Judge — May 1938 — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

CAPSULE CLASSICS How to Meet Grand Opera Sequences in Screen Musicals I Pagliacci: Peg this one by the donkey on the stage and a fellow in masquerade costume hammering a bass drum. Nudge partner and say “Paul.yaw-chee.”” You can take a chance on being downright impressive during this spot because there's only one real hot number for the tenor, He will be the fellow who was beating the drum. Wait till he seems to be laughing, crying and singing all at once and then whisper, “Ree-dee, Paul. yaw-chee.” That is near-Italian for “Laugh, clown, laugh.” La Boheme: Don't let this one fool you. The pay-off will be a girl coughing and singing into her hankie. But authors of opera often took an out with tubercu- losis so don’t commit yourself unless the boys are dressed like “artists.” Girl's name is Mimi, pronounced Mee-mee. Boy's is Rudolph (Rudolph). Opera is pronounced Labbo-aim. Carmen: No chance of stumbling here. Soprano with hips will get down to business with a bit of 1875 swing even you will recognize. Don't be surprised if your girl nudges and says, “Abben- neera.” If she does you can get the upper hand again by explaining the song is really “Love is Like a Wood Bird Wild.” The fellow dressed like a bull fighter will be a bull fighter. Name is Es-£am-ve-yoh and as soon as he can he will sing the “'Toreador’s Song.” Tt will be familiar because it will sound exactly like the “Toreador's Song.” Toreador is Spanish for toreador. Clinching remark for after the show: “Well, there's nothing like good old Bee-zay is there?” (Bee-zay wrote it.) La Traviata: You can tell this one because the girl, Vee-oh- let-tah, will be coughing just as if she were in the audience. The boy, Abl-fray.do, will be pretending not to know (a) that Vee.oh-let-tah is not all she should be and (b) that she should move to Arizona. Safe to nudge and name song they are singing as “Ab Fors eh Looie.” To impress com. panion, explain casually that this is the operatic version of Cah-Meel. You know, that’s the one they wrote for Garbo and Bob Taylor. Tosca: If you can’t under. stand what it’s about it is Tosca. But if you don’t want to commit yourself, wait till you see a tough guy with a Washington's Birthday wig. You will be safe in calling him Skah.pe-ah. He will be trying to force a woman with a high voice to neck while another fellow is yelling his head off in the next room. The high voice is Tos-kah herself. If she breaks his half-nelson long enough to burst into song, you can whisper knowingly, “Vissy Dart.” Later, in the hamburger place, refer to Vissy Dart as an ahr-re-ah. Line to impress com- panion: “Old Pootch.Chinny had some. thing there.” —McCreapy Huston. Pause Take this pause—it is most wise; Scan the past and recognize Values given and received, Weed the patch of things believed That were false, and store new laughter For disillusionment hereafter. —Marcuerite J. ADAMS. No Encouragement 1 wish the folks who write and sing Could agree when “Life Begins—" They've got me dizzy figuring All the outs and all the ins. The songster says “At Sweet Sixteen” (A very pleasant season) ; The playwrite says, “At 8:40" (No rhyme and little reason) Insurance agents claim ‘At 50” (If you're still on the go!) But—has my life begun or not— Is what J want to know! —Puit Drupy. “OH DEAR, THERE GO THE swoRD PLANTS AGAIN!” comicbooks.com