Life, 1917-11-08 · page 23 of 40
Life — November 8, 1917 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine consists primarily of theatre reviews rather than political cartoons. The main illustration—a sketch by D. Cesare showing American soldiers (identified as "Sammy") encountering a woman—satirizes the social friction arising from American military presence during World War I. The caption jokes that a soldier's attempt at politeness toward a "skirt" (period slang for woman) nearly causes "international complications," suggesting cultural misunderstandings or romantic entanglements between American troops and foreign civilians. The bulk of the page contains condensed Broadway theatre reviews discussing contemporary plays. The introductory text notes how wartime has paradoxically *increased* theatrical activity in New York, as entertainment provides escape during conflict. References to "Liberty Bond sales" and "recruiting rallies" confirm the WWI context and theatre's role in supporting the war effort. The reviews themselves offer no obvious political satire—they're straightforward theatrical criticism of shows ranging from farces to historical dramas.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
pictures, Liberty Bond sales, recruit- ing rallics, suffrage importunities, a heated political contest, the afflictions of the booze trade, short sugar and its own intrinsic defects, the theatre not only holds its own, but is increasing the scope of its activities. To-day it is possible to see the theatre exercising more of its varied forms of activity than at any time in the history of the stage. In New York so many new theatres have recently opened, and are about to open, that it is difficult for even those closely con- nected with the industry to keep track of their location. And never in the his- tory of war have the theatre and its peo- ple been brought into such close touch with those who are fighting as in this greatest of all wars, Metcalfe. Brak OE RTAL : Ns GUIDE Astor. —“The Very, Idea." Laughable treatment of the eugenic theory reduced to practice, Belasco.—" Polly with a Past." Diverting and well staged light comedy with Ina Claire as a legitimate star. Bijou.—" The Torches,” by M. Henri Bar taille. See above. Booth.—" The Masquerader " with Mr. Guy Bates Post. Interesting and well played drama of London life with the star in a dual hurst.— Mr. Bernard Shaw's “ Mis- ‘A well-chosen company delivering a large quantity of the author's clever ver: bosity. Casino.—Alice Nielsen in “ Kitty Darlin’. Notice later. Century.—"* Miss 1917." _ Notice later. Cohan and Harris.—" A Tailor-Made Man.” Mr. Grant Mitchell and good cast in highly amusing farcical comedy. Comedy.—The Washington Square Players, Notice later. Cort—"De Luxe Annie." Ai mystery of crime and the mental disease called amnesia made into diverting melodramatic comedy. Criterion. "The Love Drive." Notice later. Eltinge. —"* Business Before Pleasure.” Those heroes of dialect fun, Messrs. Potash and Perlmutter, embark in the moving-picture business. pire—* Rambler Rose” with Julia San- i | iesaivd i “ BLAMED IF I EVER SPEND THE urppo's House! NIGHT AGAIN AT A NEWLY ARRIVED SAMMY'S INSTINCT TO BE POLITE TO A “ SKIRT NEARLY CAUSES INTERNATIONAL COMPLICATIONS derson and Mr. Joseph Cawthorn. Girl-and- music show agreeable of its kind, but the kind of the old, familiar brand. Forty-fourth Street." Hitchy Koo" and Mr. Raymond Hitchcock. An elaborate back- ground of the girl-and-music kind to set forth the fun-making of the star. Forty-eighth Street—Last week of “Peter Ibbetson.” Good stage version of Du Maur- ier’s dream story with an excellent cast. Fulton.—* Broken Threads.” Notice later. ».—" The Country Cousin,” by Messrs. rkington and Julian Street. Again we have shown to us in fairly amusing stage form the great truth that country folks are good and city folks are wicked. Garrick,—Closed until its opening Theatre du Vieux Colom ast bier.” Globe.—" Jack 0° Lantern "with Mr. Fred Stone. The comedian in energetic fun and a picturesque girl- and-musie accompaniment. Harris. — “Romance and Ara- bella,” by Mr. William Hurlbut, with’ Laura Hope Crews. A clever company carrying out an. ingeni- ous comedy theme to the breaking point. Hippodrame—" Cheer Up" Typi- cal Hippodrome show with a war- time tinge. Hudson.—" The Rescuing Angel” with Billie Burke. A bit of come- dy confectionary with the star at her whipped-creamiest. Knickerbocker. George Ar- liss in“ Hamilton.” The star not an ideal Alexander Hamilton, but the play interesting in its historical atmosphere, Longacre —™ Leave, It to Jane.” | Agrecabl musical version “of “The College _Wido} lacking a good deal of the original fun. Lyceum. —“ Tiger Rose.” Melodrama of the Canadian Northwest, interesting and well staged. L Manhattan Opera House.—" Chu Chin Chow.” Gorgeous musical and colorful spec- tacle based on “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.” Marine Elliott's. — Marjorie Rambeau in “The Eyes of Youth.” Novel plot in an ine teresting drama, unusually well played. Morosco.—" Lombardi, Ltd.," by Mr. and Mrs. Hatton. Social side of the fashionable dressmaking industry divulged in up-to-date stage form. Park.— The Land of Joy.” Spanish musi- cal piece. Notice later. Playhouse. — Grace George in Daughter.” Well acted play showing some o} the dangers of bringing up girls in a too religious atmosphere, Plymouth. — Marie Doro in a new play, Notice later. Princess.—" Ob, Boy.” Very light but en- tertaining small-scale girl-and-music show. Republic.—" On with the Dance,” by Mr, hacl Morton, Notice later. Shubert—" Maytime."| Charningly novel and very well presented musical play. En- tirely worth seeing. Thirty-ninth Street—Mr. William, Favers- ham in “The Old Country,” by Mr. Dion Calthrop. Notice later. Winter Garden.—* Doing Our Bit.” Girl- and-music show up to the standard in mag- nitude and gorgeousness, —Moving pictures. 's f comicbooks.com