Variety (Jan 1929)

Wednesday, January 0, 1929 LEGITIMATE VARIETY 63 Chesny Wold and the audience gigr- cled. ' ,0 Mls3 Anglln doubtless chose the Dickens story because it permits of ^ dual role, that of. Lady Dedlock 3,nd her red-headed, buxom French maid.. . The supporting cast contains peveral players o£ repute. One, John Ivaricowich, Is quite new to Broadway. He is known in stock circles on the coast In the Duffy- Ebey companies. He is capital as Mr. Tulkini^hprn, spur pld solicitor with secret grudge agaijlst, Lady Dodlock. No character Iri the play Bcemed more faithfully enacted, JIubert Druce as Inspector IBUcket of Scotland yard also turned in a good performance, They say that "Lady Dedlock" was only booked into the Ambassa- dor for three weeks but that it may move to another theatre. Hardly likely. As cut rating and audiences of that typei'Won't go for a .'show like this; Ihee. CAPRICE Theatre ■ Guild pi'oduc'tloh of society play Iji three acts by Sll-Vani. Translated and otaped by Phillip Moeller. SettlnRs by AUno Bernstein.' At Guild theatre start- ing Dec. 31.- Counselor Von EcharcVt.........Alfred tunt Ilsa Von Ilsen.......'.... I. .Lynn -Fontanhe Robert . Douglas. Montgorriery Amalla. .Lily Cahlll Th" Doctor ...-.EJrnest Cossart Clerk. ..• >t.« I ..'.Leonard Loan Ulinma. .Caroline'- NeVvoomb A Lady....... .Geneva Harrison "Caprice" Is ; a. light, . frivolous, drawing-room piece, relying almbist entirely upon, performance and ' jproduction. The spectator ciarrles nothing away save the .memory of beautiful acting and an iinpresslbn of adroit craftsmanship by Phillip Moeller whoi did it in£o English from Sil-Vara's Austrian and breathed animation into what must othei'wise have been just a manu- script. . "Caprice" classifies somewhere near Behrman's "The Second Man" and Barry's .'Taris Bound," It Is quite likely to develop the same sort of following. It Is too fragile for the subway riders. The story Is : Interesting as a proposition but lacking In substanoo and guts In the develppifient. It becomes simply an exh'')ition of manners and conversation. Its emo- tions and . motivation are Involved, whimsical and slightly stiff. There are moments when Moel- ler's cleverness Is not able tb keep free of Incipient ennui because of the failure of the characters to achieve tensity or Sympathy. The actors hold the audience but the characters do not. Lynn Fontanne is constantly In- teresting because of her charm and skill as an actros.s, ,f>lfred Lunt plays as he does most-of his roles, in faultless groomint,'-, diction and poise with a "loft-hunded twist to his lines that mako.'^ cDniinonplao*'- noss seem like- lritlos,(?onf. wiv In scones Ijol.wo.on this niCty oci-mbo thf gigslos are aconmplishr nlinoat entirely on delivery. Tiicy turji ■ pale cpiKranis into siKippy ' como- backs,' ' . . : Douglas ■Mo'niKonii.u'y. '.vitiil Ihos- pi-^n ■ .strongly .^ufrwrttive of Lum himself. Is excellont; ,is i ho . son al- though probably few . porsons have ever seen a youth oC IC qiill..' like him; . ■. >. ■ „'. The other partvs are just bits, ex- cepting Lily Cahill's. yiie is ciuietlv olllcient in the. mothc-j- role.. .All in all, "Caprice" because of Its ultra qualities should . got aor.oss for a moderate enpof^emont. . . Land. HELLO, MOLLY (YIDDI Operetta In two acts, H'Umshlsky and Jacob Shane Rachel Simkdff, s'eph Rumshiaky. . Dlri; lich. Dances staged Starring Molly Picon, nue, Jan. 5; $3 top. Mr. Springer.* •Mrs. Springer;.,....,.. Molly, their daughter.; Yo.sel, their son....:'... Ynnkd..... ........ rJecky, his wife........, Harry. ., May...... .A. lawyer Princess Natasha....... Sonor Rosen; .■ Walter................. SH) . produced I by .Tosoph . Kalk'h. Hook by- with, niii^ic by Jo- ctod .by J6.sp))h. ICn- . :l)y Ro.-5e Gordon. At .tlu> Second Ave- ,..;... .gam Kasten ,..-. .Hose GrocntU'ld ........Molly Ficon . , i .,,.. Max .Wllner ....... .Leon Chares ,...Clare. iTonikman ,. .Irving Grossman . ...Gertrude Hulniiin . .Hurnrvh S.herolsky ......Betty Slrn<in6ft ...-.