Variety (August 1925)

">-?r.'*»' >'7^^ "^^r: W«dnMilay» August 19, 1925 V«^ ITIMATE VARIETT I I NEi:ILAY$ PRODUCED ^ WnHIN WEEK ON BmY FAMILY UPSTAIRS Bam Harris, In aasoclation with Lpwis A /Oordon, prciienU a new three-act com«(Jjr by Harry Dflf. atnfed by Sam Forrreat; at the GaUty Theatr«, Jb* Holler Walter Wllaon (Emma Heller Clare Woodbury loulae Heller Jiuth Nuifei't Willie Heller Theodore Weslman 'Annabell* Ulllan Oarrlck ";< Charles Grant Harold Elliott ii"- air» Grant.., Rnld Gray S Herbert Sydney Salko ^-Mtaa Callahan Nora Ryan might—or $' < Here Is an excellent and promis- ing native comedy-drama—almost great. Had the author and director withstood the natural temptation to make it unnatural hy playing for "points" and makiag "scenes" In- ■tead of letting a plausible little tale of flat-family like tak7 its human s?, course unadorned, this would have X been something to rave about. ~r Strangely, too, the whole theme of " this comedy is the danger and sin of overreaching—blufflng — exagge- rating—four-flushing. And the play Is guilty of exactly these. As sweet — and winsome as the girl in It. whose . life Is nearly ruined because her mother tries to make her out an ., heiress and a swell, so sweet and winsome is this play, and exactly what it preaches agiinst is what the preachers do to it. And it isn't very much; neither Is what is done to the heroine. Vet ft causes "compllcatiuns." To follow the simile, the play comes to a happy ending like the Btory. Let nothing written above ml.nlead anyone into thinking that ;: this ts an opportunity ruined or a fo chance destroyed. It isn't that "The i Family Upstairs" isn't good. But it ^y', might so easily have been so much ,: better; and still can be. J« If those who control its destiny (, ■ will get to work even now and take • out half the laughs, dull h<alf the sharp moments, tone down the parts that "go" strongest, this has a right . to bid for greatness. ~ It is, in structure and execution, > so true nnd wholesome, that the arti- 5 flclallties are the more conspicuous. ■'■. It smacks so of real life that the re- V current nifties, planted and pointed. :.; aimed and flred with the obviou.<« * T>rar"tl8ed technique of the experi- ** enced vau'levllllan, are plainly unbe- Ij -»-',> c.',,««, Pimple people could be .. ;-.her t'.irewd enough nor dumb eroujih to crack whlmslos like these ; ,ar ' play straight to them. That criticism stands as almust the only fault this veteran reviewei- can find in "The Family Upstairs," a comedy with a heart, a tjul and a backbone. It is the annal of a poor man's wife and children, the trials and the heart-breaks that come with poverty stalked by ambition, the fierce affec- tion which is the more revealed be- cause of the Incessant bloUerlngs; finally, the over-reaching mother who, when she sees a chance for her daughter to marry a J40-a-week "banker," spreads It on until she scares the poor lad off and humili- ates the daughter she would die for until the child wants to leave home. The acting la in parts superb and nowhere less than excellent. Two players stand out, uncorrupted by anything brassy, specious or false. Ruth Nugent and Harold Elliott should be decorated by some acad- emy of fine arts—none too fine—for 4^ their performances. Ruth Nugent, of course, is no stranger to Broadway, young as she ■till is. She not only givos here a thrilling, poignant, exaulaltely charming stage creation, but she ' touches nerves which are rjtrely . found in this day and generation of ;-~ frivolous, superficial characteriza- ''rrr, tions. ■j.' There Is perhaps not Miss Nu- ^ Kent's superior among ingenues in America tonight. In this almost monotoned, never , erreat, homespun role—with never a light moment to relieve .the playing of a girl born to be a comedienne— «ie achieves effects which for sheer artistic honesty rank her work be- side many more famous women in Jnany more fertile roles. She held a Broadway audience nypr\otized by her