Variety (July 1925)

Wednesday, July 89, IS2S LEGITIMATE VARIETY ON BROADWAY THE MORNING AFTER I ^ T-. U- Blmmo« vnmntm * b«w eoowdr %^Utm D. HolltaWr and liaAM Btwhttna; 2u«irf br L«i«M- LoMTsma: at tk* Uadaon f Halen SumiMr..^——^..-Arae Morrison -; limmr Duff Don*l<l Foster ^^Ambro«e 0«tkrt» *'1?«^ Avlnworth Cr* MadBra .....Vara* Tea»Sj«l* lira. L«inb. •Tatay"'...... Mn. authiia. turn. DamlBC. ......•w>>a<0)rpa)r O'Brlan Kar Johnaon Oooatane« Baaumar Zola Talma •.««.....« The onljr opening of the Broadway VMk. atcallnr la on «!«&!(«», Is prett/ fair hot waathar entertain- . «jent; it will scaroaly have to test Its ' cool weather atreiiKth In New York '.!■ anlesB M le moved to a small theatre. " It will not ■ta.nd the ^rosa requlre- 1 SMats ot the roomy Hudson In the caaaon, though ItM producer ia the fcuaband <.C Mrs. Henry B. Harria. •vner of that playbooae. There are plentv ot laogha acat- iered through what at timaa la ■ raUMf thin goins. fhe whole thing would make a dandy vaudeville act. With the bettar comedy kept in, some «f thq pother cut out and the action 0ped up. The story la consecutive fhrough the three acta, and could be played contlniloualy. In all. as it Is, there ia exactly •• minutes of •lapsed time, the ahow ringlnK ^P after 8:10 and down at 10*90. with two liberal intermissions. The authora are new to this game. BoIUsteraia a vaudeville actor who liaa a good act on the blsr time (which he did not write). Simmons, thouKfa probably aoaoclated with Mrs. Harris durlnc the last year or Aore in theatrical enterprises, ia a tyro at "preaentlnK." " The story la a rariaat of the •Quarantined" and "Over Nlsht" themes, thl« time « week-end party tnarooned on an-Hsland after a etorm V ftnd after a drunk, which brings ttiem all up with a alck hangover. During the time it takes the boat ', (o come baclc. the play unravels. It ■f.^ tana along two or three directions— "lir^ne a melodrama about a stolen tube jj Of gaa which la wanted by all Buro- '' ^VAn powers: another the ravages of Booae partioa where there is booze; another, the romances of a suscep- tible, but nice young fellow. That character, the hero, waa cre- ate* by Henry Hull when this com- edy waa firat shown In Atlantic City Under the banner of Kllboum Oor- «en. Hull withdrew from the role iHid Gordon aoM the venture to Slm- taona. It la a befCer piece than aome in which HuU has Invaded Tlmea 6«nare, and H la difficult to fancy that he played It any better than ioea Donald Foster. That yonng tight comedian aeeres raUier con- ftplcuously In this performance. Arthur Aylsworth, whose memor- able performance aa the grouchy fclght clerk In "Over Night." prob- ity Inspired hla oeing cast tor the Mmllar ghoat at thia f >aat, stands forth again aa a perfect comic when Be haa the type part. Hla lines are a bit, bat it ia hla way that gets him our OF TOWN Aane Morrlaoa. who plays a Mraight leading woman withovt get- ting the story lead. Is aa aooom- ^Uahed and beautlfMl lady, oo-author Vt "Plga." and an unctuous player of ^, •ersonal distinction. The less said ,^ alMNit'the other feminine members ;^ M the cast, the more charitable— •veo Oypsy O'Brien, who a few sea- ions back threatened to be an la- Irenue star; In a ..o^Baed-up bit aa bne of the young married women left belilnd, she haa one good scene and plays it with Incredibly amateurish Jttlss-flre. Kay Johnson, who comes to late as the real heroine, unfor- wnately reglaters little. Emma wise, ia a cut-and-drled blackface . fMld part, haa some pat lines, and ' that's all. . Through part of the first and al- v tto» t all of the second acts the prog- j nas of the story wobbles and is •rawn at times s» nimsy that it threatens to crack. But the black- est sin of the writing Is in the ten- ttinute anti-climax at the very tag; •fter the story is cooked, when a tortured attempt la made to smoke •» the "happy ending" by a need- ••■s scene between the romantic laada. dragging in at that tardv pe- nod a childhood acquaintance and •a ofTstage episode of no interest y* of such vntimely nature that ■wens Of first-nighters walked out *a it, ,tt that audience doesn't know without this pcstseript that the JOungsters are in love and will go wrouKh. no added sp^sches can de- ^ the Impreaslon. ■ There are times, however, la "The ■oming After" when the conatruc- «J>n Is admirable, the lauRhs are «*»*»c«tlve, and the interest holds ■•Udly. Theae are usually moments Jhlch do not affect the spine of the * £?