Variety (Sep 1926)

4# VARIETY LEGITIMATE Wednesday, September 8, 1926 PLAYS ON BROADWAY CASTLES IN THE AIR iMBM ^* Elliott prM«nta a comle-eper- •tU. Book and lyrlcii by Raymoiid W. Peek, acor* by Percy Weniich, dancea by Jamoa BoyJe. book staged by Frank 8. Marlin. enscmhies by JuUaa Mttoh*!!. At th« Selwyn theatre, Sept. 6. Amoa Robert WtlllamaoB Annie Moore • Joyce Whlta George SedKwicIc Allen Watarous Pblllp Rodman Stanley f>orde Mme. Durant Claire Ifadlette Svelyn Devine Vivlenne SegAl Count Draga Richard Parrel! Monty Rlalr B«»rnard Oranvlllv Jobn Brown J. Harold Murray Oen. Slodak Waller Kdwin Kemlar Wllllain Hniwon Chancellor • arenory Ilatoff Lieutenant E:<!h\ard Gorman •an Ref«nt...».**«..*<vt.«Thala Lawton This ca11«d this a "Chleago suo* cesa," all tho hard-crusted Broad- w^yltfiB, with a turn Qfr a sneer on thsir *llps at the damninir taint praise. So was "Abie s Irish Rose" » fXiOS Angeles.bi^' and the scot- fsra smiled tndtiljiienftly. They can now hope that they won't hangr by th« neck Qn Times Square as long 9M "CsstW* itays on 42« street, for it may do another "Suniiy.** Nq musical p^ece ever C4tm» across m«tropoltiiui lootllcfats niors certain of audience favor. The New York pro4uctioo, costume and cast arc M BiNurly perf^ &• iUiytlUiig this reviewer has encourtired. And the infredlents that made this "out •UMflP* a i ii ai fln's draw In Chioaero are'just as salable in New York. "Castles" has sentiment and ro aiatHMb unashamed. It is as cleali as a liursefy jlgslo and as wholesome as an "Elsie" book. Moreover, it has a brilliantly constructed plot, ivwrlk a torttti|« for motion pioturt*^ still, it retains and even emphasizes some situation bromides so time- worn that perhaps a more experi- enced and jaded producer than Jimmy Elliott mlffbt liavo toMid U aside, saying "This Stuff lUM boon done to death." Elliott is a stranse and thrilling newcomer in the theatre. His his- tory is spectacular. A few years back he was the foremost of the high-power promotera In New York, reaching miraculous and even scan- dalous peaks. Making men—^not by tablets but by psychology—next en- srnged him. He had a university teaching sluggards how to become go-gottors. Tho subject faselnated him. He wrote a play about It. He backed it. It was awful. John Meehan staged and "presented" It during one of those interims between his Cohan engagements. A friendship started. Elliott went to a crash that was heard aroiind the world. In a year he was back again, onco •more juggling milUoaa. Meehan or be got Interested in a script by an unproduced writer, Ralph Spence. They produced "Tho Ctorilla**—and cleaned up a fortune. Beymond W. Peck, another un- produced aiithbr, an advertising writer or the like, somehow got them to read the libretto of an operetta. Broadway producers had been run- ning from the mere mention of the word. Elliott put a king's ransom behind lt» Meehan stagod and pro- duced it, and they opened it in Chi- cago. Soon ttdUigs trickled around that a chump had knocked off a hit i9ut woot Tho ■marttef ■mHod-*-oh, (Continued from page 39) the rights of all authorfl^ vpM^^fmn, oto., whoro their litorary properties a^ opnoerned. ^- . ■rsrythlng was okay with **Tho Donovan Affair/' a mystery play at the rultpn. until last Wednesday's mftinoe. Being a mystery play. It Is part of the plot to have certain scenes transpire In absolute darkness, li.