Variety (Sep 1928)

VARIETY'S LONDON OFFICE 8 St. Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square FOR EIG N CABLE ADDRES3: VARIETY, LONDON 6276-6277 Regent Wednesday, September 19, 1928 London as It Looks By Hannen Swaffer I tliousht 1 )K!(1 fxpusod thin "brilliant first niBht". bunk. No! It (Still ffocs on. When Arnold Biniu trs play, "Tlip Return Journey;" was produced by Gerald duMaurior, tli.e Morning Tost remarked, "It was, a great joy TO roooprnize liow tlu> dignified tradition of "West End premieres, which OJie must now call old-fa.'^hipned, has been preserved; Here, for oiice, .wa.<i a gchiiincly critical; highly di.stinffuished and fully representative audience, iindoniinated by any orgies of hysterical excitement and per- sonal adulation from upstairs... As in the old Pinero days, onie felt that one .was in; a theatre where anything like vulga[r ostentation would be sheer sacrilege." ' . The Plain Truth This, is almost the sillie.'<t bunk I have.ever read.. The truth Is there is never any "hy.><terjcal excitement," or "personal adulation" at the St. James, becau.se the gallery does not like Gerald; du Maurler, whereas, for some mjvsterious reason, it does like Tallulah Bankhead. Be.side.s, when I come to ask what this "genuinely critical, highly dis- tinguished and fully representative audience" consisted of, 1 turn to the "Daily Mail," where I read: "The. sta.lls were full of celebrities. Miss Ellaline Terriss and her daughter, Miss Betty Hick.s, were there, and so were Mr. George Arliss, .who wears an eyeglass, Mls.s Ellis Jeffi-eys, Miss F.ay Compton, Lady AV'yndham and Mi\ Nor»na.n Forbes." Xu.w, those are the only celebrities the "Daily Mail" could find. The truth is that with the exception of Lady Wyndham, who has rfe- tired, they were all out-of-work actors and actres.ses, who always go to first nights when they can get free seats. Ellis Jeffreys was there, of course, because her son, George Curzoh, was In the play—and he got the ,"'notices." The morrient you exaniine this "distinguished audience'' stuff yoU find it is. the liunk. • .Still it goe.s on, year afer,yeai'. ■; Thie Children Wjcht to See ; , .. - Neither du Maurier or Gladys Cooper'seems to have successes-: It took a lonj? time to got '•Excelsior," as Gladys now calls ;"L'Ecole d'e£; Co-, cpttes," through the Censor; and as proof of the new attitude towards pliays of this .sort, the "Mbrning Post" quite calmly states: "The'fact that Miss Glady." Cooper's own ehildren enjoyed it-from a box is suificient justification of her faith in its purport." ■ John Emerson and the Talkies ; . John En>erson is back from Vienna, .much better. In fact, when I met him, the other iiight, he.seemed very well. He is returning to New York Sept. 19, where he still hopes to readjust some of the Equity tro.tible. . The hew demand for actors, caused by the talkers, ihay change the. whole course of Equity's policy about foreign actors. I think he agrees with me about thl.s. The talkers make their real bow to England at the Piccadilly, where "The Jazz Singer"! opens Sept. 27. I am looking forward to some fun. The knockers are bu.sy. There is a lot of vested interetet behind the silent stage. The Palladium Shows the Way . The Palladium's opening caused various expert views to circulate, I felt that the Palladium's way of using curtains and speeding up the pro- gram was a great change in the English mu.sic-liall. Some Americans present/ however,, were. very, cynical and said, "That won't do unless they will pay the money for the big American turns." The. worst turn on the program by far was a dreadful sketch written by Ivor Novello, who appeared in it himself, .with Phyllis Monkman. This was beneath contempt. ! Novejlo. was put top of the bill. ' It is a scandal, to my mind, that vaudeville artists, who have spent their lives in doing the best work they can in the halls, should have their names so often under those^ of semi- cpnipeten legitimate or film arti.sts, engaged for a week or t\vp merely bec.iuse someone said once that they had a "following.'