Variety (September 1925)

VARIETY LEGITIMATE Wednetdaf, September 9, 192s NEW PLAYS PRODUCED OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK ran ro In portraying the effeminate without stepping over the bounde*. Meakin. GUS THOMAS ONCE MORE ASAaOR "Still Waters" Wins for Wets—Equity "Nice" for Thomas' Return STILL WATERS Stamford, Conn., Sept. 4. 'William Elliott prewnts Aucustus Thomas' iiew cuin<*dy, "Still Waters," with Aucus- tui Thomas. Linrnman Donald Dillaway Mrs. lUacManas Nyan BrowneVl Tourist* Juna Allraom Ruth Triplctt, Louise Ulddlnys. Ruth Randall, Hcnrlrtta Adams June Clayborn KIsie Rartlstt I.umsley Panhaven David Trarle >frs. Kate Merribls Nona Kinfraley Senator Caaslus Clayborn.Ausustua Thomas Col. Tom Thormayd Herbert AVaterous Oeorce Patterson Charles H Martin Connrys.iman Ponder Rooth Howard Canon Kewbatk Kdward Kmery Mrs. Kewback George Drew Mendum Senator Gummldge John P. McSweeny is surprisingly adequate. The Bupixirting cast Is good ihrouKhout. Elsie Bartlett c rrles well a role that Is a new nilventure for her, Georgle )rew Mendum is reminiscent of Mrs. Davidson In "Ualii" with variations of ner own, while David Tearle Is amusing as Lumsley Panhaven. "Still Waters" pUys A'ashlngton next week, and joon after will prob- ably be brought to New York. Pratt. THE VORTEX Washington. Sept. 8. J, B. Bickerton, Jr., m asaocintion with Iiasll Dean, presents "The Vortex," a play in Ihree acts by Noel C\)ward with the author In the principal role. First American presentation at the National Theatre, Wash- ington. D. C, Sept. 7. Preston George Harcourt Helen Savllle Aurlol L«e Pauncefort Quentin L«o O. Carroll Clara Hibbert Jeannette Sherwin Florence Ijincaster Lilian Hrallhwalte Tom Veryan Alan Mollis Nicky Uancaster Noel Coward David L,anra8ter David Glassford Buntv Malnwnrlng Molly Kerr Uruce Falrllgbt Thomas A. Uralden William Elliott broke a two > :-8 silence In the producing fletd by presenting here tonight Augustus Thomas' first play in many years, "Still Waters." Mr. Thomas played the lending role, Jumping in at the last moment In place of John Craig. Mr. Thomas will open soon and plans to remain in his play at least a mon.h in New York. This brings about a rather extraordinary situa- tion, namely the arch arbitrator oi the former Producing Manager.:-' Association appearing as an actor. It seemq this is with the sanction of Equity, for Equity is said to "have been very nice abou: it."' "Still Waters" is a frank plea against the 18th Amendment, and it is anti-prohibltlon propaganda carv ried to the at least ollicial strong- hold of the enemy, the Senate Office Building in Washington. Senator Cassius Cliyborn, politi- cally dry but actually wet, is up for renomlnation. His seat Is threat- ened by the drys, whose leaders appear as the villains who plan to expose him to defeat his can- didacy. In this are implicated the senator's daughter, her fiance, and the woman he himself is to marry after the con'v^ntlon, which is on during the time of the play. With the help of these and his phe- nomenally clever secretary, counter- evidence is acquired against the dry leaders which is used to force them to throw their delegates to Clay born and win the day. All this is a moral vlctoi-y for the anti-prohibltlonl.sts. The spirit of the play will appeal to those of us who are in symfiathy; Its potential audience Is tvei-y boot- legger In he country and ill of his customers. These are computed to be sufficient to keep the pliy on Its pins for many weeks. Even non- combatants may like it, for it treats fairly and squarely of the question and exhibits the alleged lemor liza- tlon which prohibition has brought to the youth of the country. Outside of that Mr. Thomas' new play, written In the style of his older dramas, appears in 1925 to be old. It Is distinctly of the Amerl an well- made play of 1900, and as such, ac- cording to modern standards, moves ponderously and not a few times is a little tiresome. The secondary theme of turn-nnd- turn-about politics neceHsltates the inclusion of much that Ih dead anil burled In the American theatre. It Is not served In any new minner, but rather in the old. There Is too much discussing of situation and reading of letters in it to permit a gripping flow of drama, while its Intermittent lecture-tone made a Stamford audience Impatient. It Is like Mr. Thomas' own mind, fine, genial, thorough, sane and cultured, but In di-amatic form not sprightly enough to hold a movle-educateil audience In its ."leats without wrig- gling. Mr. Thomas did a brave and rather extraordinary thing when he stcpiied Into the le.idin^j; role. He has not appeared In any major way as an actor for 35 years, though he has icplaced playei's In nuniei'ous things during this lime, the last one being Ned Carrlngton In "Neme.sls." Those 30 years In which J!.