Variety (January 1924)

le LEGITIMATE Thursday, January 81,19S4 NEW PLAYS PRESENTED OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY THE CHIFFON GIRL Washington. Jan. 30. rh« •>!. ket Cliarlotte Davla Kd Martin Addison Yiiungs The Spider Dorolhy D<:rtriiin rough ii'jy Jack Kcholl Navarro OMrse Hclmherr Edward L»wl« Albert Sacketl Hetty I.ewl!i Gladys Miller Mualc Teacher Silvia Shnwn Ti.iilla Il.jvflll Kloanor Painter Tim. Dclancry Sb.mn O'FarrcIl Woolsey Frank iJ-ane l.leuN'ni.iit nirhard Ktevens. Walter I'rcslon Mortinitr i^tcvinn Jamca K. Sullivan Albert <chaurr..ur) Oeorgi" [spelvln Mln'tla Kon« Adnlrc liuiler Charles Nilcs roliccman Vfarrtn Uaa^ette After three weeks of the sticks "The Chifton Oirl" reachoil the Car- rick Siinilay, anti a hoiJgo podge of cooil and bad was presented. A cast In some Instancea denoting splen- did ca.sling, while in otlier^ It would appear som^; one else had taken over the job. There are some members of the afrgreBation that suRgest the crude.st burlesque companies, and H Is this f.\iture alone that docs more to mar what would have been an en- joyable evening than anything else. The book is weak, but can be strengthened; the score has much that Is worthy of commendation, with two or three numbers that will bring their publishers good returns. Bven these are placed badly, though, in the present line-up. Charles Capehart sponsors It, according to the program. Opening In an Italian quarter In New York, an atmosphere Is created that suggests much good to come, this In spite of that the first musical number was murdered by George Relmberr, who continues to do that same thing throughout the entire performance. He la a Valentino type—his only asset. If such It is considered. From thls'openlng things begin to skid. The first act Is divided Into two scenes, the opening of the sec" Ing being given over to a couple of dancing boys who (re terrible sing- ers and almost aa bad dancers. They danced like the Cherry sisters might. This up and down stuff Is Just what ails the show. Bert French, who—the "Times Square Dally" rc- •ported—died suddenly Sunday In New London, surclx '" responsible for this condition, coupled with the writer who supplied the book. Hut Kleanor Painter struggled, and with a little lavishness of money and a boosting of the payroll the chances are there with Miss Painter and the score. The entire comedy Is drawn on broad lines, too broad In most in- stances, and for this Barry Townly Is responsible. "Mi.i Cara," "Flirta- tion" and "Cuddle Me Vd" are three numbers that are surely going over, with all the others fron< Carlo .iiid Rander.>», writers of "Tangerine," me.a.siiring up well and enhnnood In value by the rendition given them by Mi.ss Painter. Hehr.nr.sals on an average of 10 hours daily are needed, with the calling in of a "doctor" with orders to fix and_siiare no expanse • Mraiiii. BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK Wilmington. Del., Jan. 30. PBKsuN.s or UlE ri.AY The Ch.iraoters The Plavere rVr Albert Illee Richard Ilarbee t*>nlhia M.lEun Kny Johnaon Nell MrUite Roland Yuuiik Mr. Oaily Ocurge W. Bartiler Mn>. Cady .Mirlon lUllou ()Ia(l>s t'a.iy , Atine Carpenter Homer I'ady (*«;f,jod ts^rUins Ml.-^ Hoy .Sprlnu Ilylnifton Ml«i Y.'U |-.iy Walker An t'sher l>r:il,e IJcKay A IJandra.in T.jm Raynor An Oflic iai K<lwin ArKTl-^ A Uut'cr I'.tsral l.'ovvan A HnJ-irn-si Man M;txw«.'.il Se'fter A Waller Wallace .Stuart A IlancinK Tt^arhcT Walker M. Bllla A Itfporler Itobnrt Daiial.lf.oii A Juroi Norman .Sweets, r Jler: i-lutppell Cory Jr. Hymn, I>i,ul Wliwin Max JamoH Sumner A <'li.%h 111.J Ilami!;i:n MaeV^i,|.l,.n And otliorw L'shera, llnndmen, (jmclAln. r>utiei:,. liuymeji!, Men. Wfllli'rM. DanrluK Tmiplii m, Hepnierx. Juror". S'-^ne Wrl'.or?" etc. etc. IT.e rantoniime-DurhlR Part II. A KI.-^.S IN XANAMJ .Vene I—The Royal Hedchnmb. r. .Scene :; -A Public Park. Scene .V The Be<lchainbcr Aroln. The Oi..nict.r« 'Ph.- r..T,'*» H. II. JI. Tl 0 Crown Prince of -Xaniadii iJeorRo .Mitchell It. n. II. T'.io • lorni PrlnocBi of -NatHlau _ • tJnMhe Ru/t-.NIt*iN^n P.rft I.«(ly In WalthiR Spfii.i; lijington First IMTJ of til* UtdcUaiiii.er llrtke DeKny A LnmpllgMfr Tmn,ito>uor A Toll."•man IMv.ln Atku Caesar on.1 >"oniii<y J.*eph Hamilton and Herbert Janio..! "Beggar on Hnr.«iPbn. k." which h:i.l lis )iri-inlere at the I'layhoiisp, Ik difTerpnt from aiiythlii); ever theip Since the house wlia hmlt flft'cn years ago. Laughter started with the rising of the curtjtln. continued at timci uproariously, h.iltrd y/hcn the action become that of a drciin and then continued joyou.siy to the end. The «fory revolve* around the fortunes of a young composer of mualc who ia imbaea with a«ptiii.