Life, 1918-03-07 · page 23 of 40
Life — March 7, 1918 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains theater reviews and a satirical poem titled "Food Administrator's Mother Goose." **The Main Cartoon/Satire:** The illustrated poem parodies the nursery rhyme "Little Miss Muffet," rewritten to mock wartime food rationing. It shows a mother preventing her daughter from eating curds and whey on a "curdless day"—a direct jab at the Food Administrator's rationing policies. The joke targets the perceived absurdity of government food restrictions, suggesting the authorities were creating arbitrary, nonsensical rules. This likely dates to WWI-era rationing (1917-1918). **Theater Reviews:** The bulk of the page comprises brief reviews of Broadway productions, including plays like "Youth," "Why Marry?," and "Chu Chin Chow." The reviews are largely dismissive of amateur performances and certain shows, praising only skilled actors and well-staged productions. The satire's point: mocking government overreach into everyday civilian life during wartime through absurdist humor—a common Life magazine tactic.
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ent guise it lacks in both particulars, Rarely is it possible to see such undis- tinguished acting. TEs Mr Ye et Fe te PEE BG GRE EE BE IDE Ir “Youth” the Washington Square Players take their turn at stripping life back of the curtain of any illusion it may have left. The mechanics of the stage are shown in complete nudi- ty and entirely devoid of charm, In “Success,” with similar setting, a good deal of the glamour is retained. In spite of the effort of “ Youth" at realism, and to make the actor characters fit into the scenes as professionals thoroughly at home in their surroundings, we get a good deal of the atmosphere back of the scenes at an amateur performance. And in Mr. Malleson's play we get an impression of an amateur handling a sociological ques- tion and trying to make a sensation by his boldness rather than by disclosing new ideas or creating conviction by sound reasoning. “Youth” is the first long play at- tempted by the Players. The result sug- gests the advisability of a return to their mixed bills. “rHE MASTER,” revived by Mr. Ar- nold Daly, seems hardly worth resurrecting. It is most unpleasant in theme and not distinguished in perform- ance. Mr. Sydney Rosenfeld had consider- Se ony) a a 1} neM CUNY Hon qa yin hata th FOOD ADMINISTRATOR'S MOTHER GOOSE Little Miss Muffett stole out to a tuffet To eat some curds and whey, But her mother soon taught her that she hadn't oughter Eat curds on a curdless day. *LIPFE® able assurance in bringing his ridiculous “Love Drive” back to New York, but he attempted to escape discovery by giving it the alias of “ Under Pressure.” The change of title has not changed its stu- pidity and vulgarity. O&A @ 2X*e I A Cure for Curables” there are a number of laughs and a continuously amusing illustration of the “back to the soil” treatment for human ailments, par- ticularly those that are encouraged by doctors who practice their art for revenue Why Marry?" by Mr. fesse Lynch Williams, Conversational but clever comedy with discussion of the title question by a good company, Belasco. —"' Polly With a. Past.” Excel: lently staged and well acted light comedy of the day. Bijou.—" Girl o' Mine," by Messrs. Bar- tholomae and Tours. Cheerful little girland- music show with good dancing. Booth.—" Seventeen,” by Mr. Booth Tark- ington. Agreeable setting forth of the humorous aspect of the joys and miseries of puppy-love. Broedhurst—Emily Stevens in “The Ma- donna of the Future,” by Mr. Alan Dale, Talky and unclean attempt at imitation of comedy in the school of Oscar Wilde. Casino." Oh, Boy!" Tuneful and di- verting girl-and-music show. Century.—" Chu Chin Chow.” Gorgeously Oriental spectacular play with effective musi- cal accompaniment, Cohan and Harris—" A Tailor-Made Man.” Laughable and well acted demonstration in comedy form that good clothes are a valuable business asset. Cohan’s.