• **"' *'^ sidelights of the l»aiou8los, the efTecTs of the mixed annks and the strained personal re- ««ons growing therefrom. mJii '^^^ times, this la an amusing «a pleasant entertainment. _^But they are scarrely big enough ••numerous enough to pull this •swcomer Into the rank of outstand- ">J Rroadway hits. l*bor Day or not more than a jwnth thereafter will see "The ■yn lng After" moving somewhere ■~P«sall>ly to another and leas costly theatre ia towa. i A Man Among Women Asbury Park. July 14. Tha new producing firm of Dowl- in« A Anihalt has nothing to b« espe- cially proud of In this new "satlrl caU farce comedy" by Daniel Good man and Alan BroMoi. Mr. Brooks plays the title role, and doea fairly well with an absurd part. Brooks plays a handaome philan- derer, simple and with artiatic yearalngs for life "on higher planes." who has laherited a paint factory with hla wife. She spoils him with her complete love and worship, so he divorces her to marry his secre- tary, who plays up to his artistic nature. Tiring at her, he trifles with any pretty woman who comes along, always justifying himself by his ar- tistic temperament. Meanwhile, his beat friend has been co-operating with Brooks' first wife. Their strat- agem results in a reunion at the final curtain, wife No. 1 having obligingly gone to Reno preparatory to marrvlng the chauffeur. A supporting cast, including Wini- fred St. Clair, Allys Dwyer, R. Tama, Kathleen Mulqueen, Kate Roemer, Danny Sullivan, Matt Brlggs. Ben Smith and Fred Morris, was ade- quate for such a ahow. The lines were repetitions and the altuationa but rarely funny. A few bedroom scenes might have helped. FOREIGN REVIEW HENRY IV Ix>ndon, July IC Tracadr «■ thraa acta by Lnl«l Pli«»- detla. tranalatad br Bdward Storar, pra- ■eatad by Sybil Arundala at tlia Crery- raan Theatre. Juty IS. State eiiectloa by A. ■. niaier and Braaat Mlltoa. Ther* is a decided boom toi Ptran- dello. From Italy his fame has spread throughout France, Ger- many and Great Britain. Tet It Is only now that the first Bnglish ver- sion ot one of his plays has been publicly performed la. liondon. Translations of "Six Characters In Search of an Author," now being performed in Paris, have been pri- vately acted in T^ondon and prepared for public production both hVre and In Birminghiun, bat though the Italian version was passed by the censor th^ others have been banned. The IxN-d Chamberlain's Interfer- ence win, no doubt, be beneficial to Pirandello in the tong run. The general public haa become tntereated In him though his work is over the heads ot an ordinary audience. For the highbrows he Is glory in excel- bIs. Half the time no one can be quite sure what he is getting at; sometimes It may be doubted whether he himself understands what he /neana "Heary IV" Is. as tar am the story goes, a simple melodrama. It la the vehicle, how- ever, of much aubtle reasoning con- cerning the relationship illusion l^ars to reality which cannot be followed at first hearing. The Henry IV of the title is the Bmperor of Crormany who fought the Pope. The heeo of the play, however, is not this historical per- sonage but a aupposed lunatic who was stricken with madneas while representing the character at a pageant. Now he lives amid the costumes and trappings ot the per- iod, surrounded by those who are paid to llva.up to the fiction that he is monarch of a past age. Visitors arrive. One is the woman he loved, another her daughter and another her lover. Gradually, la the manner of Ibsen, their history Is revealed. The woman** perfidy and her lover's treachery are the cause of the hero's madness. Now he haa his revenge. Though completely sane he pre- tends to be still mad. Then he murders the lover. Afterwards he is quite content to Uve on as "Henry IV." This is the second production of •Sybil Arundale's seasoa at the Everyman. The first was a revival of Ibsen's '"The Wild Duck" which has proved so successful that it has been brought to town and Installed at the St. James'. She has thus been enabled to return, after several years of musical work, to serious acting. Although trained by Her- mann Vexln she has spent the greater part of her career In varie- ty, mualcal comedy and pantomime. Should the prosperity of "Henry IV" and "The Wild Duck" continue in spite of the heat wave, London will gain a very fine, earnest and talented actresa, who has l>een curi- ously neglected by legitimate man- agements. As for the acting at the Every- man. Ernest Milton gives a display of intense character study which will rank his Hamlet at the Old Vic. Stanley Lathbury Is very fine as a doctor but otherwise the cast seems a trifle disconcerted by the intel- lectual fireworks the author con- tinuously sets alight to blase and orackla while the story stands still. Gendeman-in-Waiting l4yi>doii. July 8. rriMidy Si thiee «•!