Judge — December 1, 1928 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

TDGE seem to be out of criti step when it comes to I the imported Noel Coward revue, “This Year of Grace,” on view at the Selwyn. On all sides f me I hear and read that it is the last word in sophisticated entertainment, that it is rich in a mag- nificent wit and that it has that jenesaisquoi and ichweisnichtwas that our American lack. Well, I don’t believe it. don’t like to stand out inst the crowd but, to repeat, I don't believe it What I do believe about it, if anyone is interested in my opinion, is that it amounts to little more than a very violent strain for cleverness and that in the aggregate it is pretty heavy-going fare. For the last six months I ports from England that the exceptionally brilliant) stuff. The handsome and estimable Dr. Charlie Cochran, its entrepreneur, has been sending me elaborate brochures about it and a stream of London reviews that were calculated to work me up to a terrible pitch of anticipatory ex- citement, among them a long one in the New States- man, by Arnold Bennett, asserting that never in the history of the theatre a show been revealed. Naturally enough, [ went to the Selwyn Theatre, appropriately figged out in my a duds, pre- pared to make noses forevermore « gfeld, Charell and all the other revue producers in the world and duly to announce to you in these columns today that here was the true and everlasting nonesuch. I regret exceedingly, therefore, that I shall have to disappoint you. Let us get down to tacks. and composed in its entirety by revues have been getting re Coward exhibit was has such The Mr. revue, written Coward, pro- the ning, eds literally in onventional of the curtains part on “Mary Make Believe, with a negligible voice personality. ‘The next i of four plays, first, ing unintelligible senten second, “The revolver shots with a “It’s just mother”; followir id in with a conventional song called * “The consisting simply and solely of a lot of ac won of a door at the conclusion of iis third, fashion. After i yndon tube station. ting in a Queue SS amiue ditty entitled sung by an nd Englishwoman negligible is a thumb-nail burlesque tial of Mary Dus ors shout an even more ss at the tops of their lungs: Silver Cord, consisting of several in poking her head out acket announcing, Young Woodley,” con- sisting simply of one schoolboy telling another that tell him how fourth, he will the sort, and Miss Beatrice woman Lillie caught ina bus presents rush, babies come, or something of the consisting of a woman made up lik muttering a line to the effect that life a banal song number called Civie Repertory dram iva Le Gallienne is woe. After Try to Learn to Love,” pantomime of a chief the humor of which lies in the sudden loud puncturing of some she is follows, jazz tempo to indic ment because of During the number, mache “Lilac Time,” “Lorelei, first the ments Theatre Digest ArThie Year of Groce” (Selwyn)—See |, “Tonight at Twatve” (IHud this iamve st. Ditto. “A Man with Red Hair" (Garrick) —\ - Longact the Hogh Wal- mative Ji —Two movie mekstrama derived fro Tully's pole navel of the same name reasure Git" (Alvin)—Gertrode yuare farce of the seasoa Few Ashes” (Boo us had written it, it might bi F go “Three Cheers’* bhai up: long live W R “Animal Crackers" (44th “treet Marx gentsin a show that wl al yo your seat eds’ ot the Lightning” (tie) — Frothing at the mouth in behalf of the late MM. Saceo and Vanzetti it Travel” (Belmoet)—\_ back comerty that har pothing to recou matrimonial quarreli “Little Accident® (Mcececo)—Comical farce-comedy about an illegitimate baby and its pa. “Paris” (Mu a weak vehicle IM Alley” (Biltmore) —La Col- hert’s legs constitute the ehief dramatic ick. “This Thing Called Love” (Bijou) — Weak comedy dealing with cou “Hold Everything” (Broadhurst) — There is entertainment bere. “Helle Yourself” (Casino)—But little bere carrying. number, sung straight and then in te Lorelei’s present-day predica- ocean a danseuse rock goes through a series of contortions. next item, and Mr. Coward, is an obvious t song number in the (Continued on page submarines, ete. papier liners, sitting on Miss Lillie esty of the senti- : musical comedy. 2h) sung by Aver: (Eltinge)—Gala song eg. “machbieds™ | 00)—The skit comealy's de- meat uanecemsary at this late date. “The New Moon” (Imperial) —Satis- factory musical show. “Diamond Lil” (Royale)—Mae West shabes ber hips in a slice of melodram baluerdas “Show (Ziegfeld) — Beat” ‘Ove of the best of musical shows comicbooks.com