Variety (Jun 1930)

^4 VARIETY LEGITIMATE Wedhisday, June 11, 1930 Plays on Broadway LYSISTRATA C'limfdy in two parlfi. Proscnted !>i the 44th ritroct Juno 5 by the fhila(li>l|ihi:i Thpatro Association. Ancient Urccli play by Arislophnnps. Versiiin by U Libert .SelilOb. Stapcd by Norman Hel Oi-dde.s. . ■ Lyslstraln Violet Mimbhi Ouisr The Gunrd lofo I.iinon . First Old Woman Mary I lulr Second Old Woman..... V'irvini.t fbauvenit Third Old Womah M.iri! r.al'cz Kalonlhn Miriam Hopkirs) • Myrrhlna H5.-te:i«<» Al l(-n First Aalhenlan Woman..... .Ku;n li.irliird . Spcond Athenian Woman Helen Ha- -y Third Athenian Woman.. .Nancy MoXii'tJlit Fourth Athenian Woman ..Use Cri'nau Fitlh Athenian Woman... Kmo.^line llen'-ch Sixth ALhenlon Woman Hetty Schlaffer First Theban Woman.. .Con.su.'lo Fl-.werton Second Theban Woman Lotiii.x 1 le Fir.st Spartan Woman I.ona I'.'uvii Second Spartan Woman.. .liloria UrJKtio'li Fir.st Corinthian Woman. .Ju.itiiie Chase Second Corinthian Wrtti'i.in Marion Morehouse r-amplti) li'ive EmerJ'on Fir.st Ol.l Man ....'.in Wolfe .Seconil Ol.l M.iM Hnii.'iton Uli h:irds Third DM M.iii ... •... .Ktienae lU'-arJot Founli OH Man Owen Meecli Fifth Olil .Min '"onrad Cantzen Presiilent t>C the Senate. ..Syilney (freeuiiri't-l Clerk ;Elli.itt .«ii:r.van First roliceman I.u.-.inn Scctl Sw)n'l Poliieman Howard WilfCn Third I'oilo.'man John C.;enn Fir.st .'^ehotor Orria Kurke •Second Senator ..V'uul Haslile Third Senator Morton Moore Fourth Senator Chester Itajnmond Fifth Senator ,.. .Thornton W'.illney A Herald from Sparta ..Eric Dressier Kineslas , Rrnest Trueic Polydorus John Clearman Second Young Mon Georec Cotton Third Young Man ; Clayton Irvlngr Th» Child James McCallion. Lycon Albert Van Dekker in reality her husband, pretends she l.s .ibout to have a baby. -Miss Hop- ivin.s was amusing' then, and also when she nearly foil for Polydorus, her husband'."! friend, but slapped his face instead. "Lysistrata" is naughty to a point, really an early sex play Or a very- sexy early play. The larere cast iri- cludes at least two dozen middle- afjcd men and women players. Only some have actualy speaking- parts and are hard to identify. Originally It was selected by the Phila. bunch as one of three plays, each to run tliree weeks. It got so much attention and dollars over there that the date was continued five weeks, with the, final week's gros.s estimated at $22,000. For the front rovi^ at the 44th Street the scale is $5.50, with $4.40 thereafter. Sure to get coin unless New York proves more squeemlsh than staid Philadelphia, but for a run in such heat as it started in, that's different. lOee. "Lysistrata," which set. PhlUy agog, was presented on Broadway last Thursday. Gosh, what a hot night! The show was expected to be hotter;' "It wasn't. Perhaps the story of this 20-century-old play was too familiar to most of those who itched to subscribe 11 bucJ<s a ticket for the premiere. Not that "Lysistrata" hasn't its moments. First act sort of mild, but the last half of the proceedings lively in Its ancient foolery brought up to date in a way. No curtains. Audience walks In on the set, a many-stepped platform leading up to the giites of the Acropolis. The players enter from where the lower boxes , would be, screened by hang- ings. 'Lysistrata" In de luxe book form Is bawdy, particularly the illustra- tions. To some of the play may be very risque, but it Is a point of view. What is In some quarters regarded a-s "dirty" is portrayed in a spirit of farce or burlesque. The program note says the "great health of Aris- tophanes and his great wisdom hold it firmly on this side of everything that can be called leering or licen- tious. . An effort has been made to hold to the same spirit of the origi- nal, removing only certain refer- ences which 20 centuries have made Inappropriate." That may be so, but the "roaring mirth of the original" was hardly discerned on the first night. The play .was presented