personality, with never a -strident gesture, never a conscious topnote. In one moment of dramatic outburst—one of the few underwritten scenes In the book —she was maknlflcent when she Voiced her .''hame and her revolt. In a subtle little scene at the end of the first act, as deftly authored as the other was not, she was hcart- bre.nklng. These Nugents, becoming ubiqui- tous In the current dram.a, will be the Barrymores of the thentrlcal cycle of the near future. It Is hard now to designate whether Elliott Is Ruth's brother. Ruth is Elliott's sis- ter, J. c. is the father of the Nu- ^;^_ Kcnla, or the Nugents are the chil- dren of .T. c. There is glory enouch for them all. R'lth'.s character In "Kempy** will J^t be soon forgotten. Her Louise Heller never should be. It Is ster- jmg. Nobody could do It belter, and 'bis reporter, stopning at this point to run over the list, can think of «ot one who could play It as well. Possibly Helen Menken Mary Plckford. Elliott is a newcomer to this writer, or was until Monday night. He is a good-looking though not handsome young man, blond, well put up. His acting Is severely on the square, so much so that it is almost startling. In a man this is not as striking or as attractive a gift as in a charming girl, but it Is none the less refreshing. Clare Woodbury, as the misguided and well-intending mother, is a the- atrical gem, even though she does overdo at times, but at other times she Is terrific. Exactly the same may be said of Walter Wilson as her husband, often a serious offender with hokum and synthetic action for laughs, he Is again a fine actor. Theodore Westman, as the boy, Is as gQod as the director has let him be, and rarely hits a note that has an approximation of verity. A child .Tctress with the formidable nnme of "Lillian Garrick" shows earmarks of ' talent, and certainly has already perfect assuranre {\nd confidence. Despite the. severe criticism of Harry Delf's script in this review. the undersigned bows to him for having issued in the main a co:orful, sometimes profound, usu.ally amus- ing nnd clutching, always workman- !y play. ■Delf has mellowed much since "April Showers." which is apparent in his own stage work as well f" b'« ■^tage writing. At the same rate he should develop Into a worthy pl.'iv- wrlght. If. Indeed. "The P.amlly Up- stairs" m.Ty not already be rated a valuable contribution to the stage llterntiire of the hour. He has the popular touch to a higji rleprree. nUis a gift for penetratln" •entire without irrowlng too editorial He seems a keen ob«ierver and n smart commentator. What he 'Tcl-r most ts poise and the quality of ex- nresslon In tense sItMatlons. The "r.qt be wIM a^oulre. The second he ■'•■oiiid meticulously avoid, since rheer ^r-n-^n '■» not and probably \vl'1 nev'" )>e bis 'orte. Me-^nv-b'V be his turned out a x',)li,"K1(> r)i<>p<k of nronnrtv, and "The '^amll'' T--—»"■-«!" .v,,- i fl'-hleve a r'm. Whl'e It will soar-'ely be a •■'f>v for c'.TSs p-'tronnce unless the !ren'"s of Ruth Nugent can make It <»o. It ohouM tratber much followlnr: 'rom the mldille einsses. after all the woof If not the warp of the theatre. Jjait. played with fine touches (in con- trast) by Miss Galloway. This is one of those yes-and-no things. It might catih on and It might fade away quickly. This reviewer's guess is that, de- spite its uniformly bad criticisms by the fussy critics on the dailies, it will not be a marked success, except that it will furnish a rattling good new vaudeville act for MacFarl.-ine. Lait. VANITIES (SECOND REVIEW) Prevloualy reviewed, with crlileal com- ment ui>un performance omitted when Karl Carroll, producer, requested second review later after opportunity to readjuat per- formance through hurried preparullona and openInK "cold" at the Carroll, New York. Mennwiille no cast change of Importance. Jack Norton withdrew at end of third week, with Ray Hu^bca replacing. A LUCKY BREAK American Producing Co. (L,ou Wiswell prealdent) presents a comefly with thn>e aonga, book by ZeMa Seara, music by Har- old Levey, staged by Bollo Lloyd, at the Cort theatre. John Bruce Oeorge MacFarlane Martha Mullett Louise Galloway Abner Ketchum Charles Dow Clark Nora Mullett Lucille Searfi nenny Ketchum Edn.ir Nelson Elmlna Smith Ursula Enaworth Mrs. Rarrett Viola Gillette Claudia Ruth Tester Tom r,anslng Edward H. Wever Martin ..'