-. Thomas ha« been widely known as one of the best orators In the United Pt tes, do. Of coui'se, tell In him as an actor. But the speaker-quality In him Is quite at hme In the ambitious Sen- ator Clayborn, so that the dramatist trives a performance which, though It <lo«« ret;trd the push of the >:ay. MERRY MERRY Providence, Sept. 8. l.yl« D. Aadrewa presentation. Hook, lyrics and staged by Harlan Thomi>w)n: music by Harry Archer; dances staged by Harry Puck. At the Providence. In two acts and six scenes. Opera House week of Sept. 7. Adam Wlnslow Harry Puck Eve "Walters Marie .Saxon Sadl I.«Salle .....Sasoha lleuumont FkMisle Oell Virginia Fmlth Conchlta Murphy I..uclla Mendea J. Horatio DIggs William Frawley Stephen Brewster L««ter O'Keefe Henry Tenwell Robert Plfkln Mrs. I'enwell Perqueta Courtney Stage Manager I^arry Deck "The Vortex" is not a great play; neither is it as "dirty" a play as heralded, according to standards set down by those before It. To be candid, it is not believed the piece will cause any great ripple when reaching New York. Mr. Coward writes In an easy, flowing style. He has created one smash climax—the close of his sec- ond act. This climax is unusual, unexpected and exceptionally well planted. But to build to that climax Mr. Coward is forced to carry his auditors through a veritable mass of dialogue In which his characters simply revel In self-analysis. Inter- esting to a certain degree, but noth- ing to draw cash Into an American box office. There may be a few "high hats" that will like it, but the few do not make Broadway suc- cesses. The author has taken a group of 10 persons—five men and five wom- en. They are a diversified lot, but why Mr. Swafter, the English critic, should take such exceptions, as he did recently in a letter to Variety, to the presentation of the piece here because of it l)elng "an Insult to the English people" is not quite under- standable. People such as are in this play can be found most anywhere. A boy that becomes a weakling and finally a dope fiend because of being neglected by his mother is not an uncommon occurrence. It is not the unusual for a woman that is a mother to refuse to get old. Of course, possibly not all of the moth- ers that do not want to get old adopt the same course as this par- ticul.'ir one does to kid herself Into believing that she is still young. Take an American cast, or any kind of a cast, and still the play would sum up as Just a very unpleasant episode of life anywhere, rather cleverly set down and, In this In- stance, well played. The story of "The Vortex" is pretty generally known on this side. Coward In portrayin : the lead gives a decidedly worthwhile perforr^- anJb. His suopression throughout the first two acta upon which he builds for his climax, where while playing the piano he listens to his mother's revelations of her Inner .self, and, horrified, brings his music to a frenzied fortissimo, stamps him as a true artist, both as an actor and musician. To revert, however, to Mr. Cow- ard, the playwright, his final act, where the son brutally tells his mother of his shortcomings and of her own, gives a solid 20 minutes of opportunities for rmotlgnal work by Coward, the actor, and Miss Bralthwalte as the mother. At times the whole thing gets on the "nerves." It Is too emotional, too heavy and altogether too unpleas- ant for average consumption. A mother confessing to her son she has had numerous lovers and he countering with the charge she has had these lovers Kimrily to fool her- self Into believing she is young, may be all right, hut It seems en- tirely too sordid ."tuff for l*ie the- atregoer here. The impetus given the play after a year's run In Lon- don, coupled with an excellent pub- licity cami>,'ingn biought out noth- ing more than the nsunl small quota of flrm night f:\ithfuls In the Na- tional. As for the reni.nining members of the cast, Miss Hraithwaite in the dlflflcult role of the mother, gives a performance that should bring her much arclalm. She never quite loses all sympathy. r>nvid fJlass- ford, as the neglected hushand and father, though