Variety (Nov 1928)

Wednesday, November 14, 1928 L E G ITI M A T E VARIETY 55 Plays Out of Town WHOOPEE Pittsburgh, Nov. 2, . - . , -■ , ^ !7,P.rteld'B latest musical comeay. In two nu. it have its Uiny: and a Hnal con 12 scenes, based upon comedy, "Npr- fessio.n, . "I' wre.^u:" Book by William Anthon> Tho EiinMish f;imilv. nlrivecV b finnl stanza is the mothor who un- burdens hfrMelC Of a .(^Toat preach- ment, that lovo, youth, sex, oto., The English family, plriyed by; the English cast, lapses baclt into respectability. . . And not' one laugh to relieve , it. 'Troulpe. goO(l,.enough. Clare l<:Uimef: gives a- suppressed, emotional . and altogether excellent performance as f^' WrMk"" Book bT William Anthon. «/^rulre inU3l<r by Walter Donaldson; i^rSs by GuTKahn.^ Scenes by ^Joseph Ur- I'^^ i" ensembles by Seymour rellx; . cos^ Sfmis deffii by John W. Hardrlder. Cast Sdea EdSlfe Cantor, Ethel Shutta; Fran- liDton Ruby Keeler, Chief Caupolican, &^EUln'g. Tam a Geva:. At Nlxpn theatre. i/ir^fffeld took this. town by the .the nurse. Mafy Jerrold did verj v-oT^t? this week ahd led it just where well with the preachy mother..wliile Jl wanted It to-go. By the time Hubert Hai-den did rigbit well a^ "whoooee" opened. Tuesday (elec- the Major. Robert Harris got much ♦ •^nVniJiht he had the dailies and out of the wheel chair. Gasha ♦vJr tixDayers as interested in the Prlngle, as the wife, okay. JJiniiere as they wereinthe Smith-l ^fral■in Hoover thing. arlstocratsf of "West 23d street. New York, where the brownstonc fronts were an indication of the wealth and aristocracy of the early 70's. Glve^ a glimpse of manner and dress of those faraway days and how' the demeanor of the present generation has changed since- that time. ■ . Ellen Mingott married Count Olenska when she was 17 and- went to Europe , to live, . Tht marriage was an unhappy one; Years later Ellen returned to her home in New- York, leaving her Count behind. She met Newland Archer, boy sweetheart Although NewLind was Engaged to marry May van der Luyden, he fell in love with Ellen, Who shared Archer's taste for poli- tics. Ellen likewise loved Archer, wTiofn she had always adored since girlhood. Madly In iQve with Ellen, Archer married May through the insistence and urge of Ellon to ai>hiove his ambition. !?he beoainc self-sao- nticing ohielly beeau.se in those days lionor nu-ant more than happi- ness. Newland planned a- divorce from hi.s wife so' that he would have Ellen. Ho was willins? to give i, up his'career for her, Ellon, after resisting his love and affection, for which she craved for many months, finally consented-to go away A-ith him; but gave up the plan when she received a visit .from May.-who informed her that she w-as. about to give birth to a child. • Ellen left, the country and re- turned to Europe with her Count, whom she' despised. . .The > Count died 10 years latei^ as did No\v- land's wife, but noiiher the Countess nor Archer, who .lad reached fame, married. Forty years passed, and . Archer, with his grownup son, went to , Varis to visit Countess Olen.ska, While in Ellon's house Archer learned that the woman he had never forgotten to love had become feeble and old. Rather than spoil tlio illusion of the beautiful Woman ho had always loved by seeing her an old., run- down woman. Arfl\or left the house without mooting her aLcain,. but ad- vised his .son 10 bo a good: friend to her. This play has a historic appeal. It is siiporior to.somo of the pres- ent-day drama.s. The prodvvotion is unusually heavy and elaborate-^as a matter of fact, magnitlcont.' The play lasts thi-oe hours, Including .35 minutes for ihtei-mlsslons, but It Is well worth the while ilnd time. Reionda. . . .Pauline Denton ...... .Kirk Ames -.lE-IcIen Brooks .I.,awrcnce Adams .Erne*>t 'R. Shnrpe ......Inger Ghika , ..Zahar Martlnofl wis over big^and looks like ^a ^OST IMMORAL '^°Ji^Sht • Providence, Nov. .0. ^^T^^inl r-ini-nv works hiird and goes A new -comedy starring Alice Brndy. Eddie^CantOl ^orKS naiu <xi.u ^ Produced by Wllllnm A. ftrady and Dwight over. He's on and off as ouen ceere Wlman. By Townsend Martin Vie was in the -last "Follies, more stased by Mi^ W!"i::'i and .mv. . - t e*J^ fhnn anybody else in the com- tmga by Joe Mielzlner. Opera. House ^.