Variety (Oct 1926)

LEGITIMATE VARIETY 97 PLAYS ON BROADWAY WE AMERICANS gem H Harris production of three-act comedy-drama by Hilton Herbert dropper end Me« Sterol. staged by Sam Forrest Two sets. Opened Oct. 11 at the Sam H. Harris theatre. lira. Levlno ■ .Clara Langsncr Morris Levlne Mum Wlsenfrend Both Levtna Allsa Lawson Phil Levins Luther Adler Samuel Koro • Charles Ellis Mr .Albortlnl......*.. Jules Bennett Mrs. Albortlnl Joseph lno Wehn Mr. Goldberg- 8am Mann .Mrs. Goldberg.......... Ethel Henln , O'Dougall .Jerome Kennedy Sir. Horowitz Morris Btraasberg Mra. Horowlts Ann Lowenwnrth Chatm Horowlts Herbert Poleale Jacob Marcus William E. Morris Clarence Williams Lackaye Grant Helen Dale Ruth Lee Leo Lenhelm George Baxter Anna PnlllpMcn Sylvia Hoffman Song Loo Mann Woda Mr*. Peterson Nancy Allan Mr. rink el Milton C. Herman This play of pathos and patriot- ism, with a centrally Jewish theme, is one of those toss-ups with the "call** against it, but still possessed of possibilities, even rivaling an "Abie's Irish Rose." That's the third or fourth time that Miss Nichols' pet has been an enforced standard of comparison. Still, "We Americans," for all its wholesomeness of theme and bril- liancy of histrionic presentation, looks like a negative. The underly- ing Americanisation propaganda Is typical Cohan stuff of another order. Given the situation of a first gen- eration Jewish-American family with the offspring finding nothing of domestic interest worthy of their social association with their par- ents, the boy and the girl of the Le- vmc family are practically estranged from their parents but for an occa- sional return home for a hasty din- ner and an Immediate exit on their own pleasures bent. Beth Levlne. with an,Interior decorator's inclina- tion, has made a practice of staying at her "girl friend's" Greenwich Vil- lage studio for two and three and four days at a stretch. The long and short of It finds the aged couple taking to night school as a means for cementing the.fam- ily ties. Along with them, the Le- vtnes bring their Italian and,Irish and Slovaklan and African neigh- bors to Samuel Korn's night school. The "melting pot" theme packs quits a bit of punch and the Ameri- canization motif Is not only whole- some, patriotic stuff, but likely to Ho something at the box office. But here Is the main shortcoming. The propaganda, for such it is in the main, Is wasted on Broadway. The Times square theatregoers are no audience upon whom to impress assimilation and kindred ideas, al- though that's great stuff for the ghetto. As as a matter of fact, if ever a legit producer wants to es- say altruism, "We Americans" pre- sents itself as an inspired advantage for downtown support. Edwin A. Relkin, the crack Jewish publicist who has done so much for George Jessel's "Jazz Singer," in the form of Jewish support through na- tive exploitation, has the proposition in hand of exploiting "We Ameri- cans" for the East Side and Bronx- ite trade. If Relkin can't bring them up or downtown, it is suggested thai Harris take "We Americans" to an East Side playhouse and serve a patriotic cause with this sort of en- tertainment-propaganda. If needs be, translate It into the Yiddish: In fact, such translation is almost in- evitable. The native appeal Insures downtown success. The casting is superb. Halt of the players never heard of Broadway, excepting by reputation. The prin- cipal pair, Clara Langsner and Muni Wisenfrend, as the aged mother and father, register with a memorable and Inspired perform- ance. Both are from Yiddish legit, as are most of the rest. There's no question but that those Yiddish legits know how to troup. Similar histrionics from a Lambs' clubber would place him .among the theat- rical Immortals. The cast Is evenly excellent. Allsa Lawson as the discontented daugh- ter, and Charles Ellis as the sym- pathetic vis-a-vis were good Im- pressions along with Sam Mann and Ruth Lee in low-comedy parts. The play Itself, If it bad kept up that first act pace, would rate as truly great. But from the pathetic character study of the humble Le- vine household, it switches