here In Russian a couple of seasons back by the Moscow Art Theatre, and, if memory serves, Margaret Anglin did it in the open out on the coast. They were wondering when Krnest Truex wa.s comtiig on. Half way tlirou:jh the second part he came a-runnlng. What a workout he got, chasing himself, his wife or some- body's el.so'.s mama all around the place. In the Grecian soldier's cos- tume, wh'oh was .scanty. Sydney tiroonstreot piishe'l his 300 pounds ;>i\»vi(l of himself, dolled up in ;t h(M\\j- robe. But the girls were ligliUy rVid and they stood tne tem- I)ei-!Unr-> well. There were Miriam Hopkin.-i and I-Iorten.se Alden as the little Athenian women, all hot and bolhoreJ. waiting with much ns't"- tion (or the return of their warrior- hu.shand.s. And then, the cause of it all, came iolot K*>ml)le Cooper as Lysistrata, stately blonde who looked the role and certainly on form a hotter cholne than I'^'ny Bainter, who was the original "Amazon" in Phill.v. Mls.s Cooper dominated the evening. Her plan was lo deny to all the hus- bands, .-ill marital favor.s until ihoy inade peaci* with the Spartans and stopped the 20 years of wrangling. .jShe enlisted the Spartan women, led b.v the robust Lona Dawn, al.so the Theban dames. A herald from Sparta comes with a scroll calling for the end of the war. Brlc Dressier is the Spartan, a soft Job compared to that of Truex. The big moment In "Lysistrata" is an episode of intimate love making upoji the stage. Kineslas (Truex) y'^arns for his wife, Myrrhina (Miss Alden), who, like the other women, has been Instructed to permit the endearments of her mate arui Ihen walk out on him. The house giggled plefity at the business. .-i iwt'las Hopkin.s, who trieil to slip away'from the Acropolis "just for five minutes" .to "see a doctor," but GARRICK GAIETIES (3d Edition) • • Third edition of intimate musical re- vue produced by Philip Loeb (of the cast); settines t>y Kate Drain Lawson; costumes by Miss Lawson and L3uls M. Simon; orchestra, directed by Tom Jones; dances, Olln Howlahd and Stella Block. Numerous authors. Including Sally Hu- mason. Bddie Bllscu, Richard Meyers, Gretchen DamroscU Flnlett«r. Iieo Pol- dine, Henry Myers, Charles M. Schwab, Carroll Carroll, WiUard Roblson, Benja- min M. Kaye, John Merder, Everett Miller. Newman Levy, B. T. Harburg, Ira Gershwin, Vernon Duke, Thomas MjcKnIght, Paul James^ Kay Swl.'t. Ron- ald Jeans, Marc BUtzstein, Allen Boretz, Ned Lehak, Landon . HerrlcTt, Josiah •TItzell, Peter Nolan, Harold Goldman.' Sterling Holloway (of the cast), Louis M. Simon (also co-costume denlgner). Cast Includes Albert Ca'i-roll, Eijllth Meiser, Sterling HoUoway, Nan Black- stone, Imogene Coca, Philip Loeb (the producer of tho revue), William Tan- ncn. Thelma TIpson, Ruth Chorpennlog, Hildegarde HalUday, James Norris, Bdilh Sheldon, Kate Drain Lawson (also the scenic and costuoie designer). Don Stewert, Ted Fetter, Edwin Gilcher, Cynthia Roger.-?, Velma Vavra, Ray Hearlerlon, Otto Hulett, Midge Sidney. Ruth Montague, Jane Sherman, Evelyn La Tour, Polly Rose. Opened June 4 at thi» Guild, New York. Lawyer at Home," nicely done by Loeb and EditU Meiser. Kaye clicked again with "Life In Hollywood," and Henry Myers rated among the outstanding lyric con- tributors. This edition Is replete with many bright bits and numbers and is de- lightful light fare for the hot months, especially after the obvious short- comings are corrected. Among . the oiitstanditig individ- ual inipres.sions were Carroll, Hollo- way, Mi.ss Mei.ser, Nan Black- stone. Willnin T.