tender and moat suf- fpring heroine, but to this reporter she became rather borc.some with her perennial bleating, wailing and Miss .Marlowe played here as prob- ably no other living bcinp; could, with all the soft appeal and feminine powpr Shakespfare hail ever rtre.amt for Imogen. It wasn't she, It wa.s the role, that began to weary after H o'clock, with so much sufferinij lii'hind and so much .itlll ahead. At 11:05 she was in ma'e dlsBulse, un- Con.soious from .a drui? trp:iohproii.<ly •!ivpn, lying .sidi? by side wiih a liead- le.s.s corpse whirh .she on awakening would think was her licRe and hus- band, who had sent a servant to murder her after a villain had ma- neuvered Into her bed chamt>er by deception and stolen her bracelet to take back and prove to the exiled husband that she was a "strumpet." It was pretty thick yet—for 11:06. A few began to walk out then. Posthumus Is scarcely a star role, though he Is the lover part. Mr. Sothern played him with feeling and strength, J>iit was off the stage for hours at a time. Meanwhile plenty of plot had been laid up for him to act about when he came back. The rest ot the cast was adequate, being largely Sothern and Marlowe supporters of the past years of not- able presentations and personatlns by the.ie illustrious artists. The pro- duction was not magniflccnt. but In tune with the more serious and less shqwy Shakespearean efforts. In all lUcelibood carried out under direct supervisioa of Mr. Sothern. The lighting was now for the .Tol- sOn and for Sothern and Marlowe, and bore strange resemblance to the recent Innovation Installed by David Belasco in the Belasco theatre for the "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary" engagement. The spot boxes were studded at intervals along the front of the balcony, angled at the stage, each with several openings of vari- colored gelatines and large vents far beyond spotlight dimensions. Foot- lights i{£re not used. "Cymbellne" 18 scarcely likely to draw heavily. It is practically un- known and has little appeal for regular Shakespeare-goers. Those who sit through it will go home tired. The Sothern and Marlowe engage- ment will, however, probably be magnlflcentiy prosperous, as they will shortly go Into their regular repertoire of surer Shakespearean plays. How they will fare in "Hamlet," "Romeo and Juliet" and "Merchant of Venlce"« is slightly problematical through these having been heavily exploited last season by others here. The solid Sothern-Marlowe following should pull them through, even so. since the long absence of these adored stars must have accumulated a hunger for their legitimate, honest, splendid Shakespearean interpreta- tions and left it, even in the face of last season's uses of Shakespeare's classics, to "elevate" stars less fltte/I though more advertised. Lait. THE MAGIC RING A mualcat ccmedr produced by Henry W. Savare, Inc., at the Liberty Oct. 1. W»i first stas^ aa ''Minnie and Me" In 3oaton la*t season. Zelda Hears wrote ,book and lyrlca, the Kore being by Harold Leyey. Stased by Ira Hards. Dances and niu^ftcal numbers directed by Dave Dennett. Henry Brockway Sydney Oreenstreet Phoebe Brockway Janet Murdock Mrs. Bellamy Phoeba Crosby Irla Bellamy Jaanuett* MacDonald Tom Hammond Boyd Marshall Policemen Ed Wakefield and John L,yc«« Polly Church Mltal Moo Bernhelmar Jam»» B. Carson Stella Katella BImey Specialty Danoara, Carlos and Inea Zobelde Madge North Vlilor Josenh Macaulay Abdallata Worth Faulkner Mitzi, Whose given name is Hajos but dropped for professional pur- poses, is one ot the best money stars on ths road. Her name and pres- ence geared with that of Henry W. Savage will continue again to mop up in the hinterland. Manager and star appear to constitute a trade mark of superlative value. That was proven in the big business consist- ently drawn by Mitil in "Lady Billy" and the quick response from certain out-of-town managers invited to stock in ths Savage enterprises. There was no flotation. It was sug- gested the Savage offlce become more active, and treasury stock was made