* After all, the regular stage treats variety with contempt. It thinks anything will do. It puts oii "'the halls" playlets that no theatre would stand, a:nd then is sui-pri.sed when, for a change, some brave critic telIt the truth about it. Very few legitimate artists have made good on the music-hall stage. They haven't the si)eed., "They cannot "put themsleves over,"' Ivor No- vello's case.is one. of the worst that I remember. The Come-Back Vaude at Palladium Not in Spirit of Current Show Times By Frank Tilley WILLMAHQNEY Now at the Wilbur Theatre, Bos- ton, featured In "Take the Air." The Boston "American" said: " 'Take the Air' should be the class of musical shows for many weeks to come. And hold Will Mahoney responsible, for this great comic is the Babe Ruth of miislcal comedy;"' V Direction r RALPH G. FARNUM . 1560 Broailway Dresden Opera Events Dresden;: Sept, si- Dresden Is making a new bid for consideration as the musical center of . Europe, with an Impbsihg list of events for the season just opened, Features kre the premiere pro- duction Oct. 1 of Wolf Ferrari's opera "Sly" (pronounced "Slee"); the Qernian premiere of William Stearh's hew operia. "Der Schhee^ vogel" ("Snowbird")^ written sev- eral years ago by the American composer who now is in Dresden. Date for thIiB event has not yet been announced. . Other G«rman preniieres arie Puc- cini's "ErstaufI" and Tschialkow- ski's "The Nut Cracker," the lat- ter- with a special ballet. An active repertory season has already been Inaugurated with "Tannhauser," "Tlefland," ^'Othel- lo" and "Macbeth/' Business has been large with many Americans attending the performances. London, Sept, 8, Fur weeks Ix)ndon has been plas- tered with 12, 18 and 24-sheets sa,y- ing "Variety is coming back," Hav- ing seen some of " thif^ cow made by heavyweight native pugs, this seemed ominous. In the picture end 10 years. Be- fore that, 10 in the vaude, with occasional incursions into dramatic criticism. So, being a kind of vaude old-tinier, who sa>y Dan Leno end, Xauder b<^gln, AUce Lloyd ere ever she went to iAmerica; having child- ihood recollections of the days when vaude in London meant the Castle and the Forresters, the Montpelicr and the Ro-st-mary Branch, the Star at Bermondsey a.nd the Variotie.s at Hoxton; when red-no.scd comics sang of fleas, kippers, lodgers, mothers-in-law and cheese; when clogging was a riot and when sou- brt'ts and. series were daring, if they showed a garter (but what said— oh, boy), went to the resurrection of vaude by and at the Palladium. Now I know w^hy motion pictures HENRY CARSON AGCY. Tntrrniitlonal Variety, Picture Players and Theatrical ReprcBentatlves 78, Avenue des Champs Elysees PARIS Cables: Booking, Paris Phono! Elyeee 09-13 Good Acts Alwrays Needed are getting a greater and greater hold on the public. With two exception!?, there's no- body left on this side these days who knows how to make up a vaude program and how to put It over. And Stoll is the only one of these exceptions who knows aU of it. The opening ralladium bill was unbalanced and badly spotted. They closed with the 16 Ja,ck.son Girls, sure-flre act. But they "were killed by previously, three acts, do- ing tumbling and dancing) by being on so late and by . three succes.sive waits of ne.'irly. half a miniite with an empty sta(?e. The 7 . riindustahs, opening, are good enough for the spot. Dick Henderson, who got a lot of dough, was second. That he should be nearly a hoadlinor shows how vaude has fallen away. He is no better than, if as good as, one Dusty Rhodes, who pre-war was just a regular act. And Rhodes 'va-s never more than a.middle spot. Ann Codec's material was weak, and she had too much time. Her "rough stuff" proposal duct to close was very thin. The Di (iantos put a kick into the" "biir wiTh"^a~^dlTnTrinTr""act;=^ long, and some of it mediocre. Their new twi.st on an Apache Dance is worth seoinf?. Novello's Awful Sketch . There was a sketch, with Ivor Novello and I'hyllis Monkman. If this is essential to the revival of vaude, then