Judge — October 2, 1926 — page 21: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

JU DGE JUDGING ‘he SHOWS* ASSARD SHORT’S emergence as a play producer is accom- panied by everything but a play. He has hired a Ben Bernie orchestra to perform before the cur- tain goes up and during the inter- has bought himself a gong to announce the curtain’s rise that, for elaborate elegance, makes poor Mr. Belasco’s sound like an old tin can; he has employed a modiste to spread herself in the matter of he has laid in a fancy and scenery and filled his stage missions; he costumes; ive lot of very expe properties; he hb with two or three thousand dollars worth of artificial flowers; and he has put big advertisements in the newspapers. ‘Tne only detail he has overlooked is a manuscript. True enough, his company of actors walk around and open and close their mouths at appropriate intervals, but what proceeds from their labors is a play in the sense and degree that a sidewalk conversation act is the “Fol- lie There have been some dull eve- nings provided to the trade since the opening of the season, but Mr. Short’s stage reveals dullness doubly multiplied. The traffic, manufac- tured by John Hunter Booth, deals with still another of those stage Long Island house-parties at which every- one, during lapses in ukulele playing, Charleston dancing and_ boozing, talks of seducing everyone else, at which the bedrooms of the week- enders are apparently as private as the late war, and the overwhelming smartness of which is indicated by having each cocktail served by two Japs. For years I have been going to Long Island week-end parties in the hope of getting at least a small sniff at such excitement, but so far | One of the best of the big rev » Trespassing” (Harris) —€ “Number ? stuff. “The Great God Brown’ play in New York. (Times Square) (Klay “Loose Ankles” (Biltmore) —A “If 1 Was Rich” “The Adorable Liar” (49th St without th vaudeville rep “One Man's Woman’ (48th St utter, Detect ring prett: “Potash and Perl The old formula is w “The Donovan Affair” (Fulton ber 7." ‘Service for Two" (Gaiety) nedy built on familiar lines: “Vanities (Carroll) —Beautif “Sour Grapes” (Longacre)—Se “Queen High" (Ambassador) favorite musical comed: “Castles in the Air” ‘Henry—Behave” (Bayes)—N. (Booth the Couldn't Say “Honest Liars” (Cohan)—Still “The Little Spitfire" more. (Cort)— -afeld Revue" “Sex” (Daly's) —Guano, “The Ghost Train” an Affair.” (Elting Do “My Country” (F ‘Abie's Trish Re of “The Shanghai Gesture” (4 terns. “Garrick Gaicties” (G called “. “Jua: and Mazimilian” reviewed anon. Bend, Indiana, amusingly boot Cohan. Girls Wanted” by Georg ‘radle Snatchers” very funny farce-comedy. “Sunny” Donahue combination provide dancing evening. “Tolanthe” (Plymouth)—A fin Winthrop Ames’ studio. “Laff That Of" (Wallack’ “The Great Temptations” ( hat Every Woman Know: es in two hours with Barrie broidered with good vaudeville repartee. show, but lacking in comedy save for nude women, “Scandals (Apollo)—Nude some other comedy as well —Philadelphia’s (Selwyn)—Chicago’s. (Globe)—The most beauti- ful first act finale in town, but little else. st)—Cheap imitation Grand Guignol decorated with Chinese lan- rrick)—A good sketch ‘Addled""—and Bobbie Perkins. (Guild)—To be Little)—T. Music Box)—L¢ (New Amsterdam)—The blandly on, despite strong prote by Georpe Jeon Nathan ¢ Slance to the ~More mystery w)—The best bad play em (Mansfield)—Same here. }—Same here, Awful. | ies” (Ritz) y thin “Num )—See —Mild farce. ully produced women, but e this issue. | jot much, h)—Less. I less. Subtract even e)—See “The th St.) —The judson)—South ed in the rear | ‘o be discussed vw and | Miller- a lively music- | ne revival from s)—Still going ‘sts from me. ter Garden)— | (Bijou)—Helen | | the only adultery that I tected has been confined to the boot- leg whisky and the only woman who has invaded the privacy of my bed- room has been the maid who brings in the breakf: The only ust tray. novelty in Booth’s ex hibit is the dressing up of the usual bachelor ¢ eter, in whose boudoir is discovered, as Otherwise another man’s wife a minister of the gospel. the stuff is as fresh as a “Charley's Aunt” poster. Aside from Edwin Nicander and Russell Hicks, who do all they can with the moss-covered materials, the s a pretty gloomy one. Kay Johnson, as the Thais who tries to deflower the dominie, postures herself assiduously in various presumably enticing at- titudes that are as full of It as an ice-cream freez Juliette Da another morsel coveted by the week- ending gents, plays her réle in such wise that one momentarily expects a song cue. An ample lady named Drake displays herself in a negligée. And a number of tailors’ dummies in meticulously creased pantaloons are carelessly listed in the program as The electric sign in front of the theater and announcing the at- traction wasn’t in good order on the opening night and, as a result of the non-illumination of such portions of the play’s title as the “No” and the letters p, i, n and g in the second word, presented this unintentional Franco-English criticism of the play: “Tres Ass.” company as actors. Il Fo the first two of its acts, Vin- cent Lawrence's “Sour Grapes” is a thoroughly interesting comedy. It then unfortunately goes to pieces. But, with its faults, it is none the (Continued on page 25) comicbooks.com