- tlons to give to the world a •ym- phony that will live for all time in the hearts of true lovers of tnuslc. Unfortunately the young man Is improvident and fails to grasp the realities of life. His genius is only recognized by a neighboring good Samaritan, who, though young In year.-?, takes a kindly interest In the young composer and ministers to his dally wants after a motherly fa.shion. She realizes that music is the biggest thing in his life, but he is a failure and is dependent upon others. A vi.iiting doctor quickly grasps the situation and suggests marriage to a pupil of the composer, the daughter of an ultra rich fj^ther from the Golden West. There is no difficulty In arranging the marriage. The composer is muchly ^ven to moods and falls into a depressed state. The doctor induces him to rest and prescribes a sleeping draught eftcctlvfe enough to send the patient into the land of dreams. While In dreamland, the most important episodes in connec- tion with the play occur. The climax in the entertainment arrives at the end of the second act when In the hero's nightmare he haa murdered gleefully all those who have tormented him. As the light flares on, tor the dull Inter- mission little newsboys shriek "Extra!" up and down the aisles and everyone In thi house was be- ing furnished with an edition of "The Morning-Evening," In which the details of the nightmare mur- der and other newspaper features are given ludicrous treatment. Big business, high society, courts, newspapers—especially newspapers —are parodied In the scenes that are amazingly made and yet true to life. The scenes in which Cady, millionaire manu^^cture^ of wid- glts, calls "a conference" and the scene of the trial are only paral- leled In the banquet In "To the Ladies," another Cc.nncUy-Katrfman production. Roland Young as the penniless pianist and composer, give the role convincing naturalness. Deems Taylor's part of the program is to furnish the incidental music from which arises the other phase that nwiy b* remembered long and cer- tainly always with ple.-isure. the pantomime of one of the Arabian Nights. The ffrrlflc s]am given Jazz music and the wild conduct of much so- ciety today In connection with Jazz- ing and social affairs were em- phasized. Marion Ballou as Mrs. Cady showed much skill; Kay John- son as Cynthia, the composer's best friend, was appealing, and George W. I!arhi"r as Mr. Cadv. the mil- lionaire "gct-rich-qiiick" manufac- turer was unusually gortd. Ben RumS'. INNOCENT EYES Washington. .Tan. 30. Rom Ixwirurlbola lilvthe Bnker Mme. Jfcrtenee I,ongubol^ Maud A>lKn Prof. HorKii^ Loniucbola Cecil L««n B»lher Marjorle I.»c* I)or»lhy Ma(«'l flarruthera (Jeorgen Tremere* Frank Dobaon Julea Dubec Te.J Dmwr Irf^lle Eon Kslle Paul le Cerf t.ew Hf»m O&ston Charlea Howard Hdnten Cleo Maylleld Paplte. I.,uclua Me*a ma«e Manager Fr.ink Purcella Itaher Ray Purcella Oilqurlle MiallnKuett Tortolllnl Frank Byron Ix>ltta Mlai Vannesal Tj« TrufTe Yvertte Rugfl llerllla Victoria Uelgol Nanette Mae Oalm« Fauvel Jamca E. I-hllllpn Fan Fan t.'harlew Mack Ccminlaalonalre Luclua Melx If the Shubcrts can whip this un- wieldy proposition Into shape from the show at Poll's they may have a success. T.rfist week here It ran about three hours ond a half, ono of the worst hedge-podges ever witnessed. It opened In Atlantic Ctly. The show was again caught at a matinee, which marked the ad- vent of Cecil Lean and Cleo May- field in the ca.et. Ix'.-in sucpecdeil John Cumberland and helped the show. Cumberland's quiet niolhoils did not fit In. as low- comody metlinds were needed. He has Itiserird a nunitier of bits done by lilinsi If and Mici MayflcM In vauilcvillo, and the Sliiihorts have, to make room for Ml.ss M.iyflcM, allotted t'l her much that the Im- ported French star, MIstlnguolt, handled the opening Sumlay nlKht The song theme of the show h.Ts been given Ifrr or dropjied entirely. 