■ by HarrUoa Owaa. Py o du c j ai by Ommit CUtwm aad preaentad ty AroUbaM N«ttMat« aad Noal Suttoo Vaaa at the Comady, tMidoa. July 3. Fallela Liyona...... Olvrao Rooaa BMa Dorothy L.«Veaoa L>ana ICaisarat Undaay...........Kitty da Liach Cla si a u tl— Moora m Jana Wood Mart— OMIIacwoaA..«.•«...Owaada Wsaa UriM Oordaaa .......Cecil Humpbraya DariS MadMa C. l>veaoa Liaaa lamas MordsMr Moora. Brft BIom Urals* ....•..■••..••...•ft. • .Ha Helen Oay, a former teacher ot dra- matics la tha Nebraska state ual- verslty. Talent from the College ot Emporia and the state normal will be used in the productiona The Plainfleld Community Players are pis —Ing to run a little theatre in Plainfleld, N. J., next season and have engaged J. Ellis Kirktuun of Elizabeth, N. J., as coach. Amonr A^ season's crop of tka- atricat otferlnga there is usually a number of wild successes and wUd flops, with proportlonata merits and demerits, but there ara soma tha: are just betwixt aad batw|pii. Just enaemlc—here la one! Whatever merit may be possessed by Harrison Owen's comedy waa pretty well ruined by the bad cast- ing. With the exception ^f Eric Blore not a memt>er was properly suited—aad if it Were not for Blore's consummate art even he would go down under such a formidable han- dicap. We have the role of a wife clever enough to have written a novel that set all London aglow with its bril- liancCk played by an actress who gives one the impression she wuuld have difficulty la composing an ordinary social communication. Then there is a secretary to the wife who Is obsessed with roman- ticism, and yet conducts hers^f in a most matter-of-fact way. The gentleman-in-waitlng is the scornful term applied by the exas- perated wife to hex Jotimalist-hus- band becahise of hit davoted atten- tions to their various women friends and because of this state ot afCairs the couple live apart. The wife writes a sensationally popular novel under an aaaumed nama Reviewed by the husband it arousea his Inter- eat in the unknown authoress and he sends her an InTltation tor tea at his flat. The note is opened by the highly romantic secretary^ who, in search of adventure, keeps the appoint- ment, posing as the other wuman. Tlxe flirtation Is progressing most favorably when the wife pays an unexpected visit to her neglected spouse, whom she retrieves from danger, much to the chagrin of the designing im poster. The author mi^es ooa iralnt"—only one—that a maa may be physically true to his wife, never unfaithful. Tet be a wanton philanderer at heart—and as sudi, wh«l|y inour- abla But has he saade a play of It —or a full evenldg's sntertalxuneat? EmphatioAily ao! There ceems no bettar outlook, thfifefore. for "The Gentleman-ln- Waitlng" than tha fate which .has befallen Its many spineless brethren. /ok*. COMFORT London, July T. Ooaady la tbraa acta by Martoa Bowar. Praaeatad at tha "Q" -tbaatra. Kaw Bridge, Loadoo, July C SUsa diractloa by Mat- roraytk The "Q" represents London's most desperate effort to advance the lit- tle theatre movement. It Is so far out from the West End that critics have to go dinnerless to see a per- formance. The Journey from town lasts the best part of an hour—the same time spent in a holiday train would take a Londoner away for a pleasant vreak-end. Nevertheless the "Q" obtains plays by West End authors, acted by West End casts. "Comfort" has been handsomely staged, and tlie manner of Its presentation Is a credit to the young producer, Mat- thew Forsyth. But the play is not of the type that calls for sacrifices on the part of the critics. However willing they may be to visit the outer darkness of London in search of worlcB of dramatic art, they will soon refuse to Journey beyond the West End If called upon iVierely to see plays of the "commercial" kind that have not had the luck to b« ac- cepted by managements in town. "Comfort" could not have t>een Intended for a work ot art. 