Into the night school set in the second act. Impressing as one of those Gus Ed- wards' "schoolroom" acts with the mature pupils doing the same stunts at 13 that Edwards had the Irish. Italian and Jewish comedians pull at "four bits." The entire proceedings grip the most calloused. But considering everything else, Harris should make money regardless. The film rights insures that. Apropos of the authors, in view of Max Slegel's Broadway novitiate as a playwright, he deserves some comment. Siegel Is the original creator of "Wo Americans," Cropper (remembered for his collaboration on "Ladles of the Evening") being tailed in for* revision. Siegel is Sam Harris* office secretary and general factotum, also former confidante of Augustus Thomas when the P. M. A. was flourishing. Abet Juarez and Maximilian Theatre Guild's first production of the season, called "dramatic history In three acta and 13 pictures." by Frans Wsrfel (author of "The Goat Sons'' and "Schwel- ger"). Translation by Ruth Langner. Pro- duced under the direction of Philip Moeller at the Guild theatre. Oct. 11. Also drat appearance of the Theatre Oulld Acting Company, organised tor a repertory era- son. Mariano Escobedo Harold Clurman Porllrlo Dlaa Bdward O. Robinson Rlva-Palaclo Morris Carnovsky Mezlmlllaa Alfred I.nnt Caiilaln Miguel Lopes. .Edward Van Sloan Doctor Baach ..Albert Brunlng Grill (Servant) John Rvnne Madame liarrto Cheryl Crawford State Councillor Stephen Herafleld Earle Larlmore Empress Charlotte Clare Eamea Aruhblebop Labaatlda Dudley Dlggee Tbeodoslo Lares Perry Ivlns lawyer silieeo Ereetne Sanford funeral Tomaa Mejla PhlUp Loeb Francois achtlle Baaalne Arnold Daly Edouard Plerron, Aide to Baaalne * Maurice McKae Iturblda Fre.l.lle Stange Blaalo ••■•.....Sanford Meisner General Marques...... Dan Walker General Mtramoa..... Charles Allal* Corporal Wlmberger Stanley DeWolfe Yapltan Philip Leigh Polypbemlo Harold Olurmao Princess Agnes Salm Margalo Clllmore Joae Rlncon Gallardo Krsklne Sanford Official Roland Twombley Canon Sorts t Morris Oamovsky A magnificent production which achieves supreme rank for its beau- ty of staging but which makes Its appeal to a limited circle such as presumably la allied with the Guild as an Institution. How much It will draw from the outside public re- mains to be seen. Probably not much. As an eye-filling spectacle "Juarez and Maximilian" Is great; as an en- tertainment. It Is an evening of mental strain, which Includes the reading of elaborate program notes to elucidate the historical situation for such as have to be enlightened as to world politics of 1865. That ought to Include a fairly large per- centage «f New York In 1»2». What the author has done Is to dramatize in this passage of politi- cal history In Mexico the transition from the Old World rule of kings and princes to the ascendancy of the people's government. In the ex- position Maximilian Is drawn as a type of royal decadence. A sharply etched and very human bit of por- traiture Is this well meaning, but weak, Austrian archduke who ap- pears as a sort of nice old parlor bolshevist who got himself Involved in Latin American practical politics without knowing what It was all abount until he was stood up against the wall before a firing squad. So much of the story Is clear from sketchy assortment of episodes. There is little drama—drama of the theatre, that is—to the play and therein lie both its strength and weakness: its strength as an artis- tic transcript from the page of his- tory and its weakness as & play of popular theatrical appeal. The truth la that history should be dressed up with fiction for stage purposes. The bare facts as here presented lay all the labor of Inter- pretation on the auditor who Is likely to resent the work. This stage Maximilian is rather too Intricate a personality for the author's and actor's purpose. As usually happens in these biographical plays, the pic- ture is laboriously built up by de- tails and the drama Is secondary to the fidelity of the portrait. All of which does not make for general theatrical Interest. There are some shrewd thrusts at the stupidities