onlv a bit. was ex- cellent and, Alan Hcllis, the lover, Klve.s an excellent imitation of a man who has learned a few "verses" .'ind also learned the pioi>er moment when to deHvrr himself of same. Molly Kerr was okay as I'lmty. the sweetheart of the son. while the Knglish hanger-on. l.eo (!. Carroll, was a brilliant bit of work In set- ting down Just how far an actor Providence gave this musical com- edy the best send-off a new piece, shipped here to be tried out In the sticks, has received in two seasons. The house was packed matinee and evening yesterday, and the audi- ences called for encore after encore on dancing numbers. Adam Wlnslow, played by Harry Puck, meets Marie Saxon, In the role of Eve Walters, in a subway station in the opening scene. A romance starts, but they are sep- arated. £^ve, seeking a Job as a chor- ister. Is turned down, and is be- friended by Sadi LaSalle, played by Sascha Beaumont, who takes her to her apartment. In the apartment scenes, the chorus Is introduced as the chorus of the show In which Sadl is playing. Sadi, who loves wisely and well for a consideration, ia seeking to extort damages from a married man who, ■he alleges, has broken one of her ribs in a caveman embrace. Going to a party, she leaves Eve to imper- sonate her in the apartment. Adam, under obligations to the married man. Is persimded to pose as a cor- set salesman and to attempt to fit Sadi to gain proof that her rib Is not broken. He arrives at the apart- ment Just after the Romeo's wife enters, believes Eve to be the co- respondent, and furnishes many laughs. The plot, although sketchy, adapts Itself well to musical comedy, and the required "happy ending" comes oh the stage of the Vanderbllt the- atre in the final scene when the lovers are brought together after much misunderstanding. Marie Saxon, in the leading role, acquits herself creditably. Whit her voice lacks in i>ower is made up In sweetness of tone and her dancinr. particularly a solo in th~ second scene, scored a distinct hit. Her dance offerings with Mr. Puck were also well liked. Lucila Mendez, In the role of Con- chita Murphy, half Irish and half Spanish, provides much comedy, and proves herself capable when seri- ous, which is seldom In this piece. William Frawley and Virginia Smith introduce a vaudeville offering to good advantage. Mr. Puck, who arranged the dances for the piece, does well, as Is to be expected, In his own terpsl- chorean offerings. The chorus Is young and versatile and contributed not a little to the success of the farce here, as did also the Harry Archer orchestral unit of 12 men un- der the direction of Ernest Cutting. Other members of the cast are George Spelvin, Lester O'Keefe, Rob- ert Pitkin, Perqueta Courtney, Larry Beck, Polly Schafer, Molly Morey, Ruth Conley, Vivian Marlow, Gay Helle, -Ednor Fulling, Frances Mar- chand, Gretchen Grant, Betty Wright and Ethel Emery. The show is likeable and of the light breezy type. The melodies are of the soft, haunting waltz variety popularized in "Little Jessie James." The songs registering best here were "It Must Be Love," "My Own," "Lit- tle Girl," "I Was Blue" and "Oh, Wasn't It Lovely." Caught at the first performance, the show, • of course, was not as smooth as It will be later, but the work of the leads and cast Justifies the prediction of a good Broadway run. Warner. A NIGHT OUT Philadelphia, Sept. 8. This En^lsh importation by Al- fred Aarons of the Edward Laurll- lard London success, opened at the Oarrick last night and with vir- tually no paper in the house won a great reception. To a dispassionate onlooker it looked as if most of the credit for the success should go to the American score by Vincent You- mans. By a strange coincidence, "A Night Out" followed "Nanette" at the Garrick. and Youmans followed up the famous "I Want to Be Hap- py" number In the Frazee show with an equally catchy song called "Sometimes I'm Happy" In this pro- duction. It should be sure-fire for dance bands. Outside of that hit, however, the score is well above the average, with considerable sparkle and pep to "Birds on the Wing" and a couple of good' comedy numbers. The book, adapted from the French by George Grossmith and Arthur Miller, is as old as the hills. Slapstick Is hardly the name; some- times, antiquated is the only word. The plot concerns the mix-ups in a shady Parisian cafe on a group of cheating husbands, lovers and sweethearts. There is much slam- ming of doors, peeking