^^*^^**' * luminous ring may be obforyod shining. And nnUl tbf Wlftii^ shone forth. -:r---^-.r- : ^ But th« row of doors In the Pulton lobby, though siieely ottrtainod, ad* n^itted so much light the first time the stage lights were shut down at a Sktinoo that complete darkness wasn't gained. Immediately William ^wuilor, manager of tho house, had an attache get heavy wrapping paper and with thumb ta6kft siioeoedo« Hi ilMr tha papir up s^ ttat light was kept oat 9m J^ m i^am ^ ^ A Los Angeles the&tre treasurer la owner of a large garage and re- pair shop. He believes in getting publicity for his shop" and has em- ployed a press sgent Tho press agept draws his salary .la repairs on hia aatom(^btla."'rf' . : ^iig^ ' : ■ -': v • ■-\ ■ • . - ' M '\ 'tSb "# Helen Bolton, since <naiflByr iugOblnra|^st, m0 located her home at 418 South Wilton place. S!PXKf?re!r~M!iffl3oTt6n will play the Mary Boland role in the coast production of "The Cradle Snatchers/' opening fa iah VYanolsea arowid Anc ti« Jacit Orieves. Miss Bolton's husband formerly a professlonalt ham retired from the stage. He is now a partner of his wlf«»t tRthtr la the lUrm of Jam^ A. lUovAaa. Ltd. Two revues current In New York are running each other a hot tie for alBlmiim of chbrlstM. the shows are "Americana" revue at the Bel mont» which has six specialty danx^ers do iilding for chorus mnnbors, while the other Is "Bare Facta," miniature revue at the Triangle. Greenwich ' Village, which has a similar number when the girls are all working, but ' has tlvwi a poifafmaiMi WlMl b«l four. Both are getting along moder- htsly wan with thehr ^ooirtwto»if» sasimlios. Apropos of the story in Variety regarding the proposed formation Of a colored maids' association there is a dressers' association In soma of tho big olttoa tMt provides "hook ups" as the actresses designate them for $15 weekly. ^ These dressers bob up at the theatres like ushers and are hired much after the fashion of caddle«. They ore foreign girls for the most part and about all tk^ da.|«Asslstlng a star or actress to dress. They never do any other lady's maid vNmIl that was in Chicago. Monday night that chump showed It to New York. With a scintillating, sparkling Broadway cast, gowns by Frances, a (?rand opera orchestra, a chorus of 7 2, H prod action that not only Zieg- feld but Belasco would not be bash- ful about sponsoring, this stage illen with the Chicago Ideas opened to as classy and discriminating an audience as the season will see for a long time, agalBSt thras otbsr pro- mleres. And before the first act was over hlsnroduct was "in the bag." ifot contented with so many In his personnel who lacked the "stamp" of theatre success, he had his dances directed by John Boyle, whose "ca- reer" hitherto had been that he put on a couple of "Follies" aumbors that Ziegfeld threw out The dances in "Castles* by BOyle are the freshest, fleetest, niftiest and sweetest since Sammy Lee showed the street some new things with **The (lingham Girl" and Dave Bennett started a style with "Rose-Marie." A tap-danoing master, Boylo has adapted taps to every manner of chorus work, with always clicking results and often aflMsingly original and effective novelties. Some of the chorus dances are whimsical and all of them aro different. How he didn't break a lot of ankles In re- hearMkl is a wonder. Ue has the girls and men doing principal'work In doxens, and at times the audi- ence actually cheered. The chorus, 48 girls and 24 men, wore selected first, besides, for their voices. And when the lot sings the house rings, attaining volume and quality equal- ling the best In "The Student l*rlnce." So Boyle made dancers of singers* and Still made Broadway rub its tired eyes. Watch Boyle! Among the principals the individ- ual hit came with the rousing come-' back of Bernard Oranvillew who gave to the piece what comedy It has. with gossamer material. If "Castles" has a weakness It Is in the dearth of laughs; and It not for Granville (not Qranvills's part, but Granville) It would have-none. He still dances as well as ho did when all he did was daaco, and he ooks like a iroungster and has >oise and unction and polish of ligh comedy with all the tact and talent for getting low ooBMdy vo- actions. J. Harold Murray, as tho prince, s a typical musical comody lurince— an of that, but nothU^ beyond that. Vlclenne Segal, as tho heroine, might be told off In tho same vein. She has charms, a lyrle voleo and can register the requisite emotions. But whUe she "sells'* sho stiU lacks temperament or soiil or Something. The best acting is la the minor roles, outside of QraavUlo's. Such egitimilto performanoos have' rare- y been seen in musical offerings. Thais Lawton, Gregonr RatoflC, Wal- ter Edwin, Philip Rodman were splendid. Joyce White In tho sou- bretto role,:.|^red for hersfOf next to GranvillC^itoth with ttnos and dances, and Mary Hutchinson, In a burlesque adagio bit with QranvUle, ti«d up tho-ihow. fn all the presentation is mas- sive, tasty.and lavish. Elliott was always a high roller and' a big shooter. If there is any worry awaiUng him it will be on his "nut, for tho tfhow stssa up as thoui^ it will need |S0,000 grosses to pay back anything. It should get them. "CasUos In the Ahr" Is sure of a lengthy run If all It has to fear Is the conventional boxofflee stop limit. It will leave to heavy rooeipts when it does go. for It will draw them, but may not stand tho gaff as long as the m«ir« Ughtiy hdi6h4id Up ott^^^^^ prises because of its Inside running expense. But even that oontiogency is a long way OC Mi. give up one for her. The otner menw ■urpww m« vquipinvni os is accounted for when Jim eays Bmest Truox, whom he is beginning Idesn't love her. but she comes to suggest in method. In "If I Waa n fHom whftn thfiv fl^ain em- Rich" fao sooros a buU's-oyo. ing room of the Overton's home, I hero is paKlcularly Ingratiatlngt. prubably down Long Jsland way.] with a pillow bit for a tag that sendil' Alice and Jack are an apparently I the patron out smilingly satisfied, happy couple. There is to bo a I At tho opening performanoe Lau- weok-end party nearby and Jim I He and Charles Dow Clark, who ia Mllbum. who is engaged to Mar-1 shooting with both barrels In tha Jorlc, a friend of Alice's, has come I unfoldment, came back for a bo# to gather the Overtone. Jack hasn't after the final curtain. That seemed come home yet and just as Alice I a mistake, tending to dissolve la sits at the piano, Mllburn takes her 1 part the corking impression^ created In his arms. He declares that kiss I at the end. was worth everything. She Is about Laurie Is doing valiant work, de- to dismiss him—never to see him porting with a poise and Onesse sur- again, but it dawns on her that she prising to behold. His linos shoot has in certain, but perhaps uncon- forth brilliantly at times with un- scious ways, kindled affection in matchablo intonations in creating him. He tells her she la the only humorous OlljMJt. ThoraTs a smooth really passionate woman he ever surety In his manner, heretoforo met, and that If he had two million, lacking, that rises to and at mo- he'd give up one for her. The other!meats surpasses the equipment of girl he d( upon them when they again em-1 Ricb" he scores a buu's-eyo. brace and tells the state of affairs Second in point of interpretlva to ^the h».l»»d. Wh, wa»U to «^u'-J^»n^dJniSJ,«t ^^CJarJj. One of the most interesting in-] crass business man, with sweeping terchangea of dialog cornea near the effect that r^chea all parts of tho close of the first act. when husband house. For his .llnal exit the Arst- and wife talk over things. She "tchters grew tumultuous, bestow- promlses to tell the truth, admits pn^ a great show of a<^m. Mil- ahe cares for Milburn and says she fred llbLeod proved sweOtly.appeal- win marry him when Jack, on his inf, A« the wife, giving an able and part/declares his love has flown, sat^factory performance. The re- too. But when things appear aU hnainder of the suppbrting con^^^^ i?ranged Alice to get her dlvprceUi«P^yed a nicety o^^^ and so forth, Marjorie turns «P h • if t £5,^2 i^^^^ looking badly and declaring she will .w. kLm-!.