Judge — March 3, 1928 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

BIG centennial exhibition A of all the mystery plays produced in’ the world since 1828 has n opened by the Messrs. Shubert at the Mo rosco fairgrounds in West Forty fifth Street. The pageant goes under the general tithe of “The Silent House” and the collection of appropriate mementoes and curios from the four corners of the earth is complete. Not a thing is missing. Every device that has figured in mystery pieces during the past century is placed on view. Tf there is one not in evide + it is, so far as Tecan judge, only that which has to do with the automatic pistol secreted in the telephone receiver. Other wise, everything from the sliding panel to the dousing of and from the sinister Chinaman to the trick mantelpiece is on dis play in the various booths “The Silent’ House” is the work of two Englishmen who were evidently not only. steady attendants at) “Mr. Wu.” but who, on the nights they didn't see that me lodrama, st and read Sax Rohmer’s Machu” stories. As T have Ways maintained, ay of this kind is no more susceptible of criticism than is the other fellow's taste girls. At their best such opera provide a fair measure of pleasurably idiotic entertainment, and at their worst they provide just about) the same measure. The current specimen suggests the Grand Guignol in an ele gantly stewed condition. It piles trick upon trick, horror upon horror and thrill upon thrill) so extravagantly that it periodically caricatures itself. But, for per sons wha like such exhibits, that is doubtless no detriment. People go to plays of the sort in a voli tionally careless mood and as gladly snicker at the stage trathc 1S quiver to it My own reactions to this or iny similar play are so unimpor tant. th I shall not even) set them down, Sometimes [ have a good time at one of them, and sometimes, for what seem to be exactly the same reasons, | don't have a time. There's no sense or in it; it all depends upon how many drinks [ve had at dinner or upon the quality and nature of the engagement T have after the show Po those whe ire interested 1 definite opinion as to this particular melo: drama’s worth, Tomay only fur ther apologize for my indispe sition to chronicle it in the cir cumstance that [spent most the time during the evenir ing for my hat, which a me of the Shubert organization whe shall be nameless had cabbaged during one of the dark scenes. evidently to hold in’ escrow igainst my review of the show, Il. Ar as ann Eva” is a comedy = by oa musie show actor named Hares Delf. Me. Delf appears init: himself. which. 1 fear, leads me to say that the ex hibition is accordingly twice had as it might otherwise lave been. ‘This Mr. Delf may be a capable anime when surrounded by chorus me and seenery embellished with fake wisteria but on what is termed the leg stage he is a mebkun urticle, In two telephone scenes he is good enough, but there ho actor, however incompetent, who isn’t good at such telephone seem If an actor can’t doa Continued on page 29) comicbooks.com