through key- holes, shouting of French waiters, popping of champagne corks in pri- vate dining rooms, gendarmes and dodging up and down stairs. The first act shows the various characters planning to philander, the second exhibits their indiscretions and the last oflfers them stealing heme for mutual forgiveness and undersUnding. The "gags" are sometime appalling, weird puns come thick and fast, and there Is an abundance of far-fetched by- play, especially in a couple of the song numbers. The last word Is ex- aggerated humor. Yet, the show gets laughs and plenty of them. Philadelphians who turned the cold shoulder to the so- phisticated humor of Chariot's nearly broke themselves in ' two laughii)^ at the foolishness of this one. The bulk of the funmaking was In the hands of Norman Griffin, English comic, who probably has played Ko-Ko and all the other G and S string. He Is a good clown, verging now and again on silly an- tics, but really versatile and hard working. Perhaps the best of the English principals is Toots Pounds. She Isn't the comedienne exi>ected, but plays her role quite straight, has a corking voice and a personality that seems to click. Robert Grelg gets results out of a stuttering part, but there is not much to say in favor of Ewart Scott, Nancy Corrl- gan, Owen Mannering and Philip Simmons. The latter is the leading man, opposite Miss Pounds. One American shines In the person of Dorothy Dilley, who does one great bit of danolng. Ml.ss Dilley is developing as a comedienne, too. Polly Walker is another "cutle" with a small part. The chorus Is a decided feature of the performance, being lively, well trained, good looking and even well supplied with voices. The dancing was staged by Max Scheck. The costuming and staging are both highly creditable. If audiences are ready to take to their hearts real old-fashioned com- edy, with grotesque clowning, gi^at- ly assisted by a lively score, "A Night Out" may score moderately, but there will have to be some changes In the cast—Pronto. WaterM. ALL DRESSED UP Asbury Park, ! ept. Ti. A. H. Woods presente.l Arthur :ch- man's "All Dr>R.<ied Up" wet-k .Aug. Jl. A.-!- bury Park and Liong Pranch. Arthur Richman has a bee in his bonnet and wrote a good comedy to develop the theme that we human beings are "all dressed up" In our hypocricles and surface veneer of civilization and that beneath It sllU lies a bestial being which is another nature. The audience : eem 1 to like the play .ry much, bu^. the only act that can stand on Its owr, as the play Is at present now Is the second. The first act Is slow and heavy, the third obvious and'patchy. A scientist (Norman Trevoi) has discovered a drug which for the space of one hour will ( ause the user to slough all his polish and bo him- self. To test its Tects, he i rugs the cock tails of a family dinner party, to which the prospective fiance (James Crane) of the »<-lenflHt'H daughter (Kay Johnson) Is Invited. The family "acts up" (lultc fero- ciously and reveals the mean petty characteristic? of their envious so' Is In a bitter, but clever soco. I act. Elliot Cabot turned In a splendid performance as a flmly "bl'ick sheep." The three leads were in their usual satisfactory form. THE LITTLE MOUSE Asbury Park, Sept. 4. A.. H. Woods premnts Mabel Norman<l in "The Little Mouse," farce by Otto Har- bach. Week of Aug. 81, at L.ong Branch and Asbury Park. The star has but very little to do In this not unamusing farce. It is one of those things in which an industrious lawyer becomes after 8 o'clock a gay Lothario and easy mark for a pretty face. The lines are as broad as they are long. This being a typical example, "Got any- thing on tonight," and thL answer, "Nothing I can't get out of." It has been a season of farce. This one can not be placed very high In the list. It Is as broad as any, but not as subtle, nor as new. All the old .ricks are introduced/, nd are greeted with the welcome always extended old friends. CRADLE SNATCHERS Bam H. Harrta (by arrangement with Hassard Short) presents • three-act comedv by Russell Mcdcraft and Norma Ultchelp staged by Sam Forrest; at the Music Box! New York, opening Sept. 7. Susan Martin Mary Bolaaa Kthel Drake Kdna May Ollvw Kitty Ladd Margaret DaU Anne Hall Mary lAmtZ Kllnor Myra Hamptoa rrancloe Mary Murray Jackie Moon Carroll Henry Wlnton Raymond Hackett George Martls Cecil Owen Roy Ladd Wlllard Barton Howard Drake Stanley Jessus Jose Valleio Humphrey Rogart Oscar Nordholm