-innen (Julius* young hopeful), Ruth Chorpen- ning, Imogene Coca. .lames Norris, Cynthia Rogers and Thelma Tipson. "(Jarrick G'lietles" piighta span the .summer nifol.v and If pepped up ou the second half might go beyond that for a run. Abel. *9 Ad Variety For Summer ijUNE, JULY and AUGUST $2 C(iSS. "Variety," New York I ■ ilc< Third edition of "Garrick Gaie- ties" somehow lacks the gayness, freshness, spontaneity and natural- ness of both its predecessors, but it is otherwise good entertainment, and. bound to be better folio-wing elisions, editions and additions cur- rently being made. ^-Having opened coir!, first-night barometer indicat- ed the overplus of negative second- act material and the need of some- thing extra which Rodgers and Hart are supplying on the song end; also a new topical sketch in the second half, replacing much of the dead stuff. Most striking element in the un- folding was a too obvious striving for cleverness and hyper-sophisti- cation. It somehow didn't jibe with the more or less innocent, if just as satirical, freshness of the preceding editions. This is the third time out, after a lapse of several seasons in the interim. The boys and girls have grown older and some- how more sophisticated and "it"- conscious. Of course, it all comes back to the score or more song and skit writers, but with it the charm was broken. Albert Carroll is too professional. Sterling Holloway's and Edith Meiser's and Philip Loeb's newness have long since taken on a standard Kquity air, and even the wholly un- knowns seem to perform with too much of an eye and thought to the proved .success of Llbby Holman, Dorothea Chard, Eleanor Shaler, Romney Brent, Rodgers and Hart, Betty Starbuck, June Cochrane and Dorothy Jordan (now NovarroTS screen leading. woman at the (jap- itol this week). However, It's a good entertain ment, especially the first half. Sec ond part needs plenty of fixing, of course, which the Guild ofHciaLs are fully cognizant of. The program frontispiece of what is apparently a baseball crowd Is captioned "portrait of the authors, composers and lyricists" of the new edition. There are almost as many program-credited, too, but the many cooks haven't spoiled the broth— much. There are nriony brilliant moments. In sequence, Sally Humason'S "How to Write for the Movies" sketch is broad satire nicely gotten over by Imogene Coca, Stefling Holloway and Philip Loeb. "The Woman Pays to Advertise" blindfold " Indorsement sketch Is another nice little satire, but the first act finale' at the expense of Grover Whalen and "Johnny" Wannhiaker is the high light along those lines. Newman Levy, with this .and his other skefches, evi- dences strongly that thiijr Blaokstone disciple should throw his briefs away and go 100% libretto. Same goes for Berijamin M. Kaye, said to be another court-room shark, who ha.i .already turned a few tricks in stage-writing. His "Mel Lan- I''ang" skit with Albert Carroll was among the outstanders. lAwy, be- ing a'lawyer, knc'w best how to sa- tirize his profession, iu "A Famous SPOOK HOUSE DeMilt .\artiA.-iatiM PIayi-r.> pre.-vnt Ihreo- act (one .K-t) mystery. WiU'.-n :ind .-diu'-l by Joe Byron Totlen. I'Vii iji um i,.>o I>onnelly. Opened June .1^1 V:iii<)^r!il!t Scaled to (.'1. Philip Haynes Ji>lm A L'trfirv. Priscllla Lathrop .Lpshf liintiham Spike Connelly . I/eo Onnnr-Ily Fingf>rs Tolman Jami^s A Konlioll Grace Gale Domthy Itlackburn Robert Dyne K'lwin Forsb^ri; Muriel Dyne Myrlu Iteilair Arthur Joyce Wilfred I.ytell Roberta Dyne .....Thelma Mart^h Dick Hammond fiuy Hilm-r Tom McCarthy Lawrence O'Sulllvan —— Typical warm weather Leblanger. Little fortification on merit. -Plot is from memory with end- less repetition of scene and dialog. A few ashen arms sticking out of sliding wall panels is the only ex- citement. Leo Donnelly is featured and can bring but a hint of his better pro- fessional manner. He has consider- ably fewer sides than Guy Hitner as an uninterestingly stupid inspec- tor. Hardly a dozen genuine gig- gles in the entire three acts, al- though women via cut rates may find-more, Carelessl.v written and put to- gether, "SpoOk House" is as trite and routine as its title. There seems little reason to suppose it can go beyond a very few weeks. Even cut rate theatregoers have minimum requirements. Land. OOT-OF-TOWN REVIEWS CHANGE YOUR LUCK Negro