Judge — May 5, 1928 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

= San eiee JUDGE Li the theatrical producers A who put on such things as “Bottled” and “Diamond Lil” know for a moral certainty that the reviewers are in the pay of the Theatre Guild. As con- vineing evidence, they point to the notices that the Guild gets when it does something like “Vol- pone” and to the notices that they in turn get when, in the very same weck, they produce their shows. If evidence counts for anything, things do look pretty suspicious, Something is wrong somewhere. Where, may one ask, did Perey Hammond get that new spring suit?) Where did Brooks Atkinson get the money to take that southern trip lately? Where did the Messrs; Hall and Gabriel get those new Fedora hats, to say nothing of those new neck- ties? How can I afford that Heidsieck ‘15 I was seen drink- ing the other night? All you have to do is to read the reviews of ‘Volpone” and then what we boys said of the other plays to get an inkling of what's what. When I write, therefore, that “Bottled” is a dud and that “Diamond Lil” is trash and then go on to say that the Theatre Guild's production of the Stefan Zweig version of the Ben Jonson comedy is a highly meritorious affair, you may know just where to put me. And, while I don’t want to give away any secrets, where to put the rest of the gang. If the managements of the other plays alluded to want to get good notices, I am afraid that they will have to do something about it, and in a concrete direction. As a sug- gestion, they might put on a couple of plays somewhat better than “Bottled” and “Diamond Lil.” “Velpone” (Guild)—Reviewed berei: “Greenwich Village Follies” (Winter Garden)— Also reviewed in this issue. "Diamond (opal Another bombard: ment of drivel from Mae West. “March Hares” (Little)—A good comedy badly Produced and poorly acted. “Ten Nights in @ Barroom™ (Wallack’s)—Re- vival of the jitney classic, “The Scartet Fox” (Mamue)—The Northwest Mounted Police are bere agais. “Playing At Love” (Repablic)—To be reviewed anon. “The Father” “The Backel oa impromptu “Whispering Fri (Hodson) —Diverting comedy by George M. Coban. “Our Retters” (Miller)—Revival of Maugham's y eneer; Ina Claire at stage center “The Silent House” (Morceco)—Amusingly ious monkeysbines. (Golden)—O'Neill's Enest 's high-water mark. | “The Mystery Man” (Bayes)—Balderdash. “The Queen's Husband” (Playbouse)—Juvenile lampoon of royalty. “The Reyat Family” (Selwyn)—One of the erason's outstanding comedies. Paris Bound” (Music Box)—A big succena, tut « trivial play *Ezeess Baggage” ou. ‘Bettied” (Booth)—This one will not “Coquette” (Elliott)—Helen Hayes ant a trael- comedy with points Interference” (Lyceum)—Cheap bokum served 00 a silver platter Repertory (14th Stroet)—Amateurs pleasuring themeelves. “Dracula” (Fultoa)—Yesterday’s idea of eomething very thrilling. “The Shannons™ (Beck)—The Palace Theater moves over to Weat 45th Street. “The Trial of Mary Dugan” (National)—A melodrama that captures the attention, “Burteerue” (Plymouth)—The wheres are better than the play. “The Ladder” (Cort)—Bul! Ren. “The Breaks” (Ki See next week's lasue. “ Him” (Provincetows)—Same bere. “Twelve Thowand” (Garrick)—Worth your jention. Good News” (Chanin)—Lively and amusing tong and dance show. “Funny Face” (Alvin)—The dancing of the Astaires is the dish bere. “Take the Air” (Carroll) —Routine stuff. “Golden Daven” (Hasmmerst “Shoe Boat” (Ziegteld) every respect. “The Three Musketeers” (Lyrie)—Another ex- cellent one. “Rosalie” (New Amsterdac)—Still another (Rits)—Thi tai )—It ia ably sung. xeelient show in “Rain or Shine” (Cohan)—The funsivat oor of all. “Sunny Days” (Imperial) —Conven Keep Shuffin’” (Daly’s)—Diverting rune ‘burned one. “The Beggar's Opera” (48th Street)—Shabby revival onal one. As for “Volpone,” Ict us shamelessly announce that the Guild seems to be improving steadily. Its acting company is gaining proficiency; Moeller is becoming a better and better di- rector; and Simonson is working more and more beautifully in the department of scenic design and costume, II “Greenwich Village ” relies almost entirely for its merriment upon the vaude- ville clown, Dr. Rockwell. This Rockwell, though he works a little too hard for comfort, is a diverting gent, his lecture on the human spine, for instance, con- stituting fifteen minutes of as humorous pastime as you will en- counter in a round of the show- houses. Jans and Whalen, an- other pair of vaudeville comics, also add periodically to the eve- ning’s entertainment, although, like most of these vaudeville re- cruits, once they find suitable ma- terial they stick to it for so many seasons that listening to it is much like going to one of one’s grandmother's birthday parties. The revue in gencral pretty well adheres to the conventional revue formula. The proceedings begin with the principals starting off for a trip to Greenwich Vil- lage which, judging from the scenery, is situated in the Bilt- more Hotel. Arrived in Green- wich Village, they celebrate the occasion appropriately by singing a song about San Francisco. After Miss Grace La Rue has come out before a silver curtain and vocalized, there follows a burlesque of “The Silent House” called “The Violent House which is in turn followed by Miss Evelyn Law, who kicks her foot (Continued on page 28) comicbooks.com