Life — May 2, 1912 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

920 “LIFE: When they are not actually engaged in rehearsing and acting, he says, they are so taken up with the frivolities and dissipations of life that they neglect the studies and xercises which will enable them to compete with the Eng- lish actors who are crowding our stage because they have had proper training and keep on improving their equip- ment. Whether Mr. Belasco is right or not in the cause he assigns, it is evident to the public that there are no young Americans coming along who give promise of filling the places being made vacant by the dropping out of men trained in the old school of varied experience. Which is another argument for the need of an endowed natisnal theatre with a proper school of acting attached. HE performance at the Winter Garden has reformed considerably since it’ was last referred to in these columns. The vul- garities then complained of have been cut out and the new features are free from objec- tion according to the standards of the day for stage shows intended solely for the amusement of the unthinking crowd. The craze for grotesque dancing is indulged to the limit and so far as quantity goes this place of resort gives a very big evening-full. In the raking and scraping of the four corners of the earth for something novel in the way of terpsichorean novelty, not art, the latest thing is an octette of vigorous dancers who call themselves “The Texas Tommie: They are attired in a stage version of cowboy and cow girl costume and their dancing is an exaggeration of the violent Parisian Apache style with the sensuous feature of that dance cut out. It is a wonder that the arms of the young women remain attached to their bodies in view of the way they are jerked about by their male partners. A German dancer named Grete Weisenthal, who has attained some prominence in Continental capitals, shows some pretentious solo efforts in a school which is a sort of cross between the conventional ballet and the inven- tions of Isadora Duncan. The result is far from the poetry of motion, The lady is not beautiful nor built on graceful lines. Her attractiveness is not enhanced by the absence of tights from her dancing members. The whole effect of her work is one of pretentiousness without re- sults achieved. As a novelty she piques the interest, but is not likely to create enthusiasm as an exponent of the ancient art. Following the revived interest in Oriental effects the bill closes with an ingenious and gorgeously staged spec- tacle called “ The Captive.” with a plot in pantomime hav- ing something to do with the customary slave girl and jaded sultan. The whole show at the Winter Garden is admirably calculated to please the taste of the tired business man and send him home about midnight with his thoughts thoroughly diverted from the cares that would otherwise rob him of his needed refreshing slumber. Metcaife LIFE'S 4 ONFIDENTIAL GUIDE THEATRE 1 Astor—“ The Greyhound.” Laughter based on the av ventures of persons who are not careful about the acquaint ances they pick up at sea, Belasco—" The Return of Peter Grimm.” Its last wee! The interesting drama in which Mr. David Warfield demo strates the stage possibilities of a returned spi Berkcley.—" The Father.” A remarkable play from th Swedish of Strindberg. Strong and well acted, but not tended for the young person. Broadway.—" Hol Pokey” and “Bunty Bulls an Strings.” Extravaganza and burlesque of the old sort, wit! Messrs, Weber and Fields and members of their former con anies Casino—" Two Little Brides,” Notice later Century— The Garden of Allah.” The atmosphere of thc Sahara and its romance in impressive stage exposition Cohan’s.—Blanche Ring in “The Wall Street Girl.” Se« above. Comedy—* Bunty Pulls the Strings.” Satire and fun with the Scotch and their characteristics as the, basis. Very well done and highly laughable. Criterion—Last week of “Elevating a Husband.” Mr. Louis Mann as the star of a very ordinary comed Daly's— Monsieur Beaucaire."” An interesting and well staged romantic melodrama of the powdered wig period, with Mr. Lewis Waller in the title part. Empire— Oliver Twist.” Special cast, headed by Mr. Nat Goodwin as Fagin, in play from the Dickens novel. Gaiety—" Officer 666.” The New York policeman and h ways utilized as the foundation for a roaring farce. Globe—" The Rose Maid.” See above. Harris—" The Talker.” Comedy of young married life in the suburbs. Very well done and with a special message for young wives. Hippodrome—Closing weeks of the big ballet, water spec- tacle and circus acts. Hudson—" The Typhoon.” Interesting and very unusual drama, with Japanese in Europe for its principal characters. Well acted by company headed by Mr. Walker Whiteside. Knickerbocker— Kismet.” Mr. Otis Skinner and good company in gorgeously staged and interesting drama of Oriental lif Lyceum—Very unusual moving pictures of wild animal life in tropical Africa. Lyric—Grand opera by French company from New Or- leans, Notice later. Maxine Elliott's—Mr. Charles Hawtrey in|“ Dear Old Charlie.” Slender English farce built upon a French model. Agreeable acting of very slight material. Moulin Rouge—* The Winsome Widow.” A musical show of the usual type, except that its libretto is better than usual, being based on the old farce comedy, “A Trip to Chinatown.” Pork—* The Quaker Girl.” London musical show, dainty in material, music and presentation. Playhouse—* Bought and Paid For.” Absorbingly inter- esting and laughable drama of American life, very well done. Thirty-ninth Street-—" A Butterfly on the Wheel.” Di- vorce in English society and the English courts turned into a stage story and well depicted. Wallack’s—" Disracli.” The English statesman admirably reproduced by Mr. George Arliss as the principal character i a charming little play of life under Queen Victoria. Winter Garden—New bill. See above. with Mr. James T. Powers Ccomicbooks.com