musical comedy In two act.s: book ■jy Ciai'land Howard, music and lyrics by J. C. Johnson; dances staged by Lawrence Deas and Speedy Smith. Singing ensembles arranged by Stanley Bennett, musical di- rector. Produceo by Cleon Throckmorton and Jones & Green. At Cohan, June 0. Big Bill Alex Lovejoy Cateye Jimmy Thomas Hot Stuff Jackson.. .Garland Howard Mallndy Alberta Perkins Front Jones Sam CroM Skybo Snowball.. Speedy Smith Dandana Babe Peppers Cora La Redd Romeo Green; Sterling Grant Josephine Peppers Neeka SIraw Mary Jane Alberta Hunter Diamond Joe Chick McKenney Ebenezer Smart Hamtree Harrington Mathilda Mabel Gant Evergreen Peppers Leigh Whlpper Passionate Sadie Millie Holmes Rat Row Sadie Emma Mailland Tack Annie Aurella Wheeldln Sisters of Mercy-^ Dotlie 1. -...Dorothy Embry Mary Mary Mason Lil Lillian Cowan Hot Popper Henry Henry Davis Hot Popper Jimmy James Davis Hot Popper Van Van Jackson Ansy Bertha Roe Percolatin Gertie........Gertie Chambftrs .Short Dog. the Hoofer Yank Bronson Charleston Sam, the Hoofer. .Sammy Van Shake a Hip, Bellboy Louie Simms Shake a Leg, a Bellboy... .Buster Bowie Captain Jones J. Lewis Johnson After a long rehearsal period and a constant changing of people the former all-colored "Sun Down" first 'announced un,der George Wintz' di- rection, finally swung into a Broad- way premiere Friday night> at the Cohan. Under its new name, "Change Your Luck," it opened cold. Result was an over-worked and overdrawn show that had its final curtain at 11:30, on an insuffer- ably hot night. The show did not sell itself to that first night audi- ence. It's a short life no matter what Joe may do for or with it, be- -cause it's in his house. Casting not so good and this handicapped the few principals who did make an attempt to- carry the show along. Repetition, putting on the fastest, liveliest and most color- ful number, "Religion in My Feet," almost at the beginning and shov- ing hoofers, dancing duo, foursome, and a single stepper one right after the other were among some of the mitigating things. Too many bal- lads, all sung by one young man, each time with a girl who didn't do a solitary thing but attempt to act kittenish, and hoydenish. And then spirituals, all tending to slow up. There seemed plenty of prinoipAls with the males in the majority, but they appeared to kill time more than anything else.' And a noticeable lack of comedy in a colored jazz show. This show has been i?boling around with different men reported interested. It has Cleon Throck- morton now due perhaps to the stage settings and scenes from his shop. If the show closes without moving from Broadway It won't be much of a haul to the producer's own storeho.use. Morris & Green got in when it became necessary to ,ii.ave a Broadway theatre. Seymour Brown, white, was Ciilled in to help whip the show into sh.-jpe for it.-* opening,. Musically it does well in \ way with several numbers being t>epped along, by Lite colored baud of 16 DECENCY Frankhn I'roduftiona (Franklin War- ner) prcMcntrt .1 three-act drama by Arthur (Sregor; directed by Perry Ivms. Katherlne Wilson featured, supported by Arthur Clayton, G. Pat Collins, Rose DIone, Dlna Snilrnova. Jesse Hurley -ind TIco d'Avrll. Two set.s. At the Mriyan, IMS Angeles, starting June S. $2 -top^ The intuitve judgment of a press agent, displayed to the world in the- atre ad.s, quite often clas.s'es a play before it is presented. "Decency" is such a case, being exploited in advance ads .\s something better lhan"Raln " and "White Cargo," but indicating between the lines that while it mav not be .t.s good -is the play.s named, It is. at least .some- thing like them. "Decency" does not seotncapable of commercial Hucce-ss i>n Its own (."onreriiing picture pi>i>- MbilltjoK, Us p:ith is blocked by the llayM (iitl(-<> Itt frittii .-«ii<l -i. v.-tMi .