—" The King,” with Mr, Leo Dit. richstein. Last week of this funny and well played very French comedy. Comedy.—The Washington Square Players in “Youth.” See above. Cort.—"Flo Flo.” Girland-music show with even fewer clothes than usual. Criterion, — Laurette Taylor in“ Happi: ness,” by Mr. Hartley Manners. The star exactly fitted with a half-pathetic, half-humor- ous but always interesting réle. Eltinge, — “ Business Before Pleasure Messrs. Glass and Goodman provide a laugh- able experience for Messrs. Potash and Perl- mutter in the moving-picture business. Empire. —¥thel Barrymore in “The Of Chance,” by Mr. RC. Carton. ‘The star at her best and admirably supported in a divert- ing English society comedy. Forty-fourth Street.—" Maytime.” Charm: ing tusieal play, very well done. Forty-eighth Street, —“The Love Mill.” Girland-musie show, not especially clever. Fulton.—Closed. Globe.—" Jack o” Lantern,” with Mr. Fred Stone. The comedian making strenuous fun to an elaborate girl-and-music accompaniment. Harris.—" Success.” by Leitzbach and Licb- ler, Interesting drama of theatrical life, well acted by good company headed by Mr. Bran- don Tynan. Hippodrome —" Cheer Up." Big. demon- stration of the possibilities of spectacle, vaude- ville and ballet. Hudson, — "The Master" and." Democ- racy's King,” with Mr. Arnold Daly. See above. 383 only. Mr. William Hodge is the star and hero of the mirth-producer. To state that he is still Mr. William Hodge describes the nature of his performance, and is a guarantee that his admirers will find no reason for disappointment. The cast is a large one for farcical comedy, and the authors have given its members oppor- tunities for amusing character bits, which are well utilized. “A Cure for Curables” is diverting, and it is highly recommended to persons whose doctors have taught them the sani- tarium habit. Metcalfe. Knickerbocker.—Closed. Liberty.—" Going Up.” _ Musical play, well acted, funny and with aviation for its topic. Longacre-—" Yes or No." Drama with a plot in double exposition. Novel and inter esting. Lyceum.—" Tiger Rose." Very well staged melodrama with the Canadian Northwest for its scene. Lyric. —" Nazimova" in “ Revelation.” An unusual demonstration of the legitimate dra- matic possibilities of the moving picture. Manhattan Opera House.—" The Garden of Allah.” Spectacular drama with the atmos- phere of the Sahara, Marine Elliott's. — Marjorie Rambean_ in “The Eyes of Youth.” Well acted and in- teresting drama with a novel method of de- veloping the plot. Morosco.—" Lombardi, Ltd.” by the Hat- tons. Very up-to-date and flashy comedy de- picting the possible romance of the man-dress- maker's calling in New York, New Amsterdam. —“' Coban Review of 1918." Current plays cleverly burlesqued with a, gorgeous girland-music show as a back: ground, Norworth.—" Under Pressure.” See above. Park.—" Seven Days’ Leave.” by Mr. Wal- ter Howard. Episodes of the present war shown in stirring melodrama. Playhouse.—" The Little Teacher.” by Mr. Harry James Smith, “Mary Ryan ‘the pleas: ant heroine of a well played sentimental rural drama. Plymouth. —“ The Gipsy Trail.” by Mr. Robert Housum, Last. week of well acted and clever contemporary comedy. Princess—" Oh, Lady! Lady! by Messrs, Rolton, Wodehouse and Kern. Bright and diverting girl-and-music show. Punch and Judy.—" Her Country." See above. Republic. —“ Parlor, Bedroom and Bath,” by Messrs. Bell and Swan. Somewhat coarse but very funny and well presented farcical comedy, Shubert —" The Copperhead,” by Mr. Au- gustus Thomas. See above. Thirty-ninth Street—"A Cure for Cura- by Messrs. Biggers and Whitman. See Vanderbilt." Oh, Look!" Notice later. Vieux Colombier.—Imported French stock company in changing bill. Winter Garden. inbad.” Following the general trend, the largest of the girl-and- music demonstrations delights the t. b. m, the gorgeousness of the Orient. Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic. — Cabaret. and other entertainment to rob the midnight hours of their gloom. ‘omicbooks.com