9r<»nc^ of the Fretirh woman have been dlven her or droppod entirely. As the show stood .Suinl.ay Ml.is Vannossi w.ta thn star. .Saturday she shared this honor with Miss Mayfleld. with Mlstlnguctt runnliig along third. - ' What tlia Shubertu will do with this Importation Is doubtful. She has Uft now a Spanish bit with Charles Howard, planted badly In the first net; leads an old-fashioned jrowned tiumber, a atrlklng fan hit and d.ies an acting hit written by the same author as "My Man." She jt'Cftra axtravaKantly dealgned fowna and, IntJldentally, knowa how to wear them, but never ahowa to any .sreat extent the "$1,000,000 legs." Tvette Rugel brings her aplendld voice to the show, but la alloted a mess of mediocre numbers. There 1» a world of dancing, with Miss ■VannessI of Williams an<J Van- ncs«i holding down the honors. Miss Williams does eome work, but they are never brought together as a team. VannessI does a muscle dance that out-Ollda's Gilda Gray. Uo- body. In our mind, could have pre- vailed upon this coming star to put across the undressed number but the Shuberts. It took all the class built up around her away. There la an overabundance of ex- posed female persons In the first act, first as contestants In a beauty con- test and later In a frame. They are rather skimmed over and didn't bring the shock expected here. Tho dancing assignment for the men Is given Earle Leslie, who is evidently Mistlnguett's partner. He does a French bit alone and works With her ]n most of the numbers. There are a large assortment of musical numbers, many suggestive of hits In bygone days, that again succeeded in getting across. As far as the cast is concerned Mlstlnguctt is good for a flash, and nothing more. The sets—.some have been used before—are adequate, but something murt be done to shape It up. tfeatcln. THIEVES IN CLOVER Utica, N. y., Jan. 30. Tom Moore la very good In "Thieves In Clover," an average Eu- gene Walter play, lopenlng at the Colonial last week. Moore was the diizzling feature, walking In the perpetual halo established about his head by the films and setting him off as a unique personage to most folks. His acting was excellent. The piece Is considerably "mixed up," altogether perplexing ai}d con- fusing. It seems the actors' them- selves, Moore included, hardly know Just where they are at, as It la un- derstood a completely new first act today was rehearsed for early sub- stitution. It has been well said, an author finds It difficult to break away from a theme which ha? "made him." Walter doesn't seem to be able to get away from "Bought and Paid For." In "Thieves In Clover" Walter has taken the Idea of "Bought and Paid For" and dressed It up "In corned beef and cabbage.". The ■ dramatlo situation centers about an underworld character who has risen to heights through ability to show ail big business men, great financiers and tho much-vaunted captains of Industry are nothing more than "thieves In clover." The underworld character In Fifth avenue app.lrel makes a bargain with the father of a girl, whereby he saves dad from ruin for the sake of marry- ing the daughtrr. Something of a carbon copy of "Bought and Paid For," at that. Of plot there Is little; Intensity and h. I. stuff there Is less. Edward P^mery, as a Rolls-Uoyce Individual with a flivver Income, takes big honors; Valerie Valalre, former UtIca girl, was fair; Amelia Gardner Is somewhat "upstaged," and Harry C. Bannister ia a good composite villain. As a play written by an ambitious newspaper man, "Thieves in Clover" might go. Coming from one of Eu- gene Walter's rep., it's like taking a drink of milk out of a hip flask. IN HIS ARMS Los Angeles, Jan. 30. Willie not a new Idea for stage consumption, this piece by Lynn Starling, author of "Meet the Wife," which was given Its first presenta- tion at the Majestic last week, feat- uring Margaret Lawrence, seems to possess sufllcicnt romance to sus- tain the Interest. The bright, wlse- crackerlsh lines, coupled with In- triguing situations, plus the bril- liant acting of Miss Lawrence, should serve to pat it across as a hit. not only In this city, but else- where. The conclusion is obvious, al- though there Is an abundance of sprightly conversation to carry the theme along until the last curtain. The production has been elegantly staged, for which nickson Morgan is responsible, while the direction of Wlllamcnc Wiikc.'? Is also most satisfactory. The title is revealed in the final tag line when the hero- ine Is a.skfd where she would like to spend her honeymoon. Meaning the .arms of the stalwart .v.outli who wins Iicr aw.ay from tlio insipid artist, exoollently pl.iyoil l.y I''r,anUlin ranKhorn. Vernnti Ste"!