-n'lio of rel'orfii .siir(r»i|i<>« tvitu^ tint<iM>l Arthur (;regt>r, plctun^ illivi'tor, de.serted his profes.sioii long enough to write Ihin i>lay -tnd .see it born. He had the T>leture rights in mind, probably, but overlooked the moral code. Ili.s writing ability is evi- dent; his plot selection unfortunate. Action starts in Marseilles, where an American girl has' been lured into a redlight joint by a phoney want-ad for a waitress.. Cravlrtg an existence of decency, but unable to break away because of destituteness, she persuades a patron to. smuggle her out with promise that she will marry him. The customer had de- scribed a swell estate in Brazil. Second act finds her two years later in' a dirty cabin on the edge of a swamp. Her supposed bene- factor has developed into a vicious diamond smuggler, running her ragged and mentioning every once in a while where he got her. Into this sordid dump steps a handsome young Irishman, who tells the smuggler that the racket has--be- cutne too hot and the boys -have cleared out. He offers to buy the smuggler's diamond stock. Being treated like a lady by the Irishman is a great interlude for the girl. But when he begs her to run away with him she says she's made a bargain and won't blow out on the chap who helped her out of a tough spot. The smuggler gets a load of the young man's pleas and becomes nasty. As soon as the boy Is started on his way the natives are ordered to see that he doesn't get very far alive. And when the girl hops on him for doing such a dirty trick he tells her that she's not really his wife—the fellow who per- formed the ceremony was a fake. This goads the girl into a frenzy. She grabs a whip and lashes the smuggler, blinding him. Then she has the natives signalled to let the boy alone and sets out after him. And as soon as she has left the cabin.a revengeful native stabs the blinded smuggler. Katherlne Wilson as the girl is not at home in the role, but still manages to play it rather convinc- ingly because of inherent ability. Arthur Clayton is the smuggler, natural and excellent. G. Pat Col- lins likewise Is well cast as the young Irishman. Remaining sup- port is good. First set is a room in the Pari- sian lady house. Other sat, used' for pieces under Stanley Bennett. "Sweet Little Baby o' Mine" Nsound- ed a whole lot better than It was sung. As comedy standouts were "Change Your Luck,'" which Ham- tree Harrington and Alberta Hunter made both amusing and entertain- ing, but decidedly blue, and "Open That Door" admirably done by speedy Smith and Millie Holmes. Highlights as a production spe- ciality came when the Four Flash Devils, fast, twistin.g, contortionis- tic hoofers, pulled a corking dance routine. These boys, S. W. Warren, Charles Gill. Billy Cole and C. P. Wade, from Small's Paradise (Har- lem night club) tied the show into a knot. Neeka Shaw seemed miscast al- though she was girlish and worked hard with her numbers; Garland Howard made many changes of clothes and was the head man as far as the lead wa-s concerned; Chick McKenney did a stage char- acterization of. Big Shot from "Hal- lelujah" (film); Leigh Whipper won f<ame in "Porgy," but i.sn't adding to it here, just a small role; Alberta Perkins a,nd Mabel Gaht, who stuck in their vaude act; Jimmy Thomas, in and out as a typer Speedy Smith as he has done in other shows but effectively, with other characters simply characters, but filling in for both chorus and ensemble work. Cora La Redd danced gingerly but overworked. There's an aW'empt at a story, a theme that got lost in syncopating feet, a Charleston swinging snake- hipping femme background, some burlesque bits and si)ecialities in- cluding the old famili.-vr boxing bout betwt^on I'lmnt-a Maitland and Aurelia Whecldin. They started walking earlier. Afttrfc.- the second >nd-third acts, cabin in. terior with real wall open. Rain et- fect, neatly handled, used through- out the second act. Time and care expended on thi;» play merited, a better plot, ifn at the Mayan only until June 29, and shows no promi.se of , continuing elsewhere. Bang. JUNGLE LOVE Atlantic. City, Jun^ to By the throwarounds dLstribuii..! a week ago last, toni!,'ht wa.s Hu. hour .set for "Jungle Lov.