'It is just the usual kind of play that can be seen all the year round in the West End. It has the usual kind of plot about a struggling artist who, swept off his feet by a fashionable lady, forgets his debt of love and gratitude to his wife for two acts, only to be forgiven in Act IIL Apart from Leah Bateman, whose Interpretation of the fashionable lady suggests that her experience in costume parts has been too pro-' longed for her to understand natural acting, the company is excalleat. In particular Cathleen McCarthy la a discovery, and Louise Hampton proves once more that she has ex- ceptional skill io character parte. But St least one reviewer will reqiiire nothing short of wild horses to drag him to tha "Q" a ssooad time. Do.* which rented the BiJoa tor two weeks at fS.OOO weekly. Cut Rates Hsve It Five attractions are listed la tha premium agencies as buys as against 19 shows that were "on the board" in the cut rates this week. The bujrs still continuing are "Scandals" (Apollo); "Louie the 14th" (Cosmopolitan); "Lady Be Good" (Liberty); "Follies" (New Amsterdam) and "Artists and Mod- els" (Whiter Garden). The cut rate list held "What Women Do" (Bijou); "Sky High" (Casino): "Desire Under the Elms' (Cohan); "Spooks" (Cort): "The Fall Guy" (ElUnge); "Oarrlck Gaieties" (Garrick); "White Col- lars" (HarrU): "They Knew What They Wanted" (Klaw); "lAdy Be Good" (Liberty); "Mercenary Mary" (Longacre); "Aloma" (Lyric); "The Poor Nut" (Miller); "The Bride Re- tires" (National); "A Good Bad Woman" (Playhouse); "What Price Glory" (Plymouth): "The Gorilla" (Selwyn); "White Cargo" (39th St.); "Kosher Kitty Kelly" (Tlmea Square) and "My Girl" (Vander. but). 9-11 REVUE London. July 9. Morris Harvey and Paul Murray are presenting "The 9-11 Revue" at the Little theatra Harold Simpson and Morris Harvey are the authoss. music by Uermaa Finck, lyrics by DonoTaa Parscas. produced by ^aak Collins with the dances*aad ensembles by Jck Hulbert. Ths idea ot starting a revue at f p. m. appeals strongly to Londoners who dine lata Tha revue is not good ent^rtala- ment although there are several blta that are amusing. What it lacks is "persoaaUties." . Morris Harvey, both as principal oomadlaa aad part author, errs on tlxs side of "over-smartnesa" The next Important artist is Otin Rowland, his first appearance hers. The theatre Is a miniature play- house aad Howlaad seemed to have difficulty la confining himself to its proportions. His elongated phy- sique, whea fully extended while dancing, seemed to reach from one side ot the proscenium to the other. However, his terpslchorean con- volutions earned rounds of ap- plause. The only other principal in the cast is Julie Hartley-Mirburn. blessed with youth and beauty, whose firat api>earanoe in a West End mimical show a year or so ago indicated she possessed latent tal- ent capable of development. This promise is unfulfilled so far as the present showing is concerned. From the States is contributed the "Tltlna" song from Zlegfeld's "FolMes." the "Alice in Wonderland" stepping bit from the Music Box Revue and a "Charleston." With the show fully rehearsed (which it apparently wasn't tor the premiere) it would still lack suf- ficient "kick" to put it over. Joto. UTTLE MAIRES (Continued from page tS) Diego, Calif., recently by the Uni- versity Women's Club. Outstanding amoung the young players was Miss Teresa Reutinger, who aang several Spanish aad Mexican songs in a voice of rare charm. Gay costutnos and striking scenic effeets enhanced the performance. Plane are being formulated for a Little Theatre organisation at Em- poria. Kans., the home of the Kansas state normal college. The arrangements are being made by 65 ^WS REBEARSnG (Continued from page 1) ■ rapidly develop during August, al- though up to date thers has been general complaint ot slackness along Broadway. Not all the tryoots iiaTS reached the boarda, but six are claimed sture socoesees tor Broadway, while aa- other pair are sara hit*. The latter are "Tha Oreea Hat" and "No, No. Nanetta" Ths ssxtat which lookad good at try-oat are "The Bnsniy," "Spring Fevar." "The Jass Btngar.