. Percy Moore EUsp Margaret Walker Frank Oayle Mays Valet Fratik SInne Chaaffeur Byerett Gilbert This Is a pretty old-fashlnoed sort of comedy—but so was "Abie's Irish Rose." For discriminating audiences "A Lucky Break" Is imposalhle. But there Is no telling how far sure-fire hokum can carry a theatrical ven- ture these days. And this Zelda Soars book certainly has the Ingre- dients of a true Stair & Havlln of 20 years ago. It reads as though written for Chauncey Olcott before he vanished from the map or for Andrew Mack back In those dear, dead days beyond cecall, when he retired from lyrical troubadourlng to enter the perennial retreat of an actor In 'Abie's Irish Rose." There Is no ^excuse for George MacFarlane or his three songs, ex- cept that he sings them mighty well. They are run in by way of his "re- membering" them. They are good songs—"You're All the World to Me." "When the Hurdy-Gurdy Plays" and "Where the Rainbow Ends," the last a sure ballad hit and seller. George, not nearly as fitting as he seems in Gilhert-SuUlvan parts. Is here a portly millionaire who returns to his native town. He sneaks in as a poor man, cynically hardened by Wall Street, just to see the old folks give him the bum's rush or the razz. To his great surpri.se he g^ts .a welcome on all sides, and It all m.ikes for haplness and another booU for the tourh of nature th.ot embrothers us nil—su^h as we find In plays now and tlicn. The exits and f ntpances are made mo.stly up and down a staircaHC, which grows rather bore.some. And most of the comedy has to do with funerals, gravestones, burial lots and a cemetery—not so cheerful, but a natural gold mine for wheezes. Charles Dow Clark cllck.s—his teeth —as a truly rural .ttngo rube. There Is a fat hoy who plays a trombone, a wlse-cr.cklng flapper, the voluble servant girl and a hotelkeeper Earl Carroll's "Vanities" In i\.i seventh week Is Just as poor a stage performance for entertainment as it was in its opening week. In the interim Mr. Carroll has not improved his show. It needs to be muchly Improved, also much of the crass vulgarity refined or removed. In its commencement "Vanities" had one drawing card—Its women in front of the house, the 16 ho.st- esses and 12 usherettes. They are still there; and that they are the single draw is evident through the orchestra., selling out at J4.40, witli the balcofty continuing light. Doing aroUDd $23,000 weekly, with show and house pooled, it is said Mr Carroll claims to be making a net weekly profit of |8,000. This is exclusive of average weekly deduc- tion of production cost with the latter probably running to between $60,000 and $75,000. The performance as it now stands will have trouble on the road draw- ing profitable business at a $4.40 top, for it isn't worth it. What makes the, show now is the feminine dis- play in front, the free dancing upon the s.age before the performance starts at 8:45 (the dancing com- mencing at 8) and again at inter- mission. This Is fine stuff for the Johns and finer for the hostesses, in *11 likelihood. Few women with their escorts from the paying audi- ence dance together on the stage. The male principals have two leaders—.Tullus Tannen and Ted Healy. Tannen Is the Interlocutor or announcer, often present and often long present. While Mr. Tan- nen is chattily humorous, he over- does It at each announcement, his one fault here. The Tannen period, where he proceeds from his monolog to the introduction of prominent pa- trons in the house, seems as though it is a whole evening by itself. If he will condense that each time out the net result for Julius