Life, 1923-12-20 · page 21 of 36
Life — December 20, 1923 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is a **theater guide and review section**, not primarily a political cartoon. The main image shows **Walter Hampden as Hercule Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac**—an illustration accompanying a review of this classic play's revival at the National Theatre. The page lists current Broadway productions with brief critical commentary. Notable context for modern readers: - **"Abie's Irish Rose"** (Republic): A famous interethnic romance comedy that was hugely popular in the 1920s - **Paul Whiteman** reference: "King of Jazz," a major cultural figure of the era - **W.C. Fields and Madge Kennedy** in "Poppy": Silent-film and vaudeville stars - **Baby Peggy Delysia**: Child star performer - **"Runnin' Wild"**: Explicitly labeled a "Negro show," reflecting segregated entertainment of this period The reviews are punchy and often dismissive (one show is "one part 'Ta Bouche' and nine parts water"). This reflects Life's satirical voice—irreverent commentary on popular entertainment for educated, theater-going readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Owing to the time it takes to print Lire, readers should verify from the daily newspapers the continuance of the attractions at the theatres mentioned. More or Less Serious Chains. Playhouse — Serious contempla- the unmarried mother situatio: ano de Bergerac. | National—Resump: Walter Hampden’s notable revival of the world’s most effective plays. © Dancers. Ambassador—Good theatre with Richard Bennett as trickster Failures. Garrick—Ben Ami and ed Lenihan ina depressing but dis: superior chronicle of hard iuck. in the Next Room, Vanderbilt—Reviewed issue. rhe Lady. Empire—Reviewed in this is Clown, Laugh! Belasco—Reviewed Lullaby. Knickerbock Florence n the pleasurable process of being 1 down and down. leas and Melisande. Times Square eviewed next week Queen Victoria. Forty-Eighth $t.—Inti glimpses into the homelife of the do Queen, well done. Maxine Elliott's—Jeanne Eagels in a ut drama of sin and religion. enth Heaven. Booth—The last word cality, and a tremendous hit, thereby mething, we don’t know what. Sun-Up. Princess—Rather leisurely drama kwoods emotion, effectively handled. ish, Belmont—Good American play, with the conventional American sub: i chastity. nite Cargo. Greenwich t kills 'in the tropics. T \ Village — The Comedy and Things Like That Abie’s Irish Rose. Republic—We hardly chat to say. Aren't We All? Gaiety pleasant complications, The Business Widow. wed next week. The Changelings. -Cyril Maude in Ritz—To be re Henry Miller’s—A_no- cast (including Henry Miller, Ruth tterton, Blanche Bates and Laura Hope ws), in a polite but amusing comedy. Chicken Feed. Little—Staple home-cook- For All of Us. Forty-Ninth St.—V lge in 100 per cent. sweetness. Meet the Wife. Klaw—Fairly entertaining ch Arden comedy, with Mary Boland. The Nervous Wreck. Sam H. Harris— y noisy and very successful farce, headed Otto Kruger and June Walker. The Potters. Plymouth—To be reviewed Sancho Panza. next week Spring Cleaning. Hudson—To be reviewed p _Eltinge—A good cast (including Estelle Winwood, Arthur Byron \ A, E. Mathews) in a frank but deftly cotertaining exhibition. The Swan. Cort—Extremely_ satisfying comedy of royalty, with Eva Le Gallienne as splendid princess. Time. Thirty-Ninth xt_week, The Whole Town's Talking. ture of good and bad — farce, Mitchell helping a good deal. St.—To be reviewed Bijou—Mix- with Grant Eye and Ear Entertainment Artists and Models. Shubert—The investigators’ favorite show. Greenwich Village Follies. den—The best of the series. vice Winter Gar. Little Jessie James. Longacre—If you've heard Paul Whiteman piay “I Love You” you don’t have to go to this show. Little Miss Bluebeard. Lyceum—Well, there’s Irene Bordoni. The Magic Ring. Liberty- Mitzi fans. Meat for the Mr. Battling Buttler. Selwyn—Let us say about C plus. “The comedy is in the hands of Charles Ruggles and William Kent. Music Box Revue. Music Box—Lots of scenery, and comedy forces headed by Franic Tinney. One Kiss. Fulton—One part “Ta Bouche” and nine parts water. Poppy. Apollo—W. C. Fields and Madge Kennedy in a tuneful ‘show. Runnin’ Wild. Colonial—Negro show of the first class. Fred Stone The Stepping Stones. Globe family tri and his daughter in a personal umph. Topics of 1923. Broadhurst—Baby Peggy Delysia in a surprisingly well-staged revue. Vanities of 1923. | Ear! Carroll of one of the season’s best. Wildflower. all means. Ziegfeld Follies. New Amsterdam—Far Brice, Julia Sanderson and others in wh: may be’a good show by this time. Last weeks Casino—If you like music, by WALTER HAMPDEN AS Hercule Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac. comicbooks.com