■.Max Rosenbla'.i i,... i,. ^Sam L«'yin It would take but two or three more lustreless productions of th;s calibre to send the name value of the most biJtstandlng . of Yiddish theatre istars down to a level from which there would be no recovery. This musical Is without one original creation. Kvery, dance number; mpst of the cornedy and the cplnedy clincher of the evening, an imita- tion of a ventriloquist's dummy, have been lifted bodily from up- town legit and vaudeville attrac- tions. "The material taken is mostly out of date, and even if new has, with the exception of the dummy imitay tion, little possibility when trans- lated, and transplanted for an East Side audience: The anglicization of the Yiddish stage, »,among other things, Is contributing to its de- struction. If going to the Yiddish theatre patrons are evidently im- bued with the desire to Bge a, na- tional type of songs and comedy, or why Imitations .when the original Broadway is only flvo minure.s and live oi'nts wcfrth away? Miss Picon, as.delectable, as viva- ciPus and as attractive as ovi-r. is .•ioeniiiiirly the victim of some kiiui of a. sinister plot. Evory oni< in lii-- oast ■ hi.),ns the stagp iiit-'rinin iMy witlidut diiing anything \V(inli wliilt'. Bur iho star is limited to liriel' l^Oiiranees of a briefness-Avliieh wil proliahl.j shorten th(> run of tli.- tn": iliJi'tion. ■ Jrvin.u:. riro.^-sniuii, a' soU'iiDi-fai'i- i wa.rbkV of grave mien and- jii>nl.\' bearing, does the. shy,, innoeen; country youth .w-ith the; graeo anil .slneerity tliat one of snvli, W(>i;^hi aiid. looks could lond to sueh a eliai- ucteri/.atlon. He's got his .slo<'Ves niHi n]i, we.irs .in iijK'n otUI.ir sliin, .M.il ti.e nii>,si d.-.ii.jaiislied p.'u't III li.s ip.>i-!''icuK.!ue i.-i ihe waist liru', \viu» !i .-|)ii::s ilu' ynuitihil .■ef- ^. ,>>f .111,.,.,,.j * in yaudi'vi'.lc. llivp vuejil niin)lioro !v-isi.M' (i.ei;mso of u-iMahvlivo fona. 'Vii;iliiy .ar.d expressive delivery. Wilh tlu'si' sir(Mi,i,'ly niarked (iiiall- _lit s anil dvfeets .M iss I'leun has-lieen ■jilai'ed in a nwisieal vv>;ir)i pi-ov.id(>s jniainly for hoollng and vooij.1 inter- i pretations, tuo niueli nieanin(.'les« {dialog and very little eoniod\. The I'OuU is ."^liiu atnl iiii.Lrht have l).i'*ii taki-n from any pivlure iilay- injr any of the d.iily changt grind picture houses. Tlu^ %voalth.\ larmcr wants to diva-eo liis wifo to marry a cal>aret n'wl. His daughter siiowS. Iviin the.uirl is only after his nionoy and dresses up. nianmia so .'is to make the. old Imj f;il] for liri- over ap-ain.' >/.nn K'asK'n is the stroufii.-t vard on the :lineup for re.«ult.^. l)aneing nun\be.i-s sirenuovis and eilieient, but. also ii.ossessed of a line vpice and carriers one of .the iniportiini. rules., OOT OF TOWN REVIEWS FIORETTA . Baltimore, Jan. 4. . "Fioretta," romantic Venetian opcri^tln hv api.TKC Jlagby and G. Romlllf, Hook ad;ipi- od by ■ Charlton Andrews. Book statjert by CUftvrd .Brooke. Dancing cn.«icnil);o.s bv Le Roy Prltia. Art (llrectlon by Clurk Robin- ;son. Starring Leon Errol, Fannie iMcO and Lionel Atwlll and featuring Dorothy Knapp, Theodore Karle, George Hciu.'^fon, .ray Urennan and. Tessa Konta.' I'foduocd by Karl Carroll and presentcjl for the first limo on any. stage at Ford's theatre Bhlli- innrc, wi?ek beginning Dec. 31. Duke oC Venice. ■.Tbeo. Karic IXichOHS of Venice. ............ .Ti'.'V'.-i Kost.i J est CM-, , ;CU'mcnl 'I'aylor Serijeam..; .Martin Shc-ppanV Count JVIattep Dl prozzo.. >i. .I..lbnol Aiwili Ilgo., '......; Jv<30 Hard'-ll Marietta *....iVIrglnla .H'u,\vkiiis Don Mngda... ^Carol ' Kingsbiiry Carlotla..............Margaret Manner? Ma reel le...' Fa 11 h Ba co n Chcllfa .................. .Elsie Pwlrick Prlnf Ipeijsa dr' Collona.. . .Hazel Forbes: Gulspppa...•■. ;,.>■.... ... .Rita Crane Oil vet la .,,..; Ida T^ocusi Camilla.,......................Lillian .Locust .lesslra ,,, .'^,.,...;.: Illjd.'i. Locu.^t Reglnclla...... .Mildred Ix)cu>Jt Floretta Pepolt.........^...Dorothy ICnapp Julio PepOll...,. .Leon Errol ROsamanda..'. . .Margari't Joyce Silvia, Vivian Wllflon Luceita..... ...v.. .Peggy Tnylor Orslno d'Andrea,.George nou.ston' Tito..'. .Harry Ooldberg. Marc'he.s.a Vera di LIvlo.....'.Fannie Bricc C'aponetti ; Juy Urennan MuniuLs FlUppo. .Charles Howard Ro<lo)ro .Stuart N. Farrington Count di Kovere. .