Life, 1927-01-20 · page 20 of 34
Life — January 20, 1927 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon illustrates the caption "Another American Tragedy—Some One Leaves a Bed Bound Volume in the Blue Room," a satirical jab at absent-minded theater patrons. The image depicts a bedroom scene where a woman discovers a forgotten book left behind on a bed. The "tragedy" is comedic: someone has carelessly abandoned a bound volume (likely a playbill or program) in what appears to be a hotel or theater's private room—the "Blue Room." The satire targets early 20th-century theatergoers' inattentiveness and the minor inconveniences this caused venues. The exaggerated domestic setting and formal illustration style mock the melodramatic language applied to such trivial mishaps, playing on contemporary theater culture's tendency toward overwrought dramatic language. This reflects Life magazine's consistent mockery of theatrical pretension and audience behavior during this era.
📄 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 An American Tragedy. Longacre—Just a good old-fashioned morality play—which is probably the cruelest thing one could say of it. Beyond the Horizon. Bijou—Still'the stand- ard for kitchen tragedies. The Brothers Karamazov. Guild—With Clare Eames, Lynn Pontanne and Alfred Lunt. To be reviewed next week. Alternating weekly with “Pygmalion.” Caponsacchi. /Hampden’s—Walter Hampden ina worthy but mildly thrilling costume romance. based on Browning's “The Ring and the Book.” The Captive. mpire—Certain sex irregu- larities made the subject of a dignified and dramatic play. Helen Menken and Basil Rath- bone. Civic Repertory Theatre. (14th St.)\—Eva LeGallienne and her players in interesting repertory. See daily papers for offerings. The Constant Nymph. Selioyr—An_ uneven but unusually mo: n of the novel. We liked it. You The Dybbuk. borhood—Not s - telligible as the 1. a's but a better pro- duction of this Jewish ritual-drama, ; Ghosts. Mansfeld—Mrs. Fiske in a Ti Ibsen engagement. closing the twenty-ninth. In Abraham's Bosom. Provincetown: cere and, considering the size of the theatre, powerful presentation of a phase of the Negro problem. Laboratory Theatre. (S8th St.)—Repertory including "The Straw Hat," “The Trumpet Shall Sound” and “The Sea- Woman’s Cloak.” The Ladder. Waldorf—This was thrown open free to the pub- lic on Christmas Day, thereby giving the public just about an even break Lulu Belle. Belasco—Lenore Ulric, assisted by Henry Hull, in a vivid story of the rise and fall of a Harlem hussy. The Noose. Hudson—A fine formance by Rex Cherryman fitting an ordinary melodrama out of the rut. Sex. Daly's—Just so much waste motion, The Silver Cord. John Golden —An intensely interesting con- flict between predatory Mother Love and predatory Wifehood. Laura Hope Crews, Margalo Gillmore and Elizabeth Risdon in an excellent cast. The Squall. Forty-Fighth St, —The old one about the native girl with bad grammar but sex appeal. This time in Spain. he Wooden Kimono. Mar- tin Beck—This season's version of the farce-melodrama. Yellow. Netional—This sea- son's version of any scason’s melodrama. Comedy and Things Like That Abie'’s Irish Rose. Republio— Program coming in fine. The Arabian Nightmare. Cort —With Marion Coakley, Helen Lowell and others. To be re- viewed later. Ballyhoo. | Forty- Ninth St— With Minna Gombell, Eric Dressler and others. To be re- viewed next week. Broadway. Broadhurst—Be- hind the scenes in the old-fash- ioned New York night club. A masterly piece of melodramatic direction. Chicago. Music Box — Re- viewed in this issue. The Constant Wife. Maxine Elliott's — An ideal réle for Ethel Barrymore, which is about comes. Playhouse—A play by George nitely establishes him as having ters concerning American in the Cheese. Charles Hopkins— A dream fantasy with some very good Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Times Square— June Walker and Edna Hibbard bringing the book to life The Honor of the Family. Booth—Otis Skinner in a revival of a pretty old comedy. Howdy King! Morosco—Showing how honest Americanism, triumphs over corrupt European ndards. An Anne Nichols production, unk. Garrick—To be reviewed next week he Little Spitfire. Klaw—We thought that we had given the public to understand that this was no good, and here it is moving about from theatre to theatre. New York Exchange. viewed next week. The Padre. Rit:—Leo Carrillo in an adapta- tion of what was known in Paris as “the Prench *Abie's Irish Rose.’ The Play's the Th Henry Miller's—Hol- brook Blinn and excellent support in a light but hilanous thing by Molnar. Tommy. Gaiety—To be reviewed next week This Woman Business. Vallack’s—All about a lot of m who don't like women, You know how it evieve Tobin turns the trick. Comedy—To be re y — | Another American Tragedy SOME ONE LEAVES A RED BOUND VOLUME IN THE BLUE ROOM. Two Girls Wanted. Little—Nice enough. We Americans. Eltinge—Dealing with the process of becoming citizens on the East Side, and very well done, too. What Never Dies. Lyceum—Reviewed in this issue. Eye and Ear Entertainment Americana. Belmont—Small and, to a certain extent, satirical, Betsy. New Amsterdam—Not Mr. Zicgf best. in spite of Jimmy Hussey. fo atte? ia the Air. Century—Pretty far to go lor it. Countess Maritza. music from Vienna. Criss-Cross, Giobe—The Stone family, as usual. The Desert Song. Casino—Good | musical show, based on the turbulent Riffs. Vivienne Segal and Eddie Buzzell. ay Paree. Winter Garden—What you go to the Winter Garden for, with Chic Sale thrown in for good measure. Honeymoon Lane. Knickerdocker—Regula- tion Irish musical comedy. with Eddie Dowling and dancing by Florence O"Denishawn, Tolanthe. Plymouth—On Thursd. only. Our personal favorite of the Shubert—A lot of nice Katja. Forty-Fourth St—Not one Lace Petticoat. Forrest—To be reviewed 1. The Nightingale. Jolson With EleanorPainter. To be reviewed later. Ob, Kay! Imperial — Ger trude’ Lawrence, Victor Moore and Oscar Shaw, with Gershwin music. Especially for dinner parties. Oh, Please! Fulton—A vehi- cle for the matchless Beatrice .illie, with now and then Charles Winninger. Peggy- Ann. — Vanderbilt— With Helen Ford. To be re viewed next week. The Pirates of Penzance. Plymouth — Another argument for Winthrop Ames as Exclusive Gilbert and Sullivan Reviver. ueen th. Ambassador— Still among the best. with Luella Gear, Prank Mcintyre and Charles Ruggles. And _ nice music. The Ramblers. Lyric—Bob- bie Clark with plenty to do. which is all any one could ask. Scandals of 1926. A pollo— George White practically alone in his field, with a big, beautiful revue. Twinkle, Twinkle. Liberty— Joe Brown for comedy, but not much else. Vanities of 1927. Earl Carroll =A new edition, with Julius Tannen and Moran and Mack, in addition to several old Charlot stars. To be reviewed next week. Rummage Sale H AIR-PIN Corsets. Hat-pins, Cotton hosiery. Petticoats. Switches. Underskirts. Modesty. W. S. mor 1 just on t wak M soun scho funr do s dire theo driv ratli play skill B to w Neve comicbooks.com