^^Sl^^^t'^Zlii JnoSt stopped the show WUn its jj^^py^^gy Sa^rgg„t_;^_,,A„s^n Falrman if£>nr»inir and Ruby Keeler's tapping, j^hn Wllllame. Robert StranBe Steppmt, . ^j^j ^ honors. Alec Pryor............. .Sidney Booth won her secona o„_ie of r^aura Sargent. Alice Brady Chief Caupollcan has a^coupie o^ p^^^^^ Biyth Daly chest numbers that the people liked, i wiiiiams. Guido Nadzo tintiirdav night Ziegfeld said the Natalie Davis..., Pn„nno nonton »v,«^^was all right but there were Ned.....:... here and Ziggy said lie Was going Another Dancer. ni^el S5i;rom"s"cene""Ai'"the Jack ha, been spent on this pro- ^^^S'^tfandi now ''^^^ Bringing a duction to make it glamorous and ?^°/BprRose'° looks like the best pertinent to the jazz. age. The play ^^^^ The "Whoopee" number isn't contains good entertainment.^slzzly ^ f^rtJ on the tune end but gives repartee and brilliant sartoridl dis- who handle! it, a chance to play, bjit falls to click somehow, Cantor, who hanaies ii, «. despite the • work of Alice. Brady, ^*vW^ storv was obviously built to who is excellent. A general , accele- ^ivp Cantor ail the opportunities he ration of situations and^ less ex- SJa«t^<ii It's all about Cantor going traheous conversation will help. ZtTtor his nerves and bumping Laura Sargeant is the kind of, ir.>o riothinc but nervous situaftlons. mamma one simply can t resist, and Two of those situations are a Lin- Miss Brady makes her that kind/>f ^o\n automobile and six horses. a gal. Lads of all ages fall for her. Kcale $7^0 op^ night and $5.50 but Laura is discreet and always rest of. the week and capacity 2,600 succeeds in getting away with her set a new mark in live nights, philandering. Because she is ^ so Ziecfeld brought 220 . people, in- frank there is real, surprise in the eluding the e^t. here to get the situation that shows^her and hubby show ready. Goes-to Newark from framing a wealthy Old boy whrt^has. here then to the New. Amsterdam. fallen victim to her charm. When Heie, tnen x.o ine in i "irate" husband makes his ap- cAr-Oirr* FI AMF pearance.he suggests that matters aACKtiU ri-i:^mM might be fixed with a check ana A, .vaaiiigton, Nov. 13. . Laura's suitors . . always com6 Mesamoro Kendall and Gilbert Miller h^^^ piescnt a new play Jjy W-^?'0%'^^^H The business Is going great untl^ Maugham. Staged by. Mr. Muier, -^^r^^ ^aura really falls for a young mu- 5l"S^T^J^t^^'?!:.f.^^:.^ Ham. Liclan. nephew of one of her . erst- . Dr Harvetfer AV:;;^^^^ - •>. • ^Stanley Logan ^^lle victims. In .the midst Of .a Mrs. Tarbet • *'J^lo^^l T?^mt,s tender little love scene the ublqmt- . Nurse Wayland.............-Uaro^Eamcs^ hybby appears and, thinking ti^^;"Vinon,\R **'*''*'*VVlHdbcrt Harden the boy is on the make like the.rest,- eteJra l'^?Se?.^//;;//;.:VV;.-.\a.ha Prln^le [hcs the badger game.. Uncle breaks Colin a'arbet..........-.---'^n<-*»°"y Mntp the apartment and the scheme. —^- -: , . Jls exposed. The boy, broken,heart- Here is one with the thinnest runs to. the arms of a, gin-tip- . . *v,at tflika . itself to I pjjjig little blonde 'who seertis to want him until she gets him. Laura Is crushed, breaks off with her busi- ness partner-hubby and goes to They all go to Paris and possible Story tha,t talks itself to death. , First act is boring to the ex- treme. Other two about on a par ^^^^^ but considerably aided, by the rather pa^jg capable craftsmanship of Mr. Kgre they meet In a cabaret. "This •Maucham who then seemingly got scene is lavishly devised. The boy s into his stride whether he had a hjvife is all ginned up and-proceeds lto?y or not. , to" heck a Spanish sweetie^ In view A very English family played by of one and all. She fades from the ft very English cast, with the elder scene with,the dashing spic, warn ton the victim of an airplane crash mg hubby that if he follows fire that nermanently injures his spine works will ensue. - - ^^ , ^ onT veir after he is married. A Laura Is sorry for the boy and ^ ^lilJn-irli..