of democracy, such as the colloquy between the soldiers In the third act. Maximilian's own soldiers don't know what they're fighting for and. cars less There Is much bitter satire at the higher social orders and again at the wiles of priestly politicians, all elements which are maneuvering the dream- ing Max toward his doom. But no- where do these things further the obvious drama, which always is out of sight beneath surface common- place. The stage pictures represent the Guild at Its best, which Is supreme. The play Is divided Into three acts, each act being sub-divided Into four scenes, so that splendid pictures fol- low each other in stunning succes- sion. In details, such as rich effects of tropical sunlight and star-lit southern night. In Interiors of regal simplicity and out-door scenes of unobtrusive realism, the staging ex- presses the last word In graphic technique. Alfred Lunt Is nearer to real- izing Maximilian than almost any other actor who comes to mind. He has the stature, the poise and the subtlety the role calls for In such a treatment, a treatment that must have gone amiss In a more theatri- cal player. Claire Eames contributed a ratber pale part In the Empress and Arnold Daly was his usual self in the person of Bazatne, Marshal of France and agent of Napoleon IIL Rush. ON APPROVAL Charles Dillingham presents a Dew eom. edy by Frederick Lonsdale, staged by Atbole Flewert. settings by James Reyn- olds. At the Galecy Oct. la, UBS. W SO top. Helen HayH Kathleen MacDonnen Mr. Wlslaek Violet Kemble Cooper Duke of Bristol. .. w Hu';rw^itteti With the Intensified competition of this day and age In the metro- politan theatre, a modest little gem like "On Approval" Is rather brutally outdistanced. There was a Urns when any touch of brilliancy, any contribution of cleverness and dis- tinction, created a furors. That day has passed before the caterpillar tank of threescore theatres, the hec- tic and the sexy and the sensa- tional and the tremendous. In the t«'s the critics would have smacked their keen Una over the witticisms, the cynicisms and the aphorisms of this latest Lonsdale playlet. Its central Idea might have been denominated "daring." Today the whole thing Is tame, lukewarm and as mild as a cup of nice, strong tea. Not thai the preposterously witty Lonsdale hasn't again clicked as a llnester. He never wrote In mors cunning vein or more scintillating humor. But a four-people talking quartet. In which nothing much happens, all having to do with Eng- lish folks In a series of rather too- often-done situations, la pretty thin stuff in a catalog that shrieks with "An American Tragedy," "Broad- way," "The Shanghai Gesture." "The Captive" and "Abie's Irish Rose." If putting on anything that Lonny writes is a duty, then Charlie Dill- ingham should be thanked formally for carrying it out. Otherwise one might Impertinently observe that for such a busy and Important man he has little to do, stopping between his might shows to provide for the birth of such as "On Approval.'* He did what he had to do beauti- fully. The settings are exquisite— nothing short of that His casting la 75 per cent perfect. And he gives It one of his most popular and cen- tral theatres. And when he has fin- ished he has probably nothing—no possible picture rights, no road po- tentialities at all, and scarcely any- thing nourishing for ths New York stay. It Is a tale of high-born rotters against supposedly sensible people— a cross of the sexes. A rich pickle heiress Is In love with a rain and selfish duke; a poor man Is enam- ored of a rich widow. Ths widow proposes a sort of trial marriage (sans Intimacies) for a month, and the four go to her lodge In Scotland. ^Marie Saxon FEATURED WITH CLARK & McCULLOUGH IN PHILIP GOODMAN'S "%AMBJCe%S" at the Lyric Theatre, New York has complimented the taste of Nat Lewis by selecting, in his establishment, the hosiery and gloves which she wears so charmingly in the "Ramblers." PURSES : GIFTS : LINGERIE New St. Regis Shop fifth Avenue *ti)th St. 409 Madison Ave. St Forty elshth St. Wddorf-Astoria 34th St. (Mad Fifth Ave, 1580 Broadway wnk m—h D«»l.