Life — May 22, 1919 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

When the Theatre Gets Spring Fever ECAUSE this is the most profitable season ever known in New York there is as yet no general closing of the theatres in antici- pation of the approach of hot weather On the other hand there are no important new productions in prospect, for with all the present prosperity and every indication that New York is to be full of strangers all Sj summer on account of the returning soldiers © and their friends, managers know better than to present to a hot-weather public anything but the lightest of farces and girl-and-music shows. When it is said that this is the most profit- able season New York has ever known, it is equivalent to saying that it is the most profit- able season ever known in the history of the theatre the world over, for in no city have there ever been so many theatres of the better sort as there are in New York to-day. I anticipation of the summer demand for amusement of the lighter kind, Mr. Dillingham gives us at the Globe a frothy concoction with the music of the brand which has given unusual popularity to its composer, Mr. Jerome Kern. It is called “She's a Good Fellow,” and Anne Caldwell provides the rather commonplace book and lyrics, Prettily staged and with an unusually attractive lot of young chorus persons, the piece ran along uneventfully and with nothing in particular to dis- tinguish it until two sisters named Royetta and Vivian Duncan essayed a singing and dancing act. The audience immediately woke up, evidently under the impression that it had made a discovery of new talent. The more knowing ones in the audience at once recognized in the clever work of the young women the sure-fire methods of the vaudeville stage. Pos- sessed of voices trained to produce remarkable and unusual harmonies, the Duncan sisters scemed to have a talent for the inevitable ragtime, doubled, quadrupled and carried to the nth degree. There is no doubt they could rag the Song of Solomon or Homer's Iliad, if they tried. Outside of this injected talent which gave vim to the whole entertainment, the dancing of Mr. Joseph Santley and the irrepressible vivacity of Ann Orr were the only notable fea- tures of “She's a Good Fellow.” Which is not saying that it won't have large audiences of transients all summer long. HE recent war is responsible for a great many unusual tA things, and among them “Toot Sweet,” which is sup- = Ladi posed to show us veritably some of the things provided by Elizabeth Brice and her companions who went abroad to cheer up our soldiers home-sick for the joys of the Gay White Way ie The chief features seem to have been absolute informality an ber disconnectedness. The star evidently used her undeniable versa Pe tility to advantage, and Mr. Will Morrissey, with his abilit e to improvise fun as he goes along, must have been invaluab) ae among the vicissitudes to which these entertainers expose! pe their art. Bits of vocal and instrumental music, dancing of al Don: sorts and free-theatre burlesque, interspersed with frank con well fidences to the audience, doubtless made these self-sacrificin missionaries of diversion welcome guests among our soldier abroad. NOTHER exhibit in th girl-and-musie line industry “The Lady Red.” evidently put on i view of the expected sum mer demand for this class « T' entertainment. It makes I strong effort at having a plc In an connected with an artist’ H painting of a lady in red, bw ppea in not so much red that Sort conceals all of the natural pink, the result being a clash o interests between the lady who wishes to retire to obscurit the too frank disclosure of her individuality and a soap. THE PEACE TABLE (AFTER ADJOURNMENT)