Tannen will be most advantageous. In addition also to ridding himself of that comedy outfit in dress that some misguided friend or producer wished upon him. It's not travesty and it's not funny— just a misfit conception. ^ Mr. Healy as a low comedian In this show has little competition, and therefore Is quite funny. But the best low comedian ever, if there is such, would have to overcome a ter- rific handicap ,(lid he Indulge, as Mr. Healy does, in anything as distaste- ful, illy advised, crudely written and disgustingly vulgar as the "Pappy and Mammy" bit. On the credit side tor Healy \^ the "Tank Escape," preceded by Healy working with Dave Chasen and Kenneth Lackey as two boys from the audience. Later the same two are in the "Escape," with Chasen the victim of Healy's misplaced Judgment in placing him in a Hou- dlni water tank, leaving Chasen there, uponslde down and helpless ployed by PVank Fay. For net re- sults, though, this double bit by Healy ranks with any comedy now exhibiting in the new summer re- vues. Healy alone does quite well, having some sure-flre gags carefully assembled. This performance was a soft spot for any low comedian, and It was Healy's luck for his first time out In a production to have fallen into it. Other comedy scenes all run to the defamation of women. If It Isn't the triangle, it's the question of parentage, the latter again cropping up and vulgarly done in the court room bit. Also in the female contingent there Is no competition. Bubby Foisom seems the feminine leader, mostly with songs, but she doesn't regi-ster strongly enough at any one time to earn bracket.^. In a sea of women, mostly chori.sters, there was a chance of a career for a single from vaudeville to clean. Miss Fol- som doesn't clean. M. deJari and Vivian Hart (Hart Sisters) are the singers. M. deJarl looks about the best of the lot on appc.-irance, but he is tied up also in .another "bad wife" bit, othcrwisie doing and standing very well. Miss Hart, of the Mary Hay type In looks and work, mi.sses a voice but gets over otherwi.se <>n size. Wallace MrCu'cheon Is "The Ho.1t" of the evening in tlie ni^ht club atmosphere sought and easily gotten. Mr. ' MeCtitcheon Is the "straight," doing nicely and having several acting roles. But the act- ing here as a rule in the travestlel scenes reminds one of the burlesque troupe when the singing quartet Is called upon to be actors. Clnrenc^ Oasklll's music Is fre- quently catching and pleasantly executed by the Ross Oorman Orchostra. The Gorman orchestra is about the only item in the show to have improved since the open- ing. in staging Dave Bennct has done but little, excepting for one num- ber toward the finish. There are nearly 60 girls in this troupe, figur- ing the hostesses In front and the dozen u.sherettes in black tights, not forgetting the cigar girl milling around, wearing a short skirt and no tights at all below the hips. For this performance and the stage dancing, something the show needs since it is way short andanc- Ing of Itself, the apron haaT been placed down to meet the front row tables, leaving the stage quite a bit away from the first seats. Inserting the tables meant three rows of seats out, but the table chairs are sold for $11 and are also for well-known "deadheads," although the well knowns do not become deadheads until landing at the tables, making it easier fof Tannen to single them out. As the tables may fill up with ca.sh buyers, hostesses are removed to the rear or under the stage. Thev are Important anyway only for the "John" thing, and this is strictly a "John" show, more so than any other public performance ever given in an American theatre. About the only thiUK mi.ssing Is booze. To carry this show on the road with the women in front and the tables Is out of the question, as w^ll as changing tables. In Boston, for instance, they would revive th? Watch and Ward Society at firs' glimpse of tho^e 28 "John" getters in the front rf the house. "Vanities" should