* The Batter and Bigg Man." *rrha Cradle Bnatehet^ and The Behoof Mistress." To that ^roop may ba added "Ths iivfA Turtle," and there are a ntnnfker of toretgn plays which ai*e dtle to fifore in the early s eason list Best Businsss Last Wsek The best business of th4 month was drawn last week, weather as always being the deciding factor. "Artists and Models" Jumped to 142.000 and easUy topped Broadway, with the summer "Follies" in sec- ond position at |S8.00»: "ScandaU" got over |2S,000: "Rose-Marie" and 'Louie" |S4.«0e: "VaniUes" again Improved appro4iching capacity ajsd beat $23,000: "Student Prince" Im- proved to nearly $17,000, and "Lady Be Good" got |1«,000: "Sky High" got between $10,000 and $11,000 and is hanging on; "Mercenary Mary" about even at $8,000 has one week more to go: "Oarrlck Gaieties" beat $7,000. which is good moasy In a small boiisa. "Is Zat Bo" continues well oat fai front of Its division. Though still oa a six-performance a week basis it grossed $11,S00; "Abie," the run leader, got nearly $10,000, while ■Aloma." "The Poor Nut" and "The Gorilla" drew $9,000 or more; "They Knew What They Wanted" went up to $8,000; "Desire Under the Elms" picked up to better than $7,000; "Gtory" went to $7,500; "Kosher Kitty Kelly" approximated $6,000 and made money; "The Bride Retires" around $7,000. Last week's lone new show, "What Women Do," did not beat $2,000 at the BiJou. "Caesar and Cleopatra," which was announced to close at the Guild theatre last Saturday, Jumped to nearly $10,000 and the attraction is tielng continued through this week. Closing Saturday are "My Girl" at the Vanderbilt and "What Women WATCHING i[NOCKOl]T" (Continued from page XO) time one way or another or else per- mit them to carry the show along oa their own. Spsrred for Ttms ' "^ • According to the players Cortis was not amenable to thia continu- ing to spar for time while indulging in a "sugas chasing" campaign in hopes of landing capital to open the piece until the cast lost patience and delivered the ultimatum. Whea not met they walked out. Cortis began assembling another cast when members complained to Equity and the cast was subse- quently "pulled" when Cortl] would not commit himself on a minimum salary arrangement to. protect tha newcomers in case of ai\other blow up. It was after this that Cortis to alleged to have made the agreement which he denies having mada de- spite Attorney Petigore holding what he purports to be Corti^ transfer ot the piece to the actor- group, the latter comprising Austia Fklrman, Vera Tompkiaa, Esther Summers, Rot>ert Montgomery and ■mills Montrose. The player group claim to bare interested capital ia the productioa and wlU resume rehearsala of tt next week. Cortis has stated ba will not per- mit the play to t% into rehearsal and says hs has retaiaed the ser- vices of the William J. Bums De- tective Agency to notify him if any such move is mads so tiMt be may talw legal action. Cortis was Coraaarty la vaudsviOs and has wrlttea a number of vaude- vilia acta. This was his first flysr Bs a Isgtt author-prodacar. N. L—HmMl (Conttnaed tmn pa«e tl> cent Mills at OoM HiUa. N. H« near Manchester, have posted no- tlcs ot a 10 per cent, reduction. All woolen mills la Barkidiire county, the center of which Is Pittsfield (Mass.), announced a general re- duction of 10 per cent. Nearly i.OO* employeee are hit by the cut In North Andover, Mass., over 400 have received notice ot a 10 per cent. wa<a slash. More than lO.OOO workers la ssvea mllla ia Wooa- socket, R L., and vicinity ara sub- ject to a 10 per cent out Many other plants In Rhods Island that have i#Dt yet announced any reduc- tion are expected to do so momen- tarily. More than 1,40« workers in Rockville, Conn., went to work Monday, thereby agreeing to a It per cent, reduction. Many other Omnectlcut mills and other plant* hare cut salaries of their workera la WatarrlUe. Me., the 10 per cent cut affects api>roximately 1,200 oi>- eratives. The theatre men are expecting the werst. With the ever rlsinir cost ot films as well as house ex- penses, many are of the opinion that they will be lucky if they suc- ceed in breaking even this winter or even retrieving the losses they are suffering thia summer. In April, 1923. Variety called at- tention to the fact that during that month wage advances granted to over 2S0,000 operatives ot woolen and cotton mills throughout New England amounted to 12Vi per cent, in most instances. Textile workers* wages were at their peak In Jutte. 1930, but with the advance ot 193t the operative received tha highest rate of pay In the history of the mill Industry in New England,