Life, 1917-11-01 · page 21 of 38
Life — November 1, 1917 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical cartoon depicts a crowd of people gathered around street soap-boxes (improvised platforms for public speaking), which were common venues for political agitators and radical speakers in early 20th-century America. The figure labeled "SOAP" appears repeatedly, likely representing socialist, communist, or anarchist street orators who used such platforms to recruit followers and spread their ideology. The cartoon's title suggests mockery of radical activists who converted ordinary citizens to their causes through street preaching. The illustration satirizes both the soap-box speakers themselves and their audiences, portraying them as a mob susceptible to manipulation. This reflects contemporary American anxieties about radical political movements and immigrant-influenced activism during the post-WWI period, when such concerns were widespread among mainstream publications like Life magazine.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
undertaking. It lies, in fact, in a far more difficult field than the other in which to achieve success from the intel- lectual and finer artistic point of view. The author and artists have to appeal to a far more critical public, and the means at their command are far more limited. The distance between failure and mod- erate or complete success is a short one, particularly in the view of a fickle and sated public like that of New York to- day. Mr. Hurlbut's accomplishment with “ Romance and Arabella” falls pretty far short of being satisfactory. > a Fo ra HERE is a medical treatment which consists in curing over-active nerves and muscles through tiring them out by keeping them continuously occupied. This is the treatment applied to the over-active affections of Arabella Cadenhouse by the most level-headed of her suitors, He recognized her irresistible tendency to fall temporarily in love with one man after another, and, when he saw zeny. likelihood of the condition becoming per- manent, he promptly supplied a new ob- “LUPE® ject, with the outcome that he became the young woman's. final choice by tiring out her ficklencss. This was the text for an admirable play, but Mr. Hurlbut failed in humorous resources of the higher sort and let his incidents drop into low comedy. Laura Hope Crews is a delightful comedienne, but the part of the heroine spread out beyond even her abilities. In the more subtle scenes there was no ques- tion of her effectiveness, but when the author carried her into the realm of the almost grotesque she failed with him in carrying the audience. The other mem- bers of the cast are well chosen, but more than usually merely “ feeders” of the star. Among them Mr. Alfred Lunt gave a good character study of the male deni- zen of Greenwich Village. The play is delightfully staged by Mr. George Foster Platt, and the settings are quite out of the ordinary, with some valuable hints as to novel interior decoration. There is something about “ Romance and Arabella” that suggests to our prophetic soul something about that pa- thetic little grave of the amiable child up at Claremont. Metcalfe, Cr) Confidential Guide &% Astor.—" The Very Idea." The notion of having a eugenic baby laughably exploited in farce form, _ Belasco.—" Polly with a Past." Ina Claire successfully doing a legitimate part in a clever and well staged comedy, ij The Torches," by M. Henri Ba- later. The Masquerader" with Mr. Guy Drama of a doubled personality. Bates Post. , Well played, but not entirely convincing. Broadhurst. — Mr. Bernard Shaw's alliance.” A too-muchness of the author’ clever talk well presented in alleged drama, Casino.—" Furs and Frills.” An unsuc- cessful farce turned into a diverting girl-and- music show, Century.—" Miss 1917." Notice later. Cohan and Harri " A Tailor-Made Man.” Laughable and well played comedy based on the misadventures of a suit of evening clothes, Comedy.—The Washington Square Players. Notice lat Cor nesia mi De Luxe Annie.” Crime and am- gled in an amusing mystery play. Criterion. —"* Anthony in Wonderland” with Mr. Henry Miller. Notice later. ‘tinge, —" Business Before _ Pleasure. Laughable setting forth of the further ad- yentures of Messrs, Potash and Perlmutter in the moving-pigture business, Empire.—" Rambler Rose" with Julia San- derson and Mr, Joseph Cawthorn. © Girl-and- music show of ‘the usual type, pleasantly done. Forty-fourth cet, —" Hitchy Koo” and Mr. Raymond Hitchcock. The star at his funniest with an elaborate girl-and-music show to back him up. Forty-cighth Street, —“ Peter Thbetson.” Stron in a satisfactory stage version of Du Maurier’s dream stor Fulto The Claim.” by Messrs. Charles Kenyon and Frank Dare. Thoroughly inter- esting and well acted mining-camp drama. ee et th Gaiety.—" The Country Cousin, Booth Tarkington and Julian Street. other demonstration, in fairly that you will’ find only nd virtue in country folks. Garrick,—Closed wu: its ope! “Theatre dv Vieux Colombier.” Globe.—* Jack o* Lantern" with Mr. Fred Stone. See above. Harris.—“ Romance and Arabella,” by Mr. William Hurlbut, with Laura Hope Crews. See above. Hippodrome. —* Cheer Up.” The usual big show, full of fun and patriotism. Hudson. —“ The Rescuing Angel" with Billie Burke. Light and frothy comedy with the star as charming as ever. Knickerbocker, — Mr. George Arliss in “Hamilton.” A. ay interesting in its his- torical setting, with the star not entirely suc+ cessful in reproducing its hero. Liberty." Out There,” by Mr. Hartley Manners. Laurette Taylor as a charming re- cruiting agent in a clever war comedy, Longacre.—" Leave It to Jane.” “ The Col- lege Widow " in agreeable musical form, but not so funny as the original, Lyceum, —"Tiger Rose.” The Canadian Northwest made the picturesque background of a well staged but not strikingly original melodrama. Lyric.—Moving pictures. Manhattan Opera House. —“ Chu Chow.” See above. Marine Etliott’s. — Marjorie Rambeau_in “The Eyes of Yout Interesting play with a novel theme, and very well acted. Morosco.— Lombardi, Ltd.” by Mr. and Mrs. Hatton. Life in fashionable dressmak- ing circles, well staged and showing that, shal- low as it és, it may have sentimental episodes. Playhouse. — Grace George in “Eve's Daughter.” The star's abilities not at their greatest in personifying a heroine who almost went to perdition, but didn’t, Chin 715 A Remedy for the Soap-BoxTraitor mi new ene Last week of “A Successful Calamity” with Mr, William Gillette. Agree- able and well acted little comedy of New York domestic life. Princess.—" Oh, Boy.” Girls and music in a light but diverting farcical comedy. Republic.—Closed. Shubert. —“ Maytime.” Musical play. of real class, very well staged and performed, Thirty-ninth Street—Mr. William, Favers- ham in “The Old Country,” by Mr. Dion Calthrop, Notice later. Winter Gorden.—" Doing Our Bit” above, See comicbooks.com