keep on doing at the Carroll tlie downstairs busi- ness It has been doing. How the out-of-town buyers can rcm.aln away is a mystery, for this show is the lively blunge for lonesome men Mr. Carroll had nerve and perspec- tive in designing that end. It's weight.v enough in its own singular way to stand off the deficiencies of the performance. For nerve alone Earl Carroll is a bear, but as the demerits of the show greatly exceed the merits, Mr. Carroll bef<re starting for the road, whenever that d.ay arrives, should make this performance more taste- ful and entertalnlnz. Bime. character Job with Celestin Mora* val and Julm William's i.<ti(':cu gets to the lifth cliapter i>f lua iiuvul amusingly, but liio Fic>n'a waller in Umettod cafe has an ii^iit^lish ac« cent. Oihorwi.se .ibout luiii' he few French words left on tl>o caroasa are pronounced correctly and about IxslM very badly, but tlua condition will no doubt be cleared up in the cleaning and pressing pructxis of tbo sticks. The settings by P. Dodd Ai-ker- man are pleasing and well exe- cuted. If "The Five OCiock Man" gets a favorable break at its metropoli- tan opening it has a good chanc* tor a moderate run. Pratt. OH, MAMA! Asbury Park, Aug. IS. Comedy adapted from the Prench of Louie Serneiul by Wilton I.dckaye and Harry Wagatatr Orlbhle. Produced by W. ▲. Brady. Alloa lirady starred. < Alice Brady, with all her cute mannerisms, plus a song attempt, and ably supported by Edwin Nllan- der and Kenneth McKenna, scored mildly in her new show, somewhat revised since its opening last winter in Boston. Miss Brady plays the virgin wife to the elderly roue. Determining to pay him off in his own coin, she philanders in the way of amusement with a professional "gigolo." Her severest critic, but not her best pal. Is her step son (Mr. McKenna), who criticizes her freedom of manner and disresi>ect for her husband. It requires no keen eye to see that they are in love, despite their fight* ing, though the playwright does not choose to reveal It to a consclotis audience until the middle of the sec- ond act, when to save the family honor, the step-son spoils a rendez- vous at Vefsaiiles for his step« mother and the gigolo. Miss Brady played especially well In this adaptation of a French farce, which was probably far spicier and more amusing In the original but re- tains quite a bit of flavor. The lines are sparkling, and the gowns worn by the attractive Alice should at- tract matinee-women. This is not the best show of Its kind, but at least It ranks far abovo the average and should have a fairly profitable run. OUT OF TOWN The Five o*Clock Man Stamford, Copn., Aug. 14. A. H. Wiiods presents farcical comedy by Clifford Grey, adapteil from the french of Maurice Henner|uin and I'lerre Veber. and staged by Bertram Harrison. Victor Arthur Bowyer Armand Frank Sherlock Olnette riaudette Colbert Ani;ele meaner Wlnslow Williams Lurien John Williams La Sage Edward Rlgby Leon I.junbert Arthur Ryron ner(feot Harry Hanlon Gilbert Clutrlea Mather Valentine Janet Beecher Julie Patricia O'Connor Francois Marios Uhderwood Celestin Maraval George Graham The original French version of "The Five O'clock Man," by Maurice Hennequln and Pierre Veber, has Just completed a full year's run at the Palais-Royal Theatre, home of riskily risque farce in Paris. The American adaptation by Clifford Grey played three performances here and opens at the RItz, New York, next week. The play is one of those French farces having to do with a hus- band, hla mistress, his wife, his mistress's lovor, and other nec- essary people to bring about the usual misunderstanding coinci- dental meetings and embairasslng complications. It differs only In that there are so many of these. Leon Lambert, the president of a bank, gets himself into the ordinary Intimacy wl h GInette, a Mont- martre cafe keeper, and a "flower of inadvertence." As long as he does so under the nt^me of Celestin Maraval, his head bookkeeper, and