^ — "^^SIliL force Jim to marry her. She frankly I th« honaaya. ^ ^sfiaef. says she had given herself to him. thinking marriage a certainty and i o^a^.U p i .at«^ that a baby iii to comO. Jim. when rOlMMl UlCI rtrUOMmMm he hears that, takes her off for the "DETECTIVES" wedding knot. ^ ^ x. Weeds preMnts another of tbte The author** problem then is how .eries bg^ ilantaiiiM aiasa and Juiea BckMt to bring his couple together - again. I Qoodaun. ilsgei by Bertnua Hianiaoa. It U clearly estaWished they no L««wiif Ssts atawea. At the Bits tMstre longer lovo each.Other, though there alSitS* Iiniiiertllck......Aaa«tt« Holtaaa is a sneaking suspicion the husband Henry D. Feldroan ..v.Max WsfaaHUi still cares, despite the Mllbum epl- Kent J. Ooldateln .Hartley Powar ^liiL^ni tuSi steels stated that «<>■• ^^^'^ Mathilda CottraUr^ ■OdO. SnO nas aireaay Siaiea wmi M.^p^gg Perlmutter Robart Leonard romance dies and every woman Potash ....Ludwif Sats knows It. Tho husband proposes Teener : Bdwin Walter ,u<.* Mai*l>Aflt^ maJce love and I Oeorgre McAdam..... Charles Oottbold that .they prOtOnO to maxe lOVe ana l n^^^^^^^^ ....Hope Sutherland even knowing that It Isn t real. h^^^. Robert Vivian something good might come out OI Hal Maaon....,••••»«...'..-Brandon Peters it. Sho saoors at tho idea, but when Henry •>•*•••• -a; ;^»?/nr ."a^^^ i^ttjr ..AM*FatnciA o Connor Mrs. McAdaai.• • • • * Isabel O'Madlvan Cunnlaaluua. «•*,••••«'*.••'•... Allan •V eoeOeOe^e'eoeotfoeeeeee The long handled wet brush is no longer used for bill posting in San Francisco. Temporary moveable, scaffolding ia employed with the litho- graphs smoothed out with'« d^y brush after having, the prevloua night, been sprayed at the shop to take the snap out of tho paper. Under the new system it la said from 20 to 24 boards can be posted a day In COlt- trast to the former speed of from 12 to 16 boards. Under tho readMStmonl ianowlng the bill posters strike a few years ago non-union men aro penilitted to work. They are called poster hangers instead of bill porters, the latter being unionised. Jaek Mason, the well-known chorus coach, who left Broadway some time ago. is still in «an Antonio, Tex., where he Is sUglng prologs and pre.sentations for tho Aztec theatre (pictures), opened in that city sev- eral months ago. Mason went down for the opening and has been there When "The Little Spltrtro" was playing the Savoy. Asbiry Park.' at Jhe try-out. a revue called "Miss Manhattan," since t&«ii4cl)»iea Wits atthe Broadway, Long Branch. George Lefty Miller ftuifj.tT-t^t* of Iho Mkntr ghow and Myron C. Pagan author of "ypittire," got into an argu- ment nvnr receipts. A l&O h o t a-as ma de a nd Mm »r paid Pj i ftan SOUR GRAPES Comedr drama In three acta by Vincent r^wrence presented at the Lonncre Sept. 6 by William Harris, Jr.; Alice Brady 'tarred and John HallMay featured. J.imes mnMUrs Frank Conroy rhillips James Kearney Alice OveKon Alice Brady John Overton....