available. "The Magic Ring" Is the flrst attraction of the newly enlarged corporate Savage office. That "The Magic Ring" with Mltzi will repeat her other successes on tour is undoubted. Savage has al- ways framed his shows around Mltzi with that objective rather than a flash intended for a long Broadway run, and the new play is not an exception. A moderate stay at the Liberty is Indicated, but during the engagement the come- dienne's personal draw should be profltablo. Mttzl is a charming star, and she has been given some excellent melo- dies by Harold Levey. She is a^ vivacious as ever, but for some rea- son the vocal furbi.shes with which she had been further delightful were missing the opening night, when the little high- register tricks were ab- sent. "The Love Song of Today" counts as one of the catchiest times of the fall se^on. and after Mllzl cleverly sent is on Its way, was quite rightly exploited. Zelda Se.ara' story is an adapta- tion from "Aladdin's Lamp." An old ring with the .seal ot Solomon finds a resting place in a curio shop and is presented as a birthday gift to I'olly, a little organ grinder, by the liibulnu.s sh<>pl(ee|>«r. Tlie legend of the ring is th.-it Us pos.sessor be granted three wishes. A genii out of the mythical past suddenly ap- pears in the little shop when the ring Is rubbed by Polly and she gets the things wished for. The spirit appearances are in ths nature of phantasy. That it be given sub- stance there is a prolog amid the silken-hung seraglio ot a'grand vi- zier of Persia. The grand vizier gives the ring to his beloved, telling of its charms, but suddenly returns to And her faithless In the arms of Abdullah, whom be kills, then brings down a curse that his spirit do the bidding of the ring through the gen- erations until its possessor b« one of clean heart Worth Faulkner was a heroic figure as the genii. His singing and that of Joseph Macau- ley in the prolog drew attention. The prolog, however, impressed as top-heavy for the show itself. Mltzi had two very good scenes, one in ths flrst act being the wish- ing bit and again in the second act, when there is a song-composing bit. with Boyd Marshall, her husband in private life and her hero In the play. She scored early with grace- ful stepping and in a trio dance number with the aid of fid Wake- fleld and John Lyons, flrst appear- ing as dancing policemen. Marshall handled "Milalya," a song which grew in repetition and which has a Russian suggestion in melody. Jcannette Macl>onald, the ingenue, sent the performance off for a good start with "Keepsakes." Almost the entire company got into the business and dancing accom- panying It, four or five girls play- ing musical Instruments. One of the show girls laid aside a trombone for an acrobatic dance specialty that won a big hand. It was Hazel Gladstone, whose proficiency at fast one-hand cartwheeling gained the plaudits. Miss MoclXinald again gataed favor later when working with the 10 chorus boys. The busi- ness looked the best ot Dave Ben- nett's dance direction, deservedly being encored. Carlos and Ines entered at the opening of the second act and pro- vided an excellent and speedy start for that section of the show in the reprise ot "Milaiya," and the clever spinning dance team were valtiable a bit later. Phoebo Crosby's good voice was tempered by that of James B. Carsons in an "imagina- tive opera" bit. Carson until re- cently was in "Little Jesse James." from which he withdrew to Join the Mltzi %how. His role is not weighty, the character being that of a the- atrical producer plus an East Side dialect. He said, his voice had as much range as any manager in tha Producing Managers' Association, but that meant noththg to the au- dience apparently. Sydney Green- street ' as the shopkeeper was very good. So was Janet Murdock as his Scotch wife. In Boston, where the Mltzi show played for six weeks last spring, the attraction was known as "Minnie and Me." Minnie is the name of the little monkey which Polly carried in her rounds ot organ grinding. The new title is more descriptive and