\" whifh was to reveal the wild life on.l wil( love of the torrid tropk-s iii<l Iw., Jiinglc be-i.-st.s for atmo.sphe.- Tlu i.lay. by I-Ved tuKx-tx ,.^ ■u'ted b.v Agn'"< .-\si«'-> •»»«>l tti<r!i<-ir RawliiiMot. i>:»lltn . Miowii iln-Ui'i fiirir^l.-l- t'"{ .■Oiiiih niin.Vf i, ISDvd )ii>l l-:<lw'ird .Martin, ill of tt Ikiiii .hIwiWimI 1 lirif <lisrej<-ini (if the liLsirui'lioii laid ilown for their kind many years ago. 'Munglf Love" \h tho worst tr>. dition of the ".\cross the Pacilio" school of drama, with manly and womanly virtue triumphant, .sin redde.st red, hypocrisy blackest black, and the cost the customary cover charge. Here is the little brown lady with a red rose in her .dark hair, a de- generate Englishttian. his sister aiid her fiance who is come to save hint from native allurements, escape be- fore they, too, get caught and leave ' him, happ.v and content with ht.s dark skinned lady. Probably the ' strangest offspring of the Kit and caboodle of South Sea love across the footlights; The prolog showingr three live elephants and a cage full of mon- keys sets the local color for tho acts of' five .scenes ^hiph follow. As the piece progressed unsecjnly titters ran through the hou.se fol- lowed by guffaw's befor? the final curtain brought relief. — "Weintrauli. EARLE ROSS PLAYERS (Tent) Chicago, June 4 Here is the idyllic dream of every dramatic trouper who ever trod tho boards undier canvas, fighting rain, wind, lights and "rubes." It's the new Pavilion Tent The- atre at Mannheim road and Lak(» street, which is a mere three suburb.s from Chicago. This tent should havt» a name. It is the gorgeous piece of theatrical canvas a traveling legit show ever had. The stage is .solid and big and has a heavy sounding board roof and footlights that work. On the center pole there are tower lights. Earle Ross players, after "thre* .seasons of stock In the Warring- ton, Oak Park, opened here on Memorial day in "The Push," a one- set comedy by Charles Harrison. It is old, old stuff, but what matters? The complete company of nine com- prises Ross, Jack Reidy, Ada Bur- ns, Beatrice. Savelle, Adele Lawton. Robert Blakeslee, Jack King Davis. Andrew Streng and Jess Hall. Eight performances a week is the schedule, with a Sunday matinee For adults 50 cents and the kids a quarter. Opening night the company played to about 200 persons, but the night caught had only 40 out fr t. Back row is only a quarter mile or so from the—stage, but what a tent' It could house one of the .smaller circuses. Everything is A No. 1 on equip- ment. The shill is a loudspeaker outside, new type, with a connectioa to the center pol^ inside so that mechanical music is fed before tho' curtain and entre acts. Backstage' the players have indivMual dress- ing rooms and adequate sanitary arrangements. Outside the whole thing is rows of lights and a huga electric sign adveVtisirig Ross" and Co., all controlled' from a master switchboard backstage. Company ' is- giving the averag* stock performance and,4ft above tent rep standard. They haA an estab- lished following in trie westera .suburbs. Weekly change is the plan, but if "Ten Nights in a Bac-. room" clicks it will be used the rest of the summer, a 20-week season being the schedule. The big mystery is where the paid admissions will come from, but they even worry about that in the loop, so 17 miles from downtown can't be .so bad. Hetherington's Stock Dramatic stock goes in next week as .summer policy at 'the Park, Irvington, N. Y. wtth "Girl Trouble" as opening bill. Tom Hethoringtoii operating. • Cast includes lOugene (L'ostello, Jack Lee. Kdwin Vand'.>rvei»tef. Kathleen Mahbney, Adfele Hetn- mings, ICdythe MoClure, l'Mor..'nce Van Duzen, Willi-xm Harrison, B'T- tr-am l)on;ivi.ri .Joseph Donlm L"\" Whitely and. <.'hrtstopher M»<'- Ciregor.