Judge — April 13, 1929 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

JUDGE Ala) y announced as having a company of sixty—the aforesaid company of sixty being found upon investigation to be composed in large part of horse mules and bipeds who, whatever else they are, are certainly not actors—an exhibit Ned “Buckaroo” temporarily greets the eye at the Erlanger Theatre. By a couple of gentlemen named ker and a helper named Beahan, it presents itself as the kind of thing that Dr. Belasco has so often wasted his time upon. That is, it is a manuscript that has hardly a smell of drama in it and that seeks to make up for the deficiency by going in liberally for what is termed atmosphere. From long experience with the wares of the M. Belasco, you may appreciate the nature of the script. There is in it no Childs resta nt scene, true enough, nor a Harlem street upon which the producer might exercise his talents in the distraction of drama lo: from drama, but there is a seene—in fact, a whole evening of scenes—laid behind a rodeo arena with all the incidentals to rodeo activity. The only difference between the M. Belasco and Mr. Hamilton Mac- iden, who has staged the show, is that where the former would have taken every advantage tom the scene theatrically piquant, the latter has gone at the job in such a slipshod manner that he gets nothing out of it. He brings in all the horses, mules, knife- throwers, cowboys, cowgirls, roughnecks, peanut vendors, Indians, cops and. stilt-walkers necessary but, so far as theatrical entertainment goes, he might just as well have left them in their home towns. He has not known how to handle them; they clutter up rs. 4 : H Ee \S = — cs > to no purpose—even pictorial; and the eve rs to pot. t story there is to the affair deals with a cocky y and his sweet one who tries to save him from the swindling wiles of a Chicago hussy. The story is tripe—and the maladroit staging of its externals only emphasizes its trashy skimpiness. Almost the whole of the evening is taken up in an attempt to divert the audience's attention from the feeble plot with a procession of extras who mosey on and off like masqueraders at’ a fancy dress ball looking vainly for the punch-bowl, There are fat women and their brats, banjo players, announcers, small boys who sneak their way into the arena, cross- Ss, popcorn vendors, bums, giggling rs, health food agents, trick riders, messenger s, Indian chiefs and what not brought into the proceedings to do something about “color,” all to no effect. After all, a play has to have something of a play in it. That is probably the one and only ruk of the theatre that holds good and has held good since the theatre began. All the extraneous hocus- pocus in the world can’t make up for the of drama of some kind. And of drama “Buckaroo” con- tains less than not The only performances worth even cursory men- tion are those of Ruth Easton, Nydia Westn Clyde Dilson and Dell Cleveland. Dilson’s Chicago gunman and Cleveland's bit of work as the vengeful little brother of the gunman’s victim are ably negotiated. Ds (Continued on pa: Theatre “Buckaree” (Erlanger) —See this imue “Flight” (Booth) —Very, very sour. “The Town's Woman” (Craig)—A big “Fleretta™ (Carn argument for not going out that evening. tumed and sta “The Lady From the Sea" (Bijou)— — fertte. e Yurka takes another ““& Mest Immoral Lad; been and geta very Brady in a shee of bot- “The Earth Between” (Provi “Street Scene” (Play Beautifully com but book and score f* (Cort) —Alice Digest “Confer” (Fulton ser Tracy's “Serena Blandish” (Morosco)— performance is the interesting item here, ously whimsical stuff that, capable acting, goes pretty fat Caprice’ rin the nie Viennese mas 1 perform. ‘Wheepee” (Ne M. for bumor a penn: 0No specimens of muliebrity for o “Man's Estate” (Biltmore) —To be freee rev “Holiday” (Plymouth) —Droll | papa has put | your attent “The Pertect Alibi” (Hopkins)—Milne aze ad an engaging evening Mere” (Alvio! “The Front Page” (Times Square)— fa of much of the usual Milsenew and Rodgers’ score Heebt's and MeArthur's excellent farce & rhe "(Expl “Meet the Prince” (L.yceum)—Milne | ! “deareey's End” (Millet)—War play Katharine Cored te ple ee ci. chork fall of Milneness and "very de- laugh comedy wi | j a England. More extendel fab peewie lage cent Jasbioned as the costumes that adorn it. Prewine. e " week. . so rae “The Red Robe (Shubert) — Some | | Apotlo)—Study of blacka- “Follow Thru” (46th Street)—The seat Ws Be May? (ate —Lively little fetching melodies. I upper reaches of Man- Mile. Delroy, some joceme clowns comedy sicely played “Lady Fingers” (Liberty) —Some saucy | nel vel a ay teed shee, elect “Indiscretion”? (Mansfield)—It getethe and chuckleful mote ] ine ite ee at § ureters (48th Street) —Pr ha eee ere {See Got What She Wanted” (Wal Hl comedy with many laughs. “Pleasure Bound” (Majestic)—Phil lack's)—Another of those love affairs { 1 “hrs. Bumpstead - Leigh” (Klae)— Coty Baker, Rosita Moreno and a generally H | Mrs. Fuke reappears in her box-offic 9 diverting somg and dance show. To be reviewed. | \ mncesca™ (Forrest) —Re- “Dyname” (Beck) —O'Neill searches ational) —Di | Phillips’ play with La in the dark for a new od falls i i “ing than the play downstairs 1 14 a = | 4 | a comicbooks.com