applicable. Changes have been made over the summer both in cast and in direction, Bennett being called in to redirect the dancers. "The Magic Ring" does not Ibok like an expensive show to operate. There are four dancing girls and six others of- the show girl type, though hardly in that class tor "looks." The male chorus ot 10, therefore, is as large as the femi- nine chorus contingent. The settings are not costly, the silks of tKe pro- log standing out aa rich compared with the two other full stage scenes. Mltzi should prove popular until the holidays, and as for ths road, that is to b« counted almost "in" now. nee. bursts In on Jerry and Beatrice, only to find the lady absent and Jerry and a male companion present In a most disarming position. At the wrong period -the Judge and hls-daughter interrupt the con- «piratoi« and that permits for the third act- explanation. Back of it all is the fact the grandfather ob- jects to the bride Chris Skinner chose (without having ever seen her himself) and, rather than forego a fabulous inheritance, the divorce evidence is framed. The under- standing is that after they get the money the couple will remarry. The play is thin in spots' and draggy. Its obviousness' also is a drawback. The players manafe rather smartly with it, however, particularly the fe»tured member. Mr. Anders is a farceur of experi- ence and his command of all the little tricks of the trade stand him in good stead at dire moments. Dor- othy Mackays as the compromlsee is happily cast and does wonders with her part, a rather "fat" assign- ment. Louis Simon aa Chris Skin- ner cidSvell as the hapless husband. In between, as a counter plot, there Is the hero's experience in in- vesting in oil stock of questionable value which turns out optimistically with the dUiCOvery that Jr.-ry's uncle is the head of the oil company. A sample of the humor, referring to the hero's lack of prollclency as a co-respondent, finds the retort, "I never went to a correspondence (co- respondents) school." Also, "1 never used to touch a drop before Pro- hibition." On the second night, when the piece was reviewed, there was some papor In the house. Abel. FORBIDDEN Roser Oarlyte Cyi1l Kel»Mley Ormaby • Roy (Cochrane Rachel NaIHa Callahan AJIce Caraon M-iry Touiig Mother Superior LUHhh Kingsbury Ur. Titus Harry MInturS Virginia JusenMna Slevena Hastings Weaioyer John Paly Murphy Mrs. WaMover l«oa« winter Peter wnihuB L«anard WHAT'S TOUR WIFE DOIirO? Arthur Klein, by arrancamant with th« TJttleton Prodnotlami Co., I«e., apooaon thia three-act farce featuring Olann Anders. Written by Harbart Hall Winalow and Braft KyKray. Stas«l by WINIam H. OUnore. Opened at the 4Sth Slrett Oct. L Gerald Warner t..,.01ann Anders Hawkins, the bttUer.,..'....Harry LUIIfard Officer Corrlgan J. Bdward (TMatlar "Rdlth Bomera laabetla L«lg1aton Burr Shrewsbury Josaph Bail Judge Somera t^ormaa Hackc<t Christopher Skinner I>Mila Bhnon Beatrice Sklnnar Dorothy Hackaye fjyman Webster HaA Munnia Bellamy Warner Hhep Camp Hamuel Peabody Sklnnar.OaorRe I*.auncKort I>etectlira Magee ,,,.. George Hpelvin Detective Morlarty Frank Emmelt "Wliafs Tour Wife Doing?", a sufficient box-office title, kt farce of spotty development and uncertain l>osslbllltles. Emil Nyltray, de- ceased, may have had a good Idea In the original but Herbert Hall Wln»lo\,'s elaboration wa.s not al- together satisfying, particularly the third act, whloh let down noticeably. The first act was even and satis- factory and part of the second stanza proved quite snappy, even if ovoi^Ione toward conclusion. The la.st act passed away passively. Oerald Warner (Glenn Anders) agrec« to act as co-respondent for the Skinners, for a considM-ation. Jerry was anything but uncommer- cial. Besides, he needed the money badly to marry Edith Somcrs and that Justified It. The complloation.