(; Is east as the victor, whilo T.llliiip Lawrence ami Floroiid Oberlo ;ui th'e mothers have roles they make stand out for attention. Harris and Willtrs arc trying out the ple.o. with New York ih" ulti- mate objecllvc. Thouph light and frothy, it, at least, is highly amus- ing and entertaining, hut void of a st.'irtlin» qu.iliriration. The pro- gram designates it as a comedy, but it classifies .is fane. One of the local crillcs took par- ticular exception to the profanity Included in tho script, while It Is further pointed out that one statia- tlctaii M>uiit«4 12 Itellt" and over NEW PLAYS PRODUCED WI^ GOOSE HANGS HIGH Renuird InaaJla reorman Trevor Eunice Ingnila .Katherine Grey Noel Derby WUllam Seymour Leo Day „ I>uraell Pratt Hhoda Florence Pend UHon JuHa I»ma Klllott Mra. Bradley Mn. Thomas WhilTen Hugh InpaUfl John Marcpton RonaM Murdoch Geoffrey Wardwell Ix»la Ingulls Miriam Doyle Bradley Ingallfl Krlc Dressier IJtlgmar CarroM .Shirley Wardc Klmberley Harry Cowley This, the first presentation by the Dramatists' Thca<re, Inc., the organi- zation of playnrrlghts altruistically banded together to rescue for the American stage the plays by native authors that cannot get a hearing through commercial managers, seems to have scored a money hit. It is one of those rare Ironies of fortune that tho sharpshooters should over- look, the kindly neighbors should take In, an angel unawares—and-that angel prove a high-flying goose that lays golden eggs. Lewis Beach, the author, last was heard from In a drab domestic trag- edy n.amed "The Square Peg," which died young at the Punch and Judy. The wise producers shied from his next script, "The Goo* Hangs High." The last firm to turn It down was Lewis & Gordon, who put on "The Wild Wescotts" Instead and drew a goose egg, but not a golden one. So the more prosperous authors decided they would do something for altruistic art and shoulder the 'osses. They planned first to put into production a play by Porter Emerson Browne, but Internal dis- sension expunged that. Then they took up Beach's orphan stepchild which had been denied all regular asylums. James Forbes volunteered to stage it without pay and the others. Including such well-fed writ- ers of successes as Owen Davis and William Anthony McGuire, sub- scribed the cast to open and pledged tho cash for the losses. Well, the likelihood of losses Is to- day decidedly remote. "Tho Goose Hangs High" opened In Stamford and played three performances. George Mooser, business manager for the scribes, was so impressed that he dashed into New York and induced the Shuberts to cancel Washington for this week, where the play was booked and billed, and let it flutter into the Bijou, The result w.as a spontaneous hit that will probably sour tho commercial producers' next summer vacations and maybe their trips to Palm Uc.ach next winter, too. Beach this time revealed a more optimistic view of the American family. His theme is of the moment and touches a vital, living question. It is predicated on tho theory th.at parents today Bacriflce themselves to their children and that these children are hard, unappreclatlve, ungrateful, frivolous and disrespect- ful. This is developed In superbly constructed action through simple situations that clutch and thrill de- spite their simplicity and poise. tect his pride and refuse to let him go back to his Job when It ia offered him. Insisting that he go into busi- ness for himself, as he haa alwaya wanted to. For clean, swift, compelling, legit- imate drama and currentwlse com- edy, "The Goose Hangs High" la probably tho best play in New York at this moment. Its staging le In- telligent, often almost lnst>ired. Ita acting is honest as well as tech- nically punchy. Miriam Doyls, as the college-girl daughter, Eric Dressier as the ado- lescent cake-eater, John Maraton as the older son, all give sterling charr acterlzatlons and performances. Marston Is a leading man of.appa- rently every asset. Miss Doyle la the sweetest and fleetest littliB fiap- per since the memorable New York debut of Ruth Nugent in "Kempy." Norman Trevor, idaying a father part at last, does the best acting he has shown in many seasons, and that reliable, knowing prima donna of good, K.atherlne Grey, Is fine and sure and sympathetic. Mrs. Thomas Whiffen, the eternal ingenue. Is a snappy grandma. Just as keen and upstanding as could be, and the tribute paid her at the Bijou was touchingly sincere. Shirley Warde, as the older son's very de- cent fiancee, was unctuous, pleasant and entirely rluht in the role. "The Goose Hangs High" looks set for a long, long flight here, and it would not be surprising if it rah a year. Lait. ^ •W WAY THINGS HAPPEN Kra. Farren Zelfle Tllbary Shirley