as long as he has a wife and as long as GInette has another love there are mixups and situations enough to last In uproarious fashion until nearly 11. The title of the play comes from the banker's daily visits with Ginette "in private" every afternoon at five o'clock. Parisian banker's hours. "The Five O'CIock Man" Is fpnnV- It makes people laugh, or at least it made a Stamford audience laugh after getting away to an awkward start. A few times—such as the moment of the grand obligatory explaining when Lambert tells his cohort that they are going to ex- plain and the ally rf>i>Iles, "if we can"—it makes people roar. But this is not too often. Like most adaptations, e.speclally If It amounts to ,'idultorailon and filteratlon, the play loses a large p;irt of the very quality, natural and unforced spici- noHS, which makes It .such a suc- cess In the land of Its birth and growth. And in this mef.-im'-'rphosi.s It In addi'ion borders dangerously upon rank .silline.s.s. The pifce Is p'aye<l well but not ftxtr.aordlnarlly so. Arthur }5yron Is only nde<|iiate beeatjse I.*»on Lambert Is a tight lit f(^r hiin. .lanet Beecher is nice Hnd charm- ing as his wife, while Cl.iudelt- Colbert is cute and rtc:!t,'htfiil a^ GInette rather than r nv.ti'im: George Graham does a liniilieri — RIQUETTE ~■^— Detroit, Aug. IT. The Messra nhubert present "Rlquette." a musical comedy adapted by Harry B. Bmlth from the Oerman of R. Schanser and E. Wellsch. Music by Osear Htraua. Dialogue sfafted hy Fred G. Latham; dances and ensembles hy Heymfmr Fella; settings by Watson Barratt. At the Shu- bert. Detroit. Alphonse La Fleur George A. 8<-hlllar Clarlsae Evelyn DarvUle Gaston Blvlera'. Alexander Fray" Theophll Muchu Stanley Lupin* Rlquette Duval Vlvlenne Hegal I.iane Desoucy Marjnrle Galeso« Ahrl DabrI Edward Bass* Offlclal Walter Armla I>umas Sydney Smith Bardou Joaeph Sprae nupont Walter Wara MariMl Petar Hawtay The principal virtue in "Rlquette* is to be found In its fine chorua of athletic young women and the dances and ensembles arranged for them by Seymour Felix. While the score by Oscar Straus is generally melodous and always agreeable, it does not approach the music he wrote for "The Chocolate Soldier" and within more recent memory, "The Last Waltz." Besides which Harry B. Smith's book is not as compact as it will be when the show is whipped to« gether. The performance served as th« first American appearance of Stan« ley Lupino, English comedian. Mr. Lupino has an expert corned^ method of the English music hall type, Is a furious dancer and !• given to sly gestures and comio falls. He Is a glib conversation' allst and quite won the hearts of the opening night audience. The best of the Straus numbers falls to Vlvlenne Segal, playing the title role, and Alexander Gray. The show needs considerablo pruning but promises, largely through the dancing of the chorus, to make a favorable Impression^ The Shubcrts have given it a gor- geous mounting. The play will remain here a fort- night and then will go to Chicago. Btark, THE PATSY Chicago. Aug. 18. Three-act comedy by liarry C'onnera. Af the r.a.Salle. Chiciign. Auit. IG Hl.-hanl Herndon, producer, .starreil by Allan Ulna* hart, starring Claiborne Foster. Mr. Harrington Peter Lang Mrs. Harrlnitti.n T.U'-Ia Moora 'Iraoe H.irrin.:ion Mary .Still* I'atrl.la Harrington C!ail«)rrio F'Ster Hilly CaMweil lohn DlggS Tony Anderson lleri>ert Clark Barry Conncrs has an ear deli- cately attuned to the crackle of mazuma In the box ollice. Ho proved that In writing "Apple« M.aiicp," a six months' toiimt of tho lia.Salle last season. Ho proved tt 'Klin In "The i'atsy," a better play, and should, by easy logic, beat "Ap- pieHaiice's" run (unless Chicago hoa one of Us nudy siiclls). "The Patsy" is nothing more than (he old reliable Pindorella formula of liio poor little abused si.iter. But I'oTincr.i has dressed 11 up until It shines and glistens. t'l.ill' 'ino Foster has a rol«» that fHm (Continued on page 46)