«,•••«••....Mm Halllday Marjorie Lnwaea...llom Sheffleid they experiment the girl ctUches the man's intent, and it is a very real cams tho dawn** ourtain kiss. Miss Brady has a far different role than that in "The Bride of the i xhe soul of the sainted Bamgy Lamb." There Is a ftnonoss In her Bemnrd may have looked down into playing that will mean much for the Ritz theatre on the opening "Sour Grapes." Her change of night of a new Abe Potash. And moods hi about tho most natural » it did. it smiled and nodded ap- thing in the play.' provel. Ludwig Satz, drafted froni To the star role John Halllday, the Yiddish /theatre and sU^rrod in the featured player, lends admirable his first English (sd ^ti spOiOc) support. It's about even between gpoaking j-oie, did not profane tho them, because of Halllday's excel- gently traditions of .the .fampup lent woHc aiid booauso the-script chairactor. hitherto iiiBet>ai«blo in calls for hla doing tho convincing. I the metropolitan mind with the p'^r- Frank Conroy, gonerall/ cast for son . of its creator, the. lamented the villain, has his familiar char- Barney. acter assignment, but It Is quite Perlmutters have come and gone, tempered in this case. Flora Shef- I but Potash was as much Bernard field, as tho flancoo, has tho smallest 1 as Rip Van Wlnklo was Jefferson part of tha-|lQvr ]«sds, b!|t Booms or the.MusIc'Master'i^^'Warfield. will cast. ' "^ l.There Is again a nei|>Mawrus»— ? The last'act tiapers off :%ithout{ Robert tioonard by nilhe, aa ag- qUestion and the author's objective gresslv^^ and shrill" and trip-hammer . ia vby no means clear. Yet' "Sour as thia^ younger of the tsifo partners tJrapes" IS very-woll done. It prob- has always IMaai» * R^ helps 8at« ably will not register a long run, powerfully, for the new star favors but has A good chance moderate) I his shr^iUclng^ timorqus reactions*- success. ^, - V. * Idse. > | and Laniard Surely ridM and voifrMa him plenty. . ... ^ wm.9M9 1 ^ an artist' In makeup as IF I WAS RICH well as In nukko^b«litiv«i Vader dU ^ I rectlon, probably, be has OMMle hlm- comcdy in thwe »2&J5r iSailSi At «clf optically almost a eouaterpart T.%.\^nZ''[tSLtii:nS[ ^"^SUl of Bernard. It IS a slick iSTi^ staged by the author. . r \ st^^H in his early thirties, for Jimmy stcriinr *^"Jf*ochi Sats was bom In 1894. His illusion M^urJiy pembi^^k. :::::::i^ph'Kiisour of soml-sennity, not iiMdIair on William Dunroy Ray Walburn any dissimulation of pmrsl^ ZOO- Ruth Mini:::. .MaSred Mci^od in tho several moments of pathoa Muriel Martin I*u McOulre Satz is the genius. For th© second- Harold Ro«ers •MiSv#S*T»wi?d ^*^^ curtain a bit on the telephona» Beitrtce Van Ness Mildred L.»'ard , . i«,,«u mi Hm^m Mii.irtHi Deiiahm voia Price exploding in a laugh, IS ss liaaaafl Tiilio Dorothy Fenron touching a fragment of tear-hUrlUff Mra. Pembrook isabeiie Randolph ^j^^ current Stage presents Peggy Burton May McCabe ,_ . ^ , ^ * c.Lorge Hiidreth Pred Irving i.cwia Unfortunately, there are too few i.ieut. spauiding John T. Doyle g^ch Opportunities both for Satz and 5i^'* '^'''^'°'^'':-«k;;;;i'UXo^i I for the play. Hitherto all the Pot- ash-Pcrlmutter stories have had to An engaging, gracious and divert- I 2° Intimately with the business AHA Ing lltti; cwSedT is William An- fomestic affairs of these two gen- uiK iiiiiv Eu^xxj a 2 Ri,.v... try and their wives, children and ir 1 was i^icn. i^^j^^ ^^^^ m this opisoda The acid title of Vincent Law- rence's new comedy is not descrip- tive of the play nor the story. As a matter of fact, the ending is sweet- ened by sentient. That. ending probably gave the author many a trying moment He built up his theme i«f shattered marital love to such a degree that had he fash- ioned a pinnacle, he would have achieved sensational dramatics. As It was, whether the ending was sweet or bitter. It had to be prosaic And yet It Is highly Interesting and very well played. "Sour Grapes" is the