Raymond Guloa I'aul Gerald Phillip, Maid Margaret Moreland Harrolds, Father arid Patti Co-Starred in Operetta Father and daughter will be co- starred In an operetta under Carl Reed's management when "Spring and Autumn ' gets under way In I'hiladelphia tli»> end of this month, orville Harrold and his daughter, I'nlti Harrold, will be co-starred, with an operetta ad.ipted by Der- rick Wolf from the German; muwlc hy William Ortinan (G.rinan) und American lyrics by Gus Kalin. The llairolds have lH>en together before in vaudeville but not In a prndiicflon, although each has ap- peare<l In concert and on the legit Htag*'. The first hit of the new season! The first non-musical ever housed at the Music Box turned out to be the first spark of life the dramatic year of 1925-2S struck, with a native farce that for subtlety, verve, ac- tion, progress and naughty-nice ap« peal makes the transplanted crop ot ■ Parisian bedroom bunk smell like the aftermath of a gin and cigarette party. Here is a fresh, snappy, breexy thing attuned to do and say on the stage what was meant to be done and said on the other side of the foots, yet to get the reaction on the audlence-slde which the audience craves, and which Is denied the audience nineteen times out ot ;wenty. Considering that this is the inU tial opus of untried playwrlght»-~ an actor and actress—the technical as well as spontaneous putover may be classed as extraordinary. Mlsa Mitchell, who played last In "Dane- Ing Mothers" (a grey-wig role) was until Monday night disiinguished as an author mostly for the bath- room scene in the "Rit» Revue." Medcraft was until then known, it at all, as a falr-to-so-so-actor. Between them, however, they turned out in this script not only a masterly bit of theatre comedy, but that rara avis—a new plot. It seems there were two Irish- men— No, that was two other fellows. It seems there were three hus- bands, middle-aged, paunchy, pros- perous guys with complacent, de- cent, patient, respectable and un- suspecting wives. These birds went In for youth—feminine stuff, flap- pers, chorines, gold-digging children of modernity, who appealed to their call for adolescent charms to soothe the bored irritation of advancing age. The wives get hep. The hubbies go on a "hunting" trip. The wives hire three college boys, male paral- lels of their husbands' enamoratas, to give them the kicks and thrills which their men have—almost as cold-bloodedly—hired young girls to supply them. The results are marvelous—rich In sustained and rising comedy, so that at the end of the first act there is burning suspense about the sec- ond, and at the second curtain there Is sizzling curiosity about the third, than which no comedy can attain . a more important destiny. And, lo, this one even goes beyond that—it has a pretty good last act, and that Is something few .shows ever llvO to own. - For once it is the pleasant task of the reviewer to report a flaw- less cast. Without one weak spot, this Is an inspired assemblage for the parts. And if the undersigned had it to do over, he wouldn't change a line, a gesture, a wink, ft smile, a cross or a word. Sam Forrest, with whom this re« porter has at times quarreled, re* deems himself to him forever. He did this one up brown. Mary Boland, ideally cast as an amorotis, romantic and emotional matron, made anything she has done In her rather brilliant and Impor- tant past look and sound silly. She hit this part off with a bang and a graceful all-around handling that stood her out as delicious. Anfl Edna May Oliver, in a wife-part which even the authors probably regarded as "minor," ran her neck .and neck for first ' rs. Among the men, Cecil Owen, that gifted player of any sort ot roleSi as one of the boob husbands; an* Humphrey Bogart and Raymond Guion as two of the hired lovers, were tremendous. The rest w'ere close on their heels—there wasn t much choice between any of them, and the above mentioned outst.and- ing hits were caused as much by the parts as by. the players, except in the case of Mi.s.s Oliver, who truly made much of little. If this farce Is ever translated and transplanted Into the l-YcncH, Paris will get a laste of Its own stuff Ideallezd. Were this a Fdcncn success brought hero, we would shrug our shoulder.x and .say "H"" much better they do it than wc d" This time we have done It better than they do. If "Ciadle Snatclicr.s" '1"»»""* J""" a season at the Music Box, tncii New York and this .scribe are gooi>- Lait.