Pride lOtUiftrhie 04>rnell Martin Farren Tom Naabitt HameiMi AujriiMa Ha.vlland Muriel Hanbury Helen Robblna Cbuasle Hare Reginald Sheffleld Ilennelt L,amax Ivan SImpaon Mra. Hanbury I-Ullon Brennard Dr. Rodson T. Wlmey Percyval A Porter Orlando Smith A scene where the three grown children of a salaried man and his selt-sacriticlng wife come home from college for their Christmas is one of the freshest, truest and finest bits of stage expression in years. Tho ramifications move swiftly and engagingly thereafter, being cli- maxed in tho loss of the father's po- sition and his tragic dilemma—past middle age, nothing in bank, afraid as well as ashamed to take his in- dulged dancing, drinking, petting, smoking kids out of tho luxuries which he has piled upon them until they deem them a right rather than a privilege. Then comes the corking twist. The kids, instead of turning on him, come through. They refuse to go back. They sell everything they have. They go out and get Jobs, they give him the money they had laid aside for their own purposes. They not only do this, but they pro- Clemence Dane Js a woman, and an EngllshwomanT These two cir- cumstances considerably affect the fate of "The Way Things Happen." If Miss Dane, the author of the play, were not a woman it might have t)een a great play; were she almost' any other soft of woman Except an Englishwoman It would have no chance at all In its present shape. Women, with few exceptions, should not \vrit<» domestic piays. They are too conscious of the wom- an's angle to give an evenly balanced dramatic version of a.situation; and they cannot lose the collateral branches of family relations, which are important In life, but only clut- tering and procrastinating details In stage progression. . The British, however, have a wholesome and sturdy way of han- dling these things that almost re- deems their anti-dramatic qualities. They call a fish a fish, not a "speck- led beauty," and they recognize that a "heroine'' need not be a pink-and- whlte hoyden or a precocious vam- pire. The English write the human- est people that tread the world'a stages; and verisimilitude, while by no means the most potential virtue in playwriting effects, is always still a virtue. In "The Way Things Happen" Mlsa Dane, wlio wrote "A Bill of Divorce- ment" and "Will Shakespeare," takes a plot that wouldn't pass the third assistant reader for a second-rate New York producer were it done by a native writer and contrives to give It poignancy, heart Interest and a sustained substance through her frank, plain dealing with the rela- tions between men and women, in ■. the home and out. It never reaches greatness, but K seldom Is less than good. The story Is of an adopted girl, seml-slster and semi-slavey to a headstrong boy of the family; the boy steals some money; the villain is his superior clerk and has him "in his power"; the boy threatens to . throw himself under a train If cx- (Continued on p.ago 17) ■.«» ..M .1^ .:Hll * :<■! .l..f ■ t 'Hi ■■■■f ■U ■of .-.,■> ■'•*. ■iu .«1 half that number of "damns" dur- ing the course of the play. Josephs. MARIONETTE MAN Wa.<ihlngton. J.nii. 3ii. Just about 30 of the faithful jour- neyed to tho Ciarrit k Ui.'^t week to witness Brock I'ombertnn's new pro- dui'tlon, "Tho Marionolto M.an." The «.'ven above r<«iRtered out- side penetrated the theatre, but that 30 stuck and applauded the ifforts of one of the worthiest casts visit- ing Washington. Hcad< d by the European star. Ullrich Haupt, this comiiany threw a glamour over ,a rather mediocre melodrama, by Frances l.lghtnor. and made them rather lilio it. Tho author tried to create sus- pense and heroics, but missed by quite a healthy margin. Pemberlon attempted to supply iha lack by furnishing a 100 per ce^t. ca«t, and If a ^icce could get over on a cast a'.onc this one should. Tho trouble is, at the completion of act one it is evident what act two will bring, and this applies for tho third. Pemlierton wiH do. well, though, to tie up Hiiiipt. Whati-vor tlio producer drops on this onc,Kot. which is strikingly ef- fective, will be gotten back when the rlyht play is scoured. Others. too. shonid bo held on to. There is it M. I>. Ai«>slroplie Aftelo, a for-- elgn rh.-inicter man of exceptional nliility; little .Mariajn Battlsta and Claudctte t'olticrt. The dlroctlon. not credited on th' program, was excellent, and the at- mopjilK re was enhanced consider- ably by attention to detail. Mcakin. Outdoor Amusements 1(1 oporlB Ibof- "THE CLIPPER"