^ ^'TouflS-'lift to „Hte yo„r :ow„ that has paid ^jif^'"'Jjifa "Jf °^ '''^Ih'e't^^^ Is adequate plus, with With that set of people ^ MiMPlex.^^^^^^ Maugham takes his family througn .fi^''^*"'; = ^ischt caused the the death of the h"sba"d '^'^^^.^ ^nagS^ chairs into .charge of . murder from the i^^^^^^^^ pit.-GritiGS hore found •The entire first act is f«J0^^,J° ^^^a^ m^^^^ entertainment, .planting the love of the invalid foH t^^ Piay panning. Miss the wife. He is in a ^^eel chair and tner^^^ o ^ ^^m- Sccond act. husband died f^ ^e^t as the scenic effects of Jo- the night. Nurse says he was, mur- ?lfl\^'j^|j."'^ dered and the medico won't listen Mleiziner. ^ to her. Act closes with the nurse ^y^p |-vc- llMTMnrFNCE informing the a.ssembled family .AGE W . IININUL.E-I^V*^ that the Wife is to have a baby. j^i^any. Ni T„ Nov. 10. This to supply the motive. . Gilbert Miner presents "The Age of Jn- Third act devoted . to a six-way nj^e^pe,.. ,,rama. m Ave scenes^, Btarrlng bawe royal to get the nurse to pipe Kathartne Corne.ir^^^^^ down and the nurse forced ^to ^'VTg'^t^AycT Ba?^^^^^^^ Staged by ^" ' Guthrie Mc.OlintIc Up her iove olT. "service" for husband and the direct accusation that the wife killed the husband The greatest argucr during thi? Born to be laughed at— Next Week (Noi): 19) STATE, NEW YORK Afice irordvoe........... .'Marparet. Barker Tom Hainllton ■ • • • -Henry Rli-h^rd Mrs Henry van dfr lyuydcn. .laa'bel Irving MM Man.son Mlngntt,, .Katherlno S ewarl M^. Henry van der Luyden.rr^^-^r C.oulter Julius Beaufort. • • -^"J^'^. May van dcr.I.uyden '■'' n^^fj^^^^/a Newland Archer... Rpllo rctcrs Vllen Olcriska .Katharine C6rne11 The Dukc of St. Au8trey....I'eter Spencer \T,lcfn<ia , Glannlna uatll Sen i:<;tVcVblair AIbert Tavernier Newland" Archer," Jr Francbot Tone When you have a combination of ^a hovel .like that .-of Ed^lth Whrtrton and a casV-wlth Katharine Cornell, Roll0 Peters and Arnold Korff .you can't go wrong with a play ^bucn is the case with "The Age of Inno- cence,'? promlpre at. the Cnpitol. here, Thur.«day. . . It df-als with the days of tho An opportunity to every branch of the show business to place itself on record for the talking picture presents itself with the 23d Anniversary Number of Variety, pub- lished in December. It allows of players and acts announcing themselves in that issue, which would thusly become practically a directory, to which reference will be made for months to come. It gives acts especially that have made talking shorts the opening to publicize themselves and billing, so that picture exhibitors playing their shorts may have some in- formation at hand as to billing when their particular shorts arrive. This is necessary publicity for the talking short acts, since the exhibitors have no information at present concerning them. ^ Legit and other players should go on record in the 23d Anniversary Number through announcement, for their names to be available at all times. Brief mention of their stage experience, including titles of plays they have ap- peared in, will be helpful to talking picture casters. • Other attractions, including novelties or freaks, will find valuable publicity in the same Number, for talking short possibilities. Announcements may be «ent to any Variety office. Usual advertising rates. I t ,1 .