it onpht to be quick a-dylng. Tjong, windy, pointless (Continued on page 58) Kellerman's Paris Bid Paris, Sept. 18. . Moulin Rouge jp negotiating with Annette Kellerma.n. The diving star is wanted" to hea.d the new revue scheduled for January. SAILINGS ,Oct. 5 (London to New York), Perry Corwey, Maxwell. and Lee (Stuttgart). Oct, 3 (San Francisco to Mel- bourne) Alberta Lee company, Er- gottl & Herman, Dan Downing (Makurl). Sept, 29 (London to New York), Nen Collins (Majestic). Sept,- 22 (London to New York) Mr. and Mrs. J. .J. Murdock, Mr. and Mrs. J, P. Kennedy, Pat Casey and party (Majestic). Sept, 26 (London to New York), Basil Gill (Majestic). Sept. 26 (London to New York), Three Sailors (Majestic). Septi 26 (London to. New York), Marlon Davies (Leviathan). Sept, 22 (London to New York), Hyde and Biirrill (Trscanla). . Sept.. 22 (London to New York), Willis and MacFarlane (Carlnthia). Sept, 22 (London to New'York), Lyn Harding (Aqultania). . Sept, 22 (London,to NeW York), Orth and Codee (Pennland), Sept, 21 (New York to London) Frank . Fay, Gertrude Milliken (formierly of Fan, Colly and Fan) (Olympic, • Sept. 19 (Paris to New York) Harry Fi-azee and son (He de France). . Sept, 19 (London to New York) Louis Dfeyfus (Homeric). Sept, 15 (London to New York) Alfred Taylor (Mlnhekada), Sept. IB (New York to London) Charles Farrell, Herbert Wilcox ^MsqfictanlaOv-vr - - .....-^^ Sept. IB (New York to London), Robert Ha-gu© and wife (Edith Botte),. Howard Llchey (Leviathan), Sept. 12 (New York to London), Frederick Lionsdale (Aqultania), Sept, 4 (Paris to Quebec), Porte Sainte Martin Acting Company (Ascania). An American Answers Swaffer On "Deportation'-Either Side The whole show business reads Variety^ . And many ot these readers Include Hannen Swaffer's coluipin In this. perusal. Like many other individuals, I haye frequently been edlAed by Swaffet*s remarks. But, like many of these, I was shocked at his instalment in Variety of Sept, 5. The English Critic makes various references to the (existence of perversity In his country, especially in the show business of London, He adds, "The stories that reach me from New York are Ju.st as ba.d," Quite true, on both cb'unts! , ■ But Harinen then proceeds to make especially pointed observa- tions concerning American show people, mentioning "an Amerlcain actress, how In London," and "an Aiherlcin actor, who Is now on your side," Of the one he asks, "Why do'n't they deport her?" and of the other he adds, "The deportation . . . wa;s daily expected two years ago," He culminates with "I do wish you Americans would get isome of your people home. They are among the worst offenders," • Which remarks certainly call for a; reply from someone! And since no one else has answered, here goes! ^ In the. very first paragraph Swaffer refers to a book recently published In England by a woman called Radclyffe Hall, "in which she pleaded for a more sympathetic attitude toward abnormals." A generation ago a book of this description was published in X <\v York. It was written by an Englishman who became a famo\is c e in America, Years later the genius of this type of writing, Oscar Wilde, a Britisher, gained International notoriety. Of recent years the scientific authorities on abnormality are the British autho'r.s, John Addington Symonds, Havelock Ellis and Edward Carpenter, " Female. Impersonators Swaffer goes oh, "they flaunt themselves upon the stage; they para;de themselves in public; they forni cli.ques and cpterles," This Is true .of New York as well as.of London, And Paris and Berlin, iahd Vienna and Rome. And everywhere else! "These creatures are flattered, and made a fuss of," says Swaffer, "they crowd places of amusement whenever one of their kind is performing," True! Vaudeville theatre.s In New York are packed with them whenever female impersonators are on the bill, including English importa- tiohs. Not only in vaudeville and nitislcal comedy, but also In legitimate productions. In the past Hannen has often referred to the charac- teristic following of two Englishmen, both