-j of compromis- ing Deatrice Skinner at the wrong time and having the "moment" spoiled thrice at the psychological moment for the l)cneflt ot Chris Hiknner's grandfather Is the back- bone of the farce. Thren times the rlghtaously InfurlaliyJ Mr. Skinner A rather sad affair at ^ly's (3d Street, despite the claptrap enthus- iasm of a free-list audience. "BV}r- bidden" Is about as weak a play in ^ery regard — except production, which Is of Broadway standard-;;;*)! has been attempted in a Grade A olty this year. Though its cast con- tains several well-known names, the acting was In the main artificial and unconvincing, and though Sydney Rosenfeld is the veteran author of many excellent books, this one is all wet. It might make a good picture yet, though, and save part of the bacon. A dull first act gave remote prom- ise of excitement later. This went democratic, not with a thud, but with one lengthy speech after the other; th3 author was lustily called before the curtain after the second act, and he admitted th^ third act was his best. That -still left some hope. The third proved the tamest and lamest of the trio, utterly de- stroying anything that might liave survived the other two, ending all chance and all suspense. The story begins with a bored bachelor (Cyril Kelghtley) asking his man to suggest a thrill. He starts for his club and an auto smash outside his door throws a girl past/youth (Mary Toung) Into his arina. That siarts a platonic UtairV^Hls toiece, a flapper, turns up wtssing from convent, and a nup calls to say the girl had indicated most unconventional ideas ot sex and would not be taken back. Enter a phj'cilclan (Harry MInturn) and it begins to look like a daring psycho- logical and physiological and so- ciological exposition of precocious sex ideas in young girlhood. There are lots of meaningless weak-tea talk In ths rest ot the act, but it is estab- lished that the girl (Josephine Stevens) spent the night in com- pany with a youth she met That seems to cinch Ills sex plot. The second act knocks It galley west. With piffling comedy on the part ot the boy and his relations it develops that the girl only horned In with the youth through a vapid hoyden desire for a new thnlll, that his married sister put her to bed In the spare room, that the boy is a harmless ninny and thinks he has compromised the girl and should marry her. She. however, is In love with the doctor, an attractive rake, who falls for her Impulsive Inno- cence and marries her at the end of the next act, as the bored bachelor, having bored everybody else mean- while, except the damsel past youth, marries her. The two love stories, neither one worth telling, and neither affording any opportunity for acting, divide what Interest might spark up and make both unimportant. The happy endings destroy any points suggest- ed in the first act. as the girl Is never In "danger" and the plaU>nlc drivel Is hollow and unlmpre^lve from the outset. Outoide of one kiss, innumerable doorbells and telephone bolls and dozens of entrances and exits, nothing hap- pens except talk, and pretty mild talk at that. Ro.senfeld said In hl.i .speech that for box office pur|)o«e» he diil not carry his ideas as far as he miKht have. That shown what be knows about boif ofllees If he bid rirri'"! any Idea through (o'an.v concliisioii. he might have h;id a gliiiirner of a chance. As it is now. ibcre is no sppesi of any sort, b'>x oMke or a')- stract. "Forbidden" Is neither a money show iior an artistic script. And the ueting, surely, does not punch it Into the former nor refine It Into the latter. Kclghtlej", who has boon seen in some of the topicst parlor leads for several years, and who U gifted wllh a certain convincing, clumsy old bachelor style of effective dinner- coat love-making, Hopped in "l-'or- bldden," where he never had a chance until the last second, and then nobody cared. Harry MInturn, alone, afforded a polisha<l, gure i>er- formance as the physician, an utterly "straight" role that he pol- ished up by personal graces and honest attack until it spa'rklcd. Mls.s Stevens, the surprise "discovery" of "Go Go," where she showed a futur* in a dual role, did the flapper with spirit, but the part was all repeti- tion and harping on one string until she grew wearisome de«plte a dis- tinct flare