Judge, 1926-03-06 · page 4 of 36
Judge — March 6, 1926 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Human Comedy" - Judge Magazine Theater Page This is a theatrical program page for "The Human Comedy," a comedy/farce at the Zenith Theater. The top cartoon titled "Big Moments in the Theater: Little Eva Returns from Heaven" depicts a slapstick scene where a character descends on a rope while others below react with exaggerated physical comedy—characteristic of vaudeville-style theater humor. The "Conduct Guide for the First Night" by Hugh Wood offers satirical advice to theater patrons about proper deportment: wear formal dress, maintain composure, and don't applaud too enthusiastically. It mocks both pretentious audience behavior and social-climbing "opening-nighters" who adopt affected sophistication. The right illustration titled "The Song of the Flame" shows theater attendees in the audience, likely satirizing typical theatergoer types of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BIG MOMENTS IN THE THEATER Little Eva returns from heaven. Conduct Guide for the First Night ‘ays the universal credo, One must wear a smart tux- edo, Well appointed, while anointed Should be every hair just right. Saunter in about nine-twenty With the local cognoscenti To be really normal on the formal, stylish opening night. You should also be quite certain That you miss the opening curtain, For the critic analytic- Al must see but half the play. Don’t, by any means, applaud it, Or, in any manner, laud it, For the real intelligentsia must always be blasé. Keep your facial muscles rigid, Your expression set and frigid, Greet all clowning with a frown- ing Or perhaps a peaceful doze And the = starving high-brow writers, Social-climbing opening-nighters Will regard you as a critic, for you'll use the critic’s pose! Hugh Wood The Human Comedy (If They Printed Programs for the Actors Too) The Management of the Zenith Theater Presents for Your Approval TO-NIGHT’S AUDIENCE, A Human Medley and Farcical Potpourri. Dramatis Persone: Bald-headed man first row center, J. Gulch, Insurance Broker Bald-headed man first row left, H. Flubb, Flower Pot Mfr. Man in third row aisle seat, A. Flipp, Cloak & Suit Mfr. Blonde in third row, next seat, Mazie, his model Angry Woman Standing at Rear, His suspicious Wife Stout man, lower stage box, Emil Loew, Corset Mfr. Slim girl with him, Miss “W,” manicurist Man with field glasses, Deacon Diggs from Detroit . Also bootleggers, salesmen, out- of-town buyers, gold-digg business men, retired busi men, commuters, gunmen, law; ete. The curtain will rise at 8.30 but the audience will not be seated until 10.15. There will be an eight minute intermission between acts one and two to allow the audience to drain flasks and throw cigarette butts on the carpet in the rear of the lobby. Hugh Wood tired “The Song of the Flame.” comicbooks.com