■;Ben \X\xi Baron Llulldobaldo .i... ..Harold saas Viscount I'nsqualino E. Arthur Trico- Earl or Frogosa .Richard ShiidiUvk Prln<-e of Gonzaga... . ....Thomas lirrtckton Do Rond-Polnt... ,.. .....D,'John l>aMahna There Is enough visual beauty in "F'ioretta" to dress two regular mu- sical comedies, while the trapping.? Jettisoned after the five-hour pre- miere New Year's eve would fit out several Winter Garden revues. There aren't, enough good Songs and lyrljs in llio piece to luu over a "O-inlnutc tall in VaUiloville. liowever, h,nd- tliar's why the whole expi-n.sive pri ■ duction's iirst need Is tlu^ vsorviee or i;roadway tune and ciiatler special- ists. The bouic,'whUe, convciuional,. is an.aeceptable framework, and many musical oomcdios li.ivo *. riddvn to success on .worse- ones. The wholt.' thing was so-excessively long Mpnr day'night and so frantically.,and in- considerately cut on the succeeding, nights that a just api)i-aisal of the libretto's possi.liilltios is hardly pos- sible. A guoss is that it.wlll do, but tlie store and. lyrics need revision aiid e)n'ichmr>nt. Carroll has -apparently signed up every- one available, regardless .of whetlier there was ma.teriai In, the book for them. They have bee;ri handed fancy Italian Konaissane.e titles, a couple of sides and told t.- strike out for themselves. Som? swim through the two .acts, and 14 scenes successfully; others flound.-^r in the .sea of scenic sijlendor, Fannie Brice Is all dolled up In IStli century Venetian silkg and s.atins that wholly stifle her style. She 'ju!5t can't get going, and it is only for xa brief moment when she, in apparent desperation, lifts per panniered skirt and displays her comic pedals, that the audience gets a brief moment of the entertaininri Fanny they have been waiting for- For the better part of the long eve- ning, however, her artistry la wast- ed,. This goes also for Jay Bronnan,. her. foil. Ho has little to do. It is diflicult to figure but whv Lionel Atwill is in the lengthy cast. His work is suave, polished and in- teresting, but there are any number of musicil comedy actors who opuid better fill the role. It is Leon Errol's show, He alono finds Opportunity , and latitude for his comic clowning. It's a safe bet lliat a good deal . of tliis was ad libbvd during rehe.a.rsals, hut it's there now, and it saves the. .show, Krom his wplendid :entrance—luM-ald- ed by an enormous bar, us he sliin- hies oyer a parapet from a gondola on the CJr.and Canal—to his <luolog Willi the best trained donkey.in the Iirofession late in . act two, Errpl. carries the show. Theodore Karle, lifted from the ebucei-L platform, makes good use of■ Iiis voice with limitod, .opportuni- ties. Dorothy knapp is very easy *o look at, but her histrionics and first act dancing need plenty more re- Ivearslng. Tessa Kbsta was a loss,. She had little to do but pOse In. dueal splcntlor. George Houston is. an agile eiiibodimeht of. romantic . young manhood, but handicapped by lack of . adequate song material., His big bpport-unlty with a fine male- chorus in a wine cellar scene f.alls flat because of the ti"itehess of a numbei" entitled "Carlssirha." There are only two song hits. One is a comic entitled "Wicked Old Williige of Wenice,"' sung by Brlce, Bt;ennan. and Charles Howard In act one. The other, also In a<-t one, , la the title number of the show and Is sung by Giovanni Guerrerl and a i>lg male chorus before a curtain 'n "one." Both numbers stopped tha show, ns did the dancing of iSnbw and Cohmibiia. The show Jammed 'em In here, smashing all house records, but it needs fixing; for you could furnisVr the Balace of the Doges wlth' the efr fects of "Fl(u-etth." Tall. STOCK MGES. POSTPONE It's announced that the nieetinir of the . Tlieatrical t^tock Man;igers' Association set for late in Janu- ary has been pbstponed until March, 48th STREET THEATRE NEW YORK Henry Mears Presents IN BROTHERS By HERBERT ASTON, JR. Staged by ARTHUR HURLEY ff NEW YORK "TIMES" ''tTvatioTTto^X^peTrir^^ NEW YORK "HERALD TRIBUNE" JiI-.,yAdLa^ddiff htJn dual-role .". „ NEW YORK "AMERICAN" "Lytell clicks—'Brothers' is super melodrama.' NEW YORK "EVENING POST" •Lylell has .'IT.'