she possesses. Mary Young, arch comedy prima donna that she is, smiled and smirked and tried to naake sonle- thing out of a long, dreary nothing, but failed of Mlnturn'a knack or luck at It. John Daly Murphy had a grouch, bit and held It up well. Miss Wlntfr, as his wife, with a few lines, looked charming, which was all that' could be asked of hsr with ths chance she had. William Leonard did a oroad Interpretation ot th* chump youth, nothing to writs to Belasco about. The direction throughout was conventional, lifs- less and without any manlfestatlon« of comedy or dramatic skill. Only the comporotlvely low run- ning expense of the small cast, even with Its several names, and ths probable pooling of the low rent bouse and the play, Isoth under ths .samS ownership, can keep "Forbid- den'* alive for a fortnight with sub- stantial cut-rate support. LaU. TARNISH John CYomwell, Inc., presents "TamlalL" by Gilbert Emery, who wrote "The Hem •' In three acts. Opened at tin Belmont, New York. Oct. 1. r Josephine 1,e« "Terla Mis. Baas Whytal Mrs. Healy Mrs. Jaeqsaa Mar«ln« Apolllne Btutta Marlon Ix>r«, I,«tltls Tevis Ann Ifardlng Kmroet Carr..,^..; v..Tom lowers Adolph Tevii, /.Albert Qranr Nellie Dark Fania Marlnoff Aggia Mlldrad MacI/ao4 The report that "Tarnish" mads Its debut at the Belmont with som«k of Its seats dumped Into the cut* rates was somewhat discouraging.-, "the fact that despite this unfavor- able incidental the piece was able to rouse the enthusiasm It did speaks much tor it. VTarnish" is a comedy whose ac- tion transpires through three acts and two apartments within a span of seven hours between five in ths afternoon nnd midnight preceding a New Year's eve. Letitia Tevis Is ths sole support of Impoverished parents who have known better days. Be- tween Letitla's salary as private secretary to an attorney and a measly $1,000 annuity, the Tevises manage to eks out sn existence in a West 189th street apartment Tltla (sb she is addressed) resigns her Job that day because ot her em- ployer's well known penehaht for chasing. To add to it, h»% grey- haired sire is similarly inclined, tV- though to the fault he is an easy mark for a hair-bobbed manicurist who vamps 8500 out of him. Ths old boy had been entrusted with the half year's check from the annuity tor the purpose ot having it cashed, but the cash never sees its rightful destination. Mettis Dark, professionally trans- lated into Le Noir, is the manicurist Shs is an old flams of Kmmet Carr's. Carr is a promising young barrister who has declared his love to Tltla (Ann Harding). Her sojourn to ths manicurist's apartment for the pur- pose of getting the money back finds Emmet (Tom Powers) also there. Ths usual triangle complications, although the boy had been dragged Into the apartment through a false play on hm symp: thy. The usual third act straightening out, but ths story is not (.s un- assuming as it has been sketch .>d. Each ot ths eight Characters have been exceedingly w*ll drawn, and each Is a living and breathing crea- tion and as conslstentlr well Inter- preted with but tew shortcomings. As an evening's entertainment it Is pleasing and diverting. That can- not be said for every show. Ths atnorous outbursts by thk love- smitten Rmmet Carr are sincerity itself and grips ons against one's will. Tom Powers' interpretation was highly effective. Ann Harding as the efficient stcnog, who has to manage the affairs of a household that has In It such discordant ele- ments as a self-pitying mother and nn irresponsible, doddering old i Lothario for a male parent, is Im- ' pressive throughout. The supporting cast is high-grade, and John Cromwell's expert stage direction has done eve»ythlng to add to It. The play has some Jolry roles for a few of the players. Gil- bert Emery, him.self .a trouper, prob- ably wrote from the actor's side wb<-n he created the leading male role. 1"hp piece Is lightweight In spots, Iriit lf.< Kincr.il impression is pleas- ingly favoi.iblo. Abel. Ludlow Street Jail, New York. beiier known as the '.illimny club," will soon be ;il>:iridon"d.