Judge — June 22, 1929 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

JUDGE MUD GING He sah By HERE is good news in town and you'll find it at | the Avon Theatre. It bears the name, “Strictly Dishonorable”; it comes from Preston Sturges; and if it doesn’t tickle you, you are a fool to trust this department further for guidance. Expertly written and expertly played, we have here a fresh and jovial comedy that again makes theatregoing a pleasure and reviewing something distinguishable from garbage incineration. An outline of the plot of the piece would doubtless lead you to believe that the above encomium was based upon a deplorable consumption of alcoholic liquor. A Lothario covets a sweet one, persuades her with evil intent to spend the night in his rooms, finds out—after a kiss—that she is pure and innocent, is seized with contrition, dashes from the bed-chamber, and the next morning proposes holy matrimony to her. No, I am not joking; that, by God, is actually the plot! But the playwright has done wonders with it. With a rare eye to character, with some very excellent observation and with a sure humor, he has managed to convert it into a thoroughly happy thea- tre evening. His final act slips somewhat and de- scends momentarily to banality, but in the aggregate he has confected a comedy as lively, as engaging and as genuinely honest as any that has come this way in some time. Brock Pemberton is the producer and the company, from the charming Muriel Kirkland to, the competent Messrs. Anthony, Heydt, et al., is a delight. The theatre’ at its poorest is, on the other hand, made visible in “A Strong Man’s House,” at the Ambassador. I do not allude to the theatre of such obvious tripe as “A Comedy of Women,’ Short,” “Getting Even” or “Great Scott,” for that isn’t the theatre at all but rather only a presumptu- ous and pathetic apeing of the theatre. What I mean is the theatre that essays to make something of itself and hasn’t the slightest capacity for the business. The author of “A Strong Man’s House,” Lee Wilson Dodd, plainly tried to write an honest and sincere play. The producer, the M. John Tuerk, plainly tried to do something that would be a credit to him and to his mama and papa. And the acting troupe, headed by the Mlle. Nash, plainly took thcir jobs in the belief that they were going to make names for themselves in-what they considered to be a meri- torious dramatic manuscript. But, for all their as- piration, the M. Dodd, the M. Tuerk and the Mlle. Nash and Co. managed in combination only to make sorry mock of the theatre, for the presentation, in ev way and from every point of view, is a miser- able dud. The play itself not only shows no gift for sound dramaturgy but reveals a theatrical mind so stereo- typed that the clichés bump against each other dur- ing the evening with the frequency of dancers in a German beer hall. A number of the lines are rich with the juices of unintentional travesty as, for ex- ample, one character's straightfaced suggestion, after a family conference, that the coffin of the deceased father be placed on view in the blue drawing-room as opposed, one is permitted to imagine, to the pink, yellow, Nile green or opal drawing-room. As for the acting, worse has not been seen on the local stage in (Continued on page 26) Theatre Digest (Empi )—Trifling from the linese. (Mansfield) — Heavy “Candle “Philadelphia” comedy adaj attempt at satire. “Hot Chocolates” (Hudeon)—Blacka- moor vawteville with moments of enter- tainment. (Liberty) — More Dishonoradie” (Avoa) — I “S “$1 heartily commend it to your notice. “Rope’s End” (Masque)—Even though murder plays may have become tiresome, thivone will hold your attention, “tMurder on the Second Floor” (El- tinge)—But this one certainly won't. “The Crook's Convention” (Forrest)— Claptrap. “ Strong Man’s House” (Ambasso- dor)—Chaotic and dismal attempt at playwriting. “Fests” (Garrick)—The Provines- towners make a bad uptown start. “Hawk Island (Longacre) — More murder mystery stall. “Cape Cod Follies” ne As tears ea the Big Time. Bed “Sweet Adeline” (Hammerstein) —By oll od the best ey ‘the season's musical “It's @ Wise Child” (Belaseo)—Sone laughs that hit below the belt. “Bird in Hand” (Barrymore)—One of the better comedies, skilfully played. “steteh Book” (Carroll)—A revue with some originality. “Almanac” (Erlanger)—Amusing in Cat ot Uberty” (Knicker boeken To be be reviewed next C Saceets | emer (cath Street) — Strained murder mystery. “a Iton)—The M. Co- sm rate “Let Us Be betas Ctiled—A comedy not without Its hi Scarlet Pi of “Madame Cheap stuff. “Journey's End” (Miller)—A war play with points, but not the masterpiece they've told ‘you it is. “Little Show’’ (Music Bor)—Little but amusing. “Street Scene” (Playhouse)—Life in a baad York flat-bouse. An interesting " teres) rehash "and “Mary Dugan.” “Seotand Yard” Cierra) — Malo, dramatic boloney from London. marters fo be commeatel open ner week. ‘The Commeters Meri” (Pirm- outb)—A meritorious comedy. “Soldiers and Wormen” (ite marder. It is generally obvious “The Street ake 1 poh pier aK, })}—In- “Show Gut” (eh (ld) — Somebody mutt have stolen Plorenz’s three-leat clover. It's a pretty poor show. IT arctnd and have lok @ieoray, rs (Apollo)—See next week's “Many Waters” (Elliott)—Same here. “See Maples and Dis” (Vanderbilt)— Also here. £ comicbooks.com