first try this season by William Harris, Jr. Early in the summer ho tried out the play at the seashore with Fay Bainter in t^o Is^d. Ths chalMi» tp Alioo Brady ^its-th^'star was ^ot ^explained. It was. iMlieved Mi%3rady might go to fll< road'Jh fnrp Bride of th(% L:\mby which Tatft'season she fired with a performance that gave the p la y a d ere nt r un on showed a statement that his show boat Miller's on a partic^ular night Afterward Miller, Jjavin/j been informed otherwise, ruhborod and dls- dovored the g^q$^kfi ir<lV/flr i^a^-t>ai^<|pn:te^MJ» toxlof>! Hoe statement It appears tho flguro of 1167 wis telephoned to Walter Reade's offlre snd that was what Lefty claims he bet on. However, there was an amount added to Ihe statement, money tnkeri in hv the box #000 after.^ -o'^olook.- Lefti^. elaiaM«4»e'€Uda:4'-g«i -aa-ovoa. 4Meak» 4»uU.dlalog! laughed it PfEi The story Is enacted In the llv This theme is as old as the dra j^mitlc trIaiiKle. although treated, in jaldisU^cQx;, f99<flcrn^.l4a|l|ler, There "Tire Wilt TiveK.cf .'iracterS. bhVa butler. Such was the case of "Tea for Three*'; albeit this new piece has not the aame wealth of brilliant thony McGolre's bringing back to New York Joe, i„K*»..if «- ™«„f«..- « ^^f-^f Laurie. Jr.. who has ascended to f^ey Inherit, as executors a detect- •leglt" stellar eminence. And while M^® agency, and thenceforth aro the play betrays tapsea at times. Its rather more Involved In other peo- froth, spontaneity and direct human p'«« P^-osperity and well-being than appeal should assure It more than M" their own, though they do go to the average meed of success. *w * i * ^ «, "If I Was Rich" looks like a mor- ^^^l^ closeness to the destl- sel that has been nursed along, and n»ea ^''^"t,?"'* ^!£^*& ^2.^ tho initiated will sense that fact I "ounced. Therefore, WhlM there M through its auditorial impression. Philadelphia and Chicago, prior to Its metropolitan opening, have p:lven ample opportunity to delete, build up, stress and tone down. Mc- <^iuire has proven a real technician III this. The first act sends the show iv'.v.iy flying, containing as it does 'Huic-llres" certain to evoke laugh ter, commingled with a sympathetic interest for the four-flush couple as thipy decide to strive for the opu lence of social ahd financial splen 'lor on Long Island. Laurie, doing an obscure employe, is struggling to satisfy the whim? and fancies of his youthful help a sufficiency of grlef-and-woe relief from the tremendous and terrlfis gobs of comedy, there Is only a^ modicum of heart-Interest stuff, the material which made Barney Ber- nard immortal and made him be«- loved, and helped In no minor meas- ure to make the Montague Qlass tales sellers on the stage and on the page. This opus is the most theatrical of tho set The "answers" aro mora pat and planted, the whole scheme Is designed for laughs. Broad, thick farce. The love story is thin and the melodrama Is ^o hoked and kidded that the product rests almost meet. Their Long Island tenanc y is cmirely OH Its mldrlff-IHlighB. And brought to an abrupt close with tlie di.'^rlopure of a jewelry theft, further revealing the fact Cayricious; wifXe has accepted—oh. quite harhile.ssly —an expensive bauble from an ad- mirer. Act three Is back in the use- your-own walk-up apartment for a • -del tghtfu l -reeonclHtttlow thett - ments a solid score. The "business" of these it brings out contless dos« ens, following so briskly on one an- ■ Qtlier that ,one is oaught coming Otit of the'throat as the n^^xt bursts. " It is easily the funnlect of the "P * v P" lot. Mathilde Cottrelly as Mrs. Potash ' •HKtk -veterfMi«of-the-i«i««ltution,. tha^ only familiar figure to Uie eye ex*