of whbni have visited New YCrk. One came here and made a movie. Another came iand . acted on the stage. The latter was made much of in a certain set, smart and influential. Fot many years, also, a character actress, of British birth, toured the States with a company always o'verwhelmirigly queer. An Englishman, after acting for years in America, branched out as a producer. Another Englishman started as a dancer, but has also become a producer over here. And so. on, and on, and on. One of the best known English novelists, some oiE Whose .wo'rks have been dramatized, has visited America. Another, equally famous, has also had his stories dramatized, he too visiting these shores. But it has remained for Swaffer to suggest that such peo- ple be "deported!" The American actress presumably referred to by Hannan, in con- nection with the query, "Why do'n't they deport her?" was not esteemed very highly in her native land, biit was received with •open arms in. England. The American actor presumaljly referred to was an unknown quantity at home, but became a favorite abroad. Favored by English Swaffer .says, "The truth is that if civilization ■ were not hypo- , critical, the 'queer, people' of London, New .York, Paris and Berlin would have been driven out years ago'!" Driven where? From London to New York, and from New York to London? From Paris to Berlin, and from Berlin to Paris? A sort of fairy exchange that Is no robbery, There would not be room enough for all the Amer- icans to get into Piccadilly Circus, nor for all the English to get into Times Square! (Though certainly many of the Engli.sh have •got into the playhouses adjacent to Times Square!) Hannen refers to a woman "dressed in semi-masculine attire," and he proceeds with a reference to "The Captive." The recognized head of this sort of thing in New York, quite as conspicuous as the American actress mentioned by Swaffer ais being in England, happens to be of British parentage and birth. Not only are the theatres where she appears especially patroni:?ed by women of this type, her hohae is a rendezvous, as various neighbors are aware. If Hannen wishes that we Americans would get some of our people home, we Americans wish that the English would do' like- wise! However, if such a miraculoiis state of affairs could be con- ceived of, the Biblical chaper on "Exodus" would have nothing on the pandemonium that would reign, what with tens of thousands of English being shipped to"^ England, tens of thousands of Amer- icans shipped to America,'and all the ether nationalities being shipped to their respective homes! The nearest approach to a haven for perverts Is Taormina, Sicily, where a few T^cbres'English a American residents dWell;. and., whei-e several hundred visitors sojourn .each winter. . In the nieanwhile, leaving this unanswerable question still un- answered, as it was in the Sorlptural comments on Sodom and Go'morrah, as it was in Sappho's time on the Island of Lesbos, ais it was when Walt Whitman wrote "Leaves of Grass," when Theo- phile Gautier wrote "Madamolselle de Maupin," and when Alan Diale wrote "A Marriage Below Zero/' Hannen Sw^iffer's departnieht. might be nlcknamied his '.'deportment!" .' (The show business of all cbuntries can stand an isolated dis- cussion of this character in a show paper once in a decade. If for no other benefit than perhaps to subdue the continuous brazen- ness of the thing. With a request to Swaff not to reply. Two are quite enough.) The anonymous writer (known to Variety) Submitted a, list of 15 names, variously referred to In his story. $3,000 for Astaires London, Sept. 18. Fred and Adele Astaire arc j^intlxj'??Pi^''"S $3,000 weekly In "Funny Face." Leslie Henson, replacing Billy Kent in support, is getting $2,500. Americans Abroad In Paris: Mrs, John Barry more, Arthur Spizzi, John .McKcon, Sarah Parks Martin (Boston writer); Sue CarrallrEl la--Zr=flVoyT^-M PS;—<Bud Fisher; Bill Halligan, Tyler Brook; Ada May. DAVID STURGIS THE UNIVERSAL THEATRE The Hollywood, 7 Rue Daunou, Paris Telephone Louvre 03-83