Life — August 18, 1927 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

Oh, Dear! 6 UR announcement, two weeks ago, that we had suc- ceeded in closing “Abie’s Trish) Rose” on August 6th was met, on the date of its publication, by a counter announcement from the man it which rather viti- ited our claim. We were quite correct in our statement that “Abie’s Trish Rose” to be the only thir Whether some played turncoat and infor was closit The date seems in question now ne in the office where Lire is printed the Anne Nichols man ment that we were appearing on August 2nd with a 1g broadside of victory, or whether the advertisements run by that man ment for over a month announcing its ading us into a trap, we probably never shall know. ‘There was dirty work somewhere. closing on August Gth were just vicious decoys Whatever the cause, it is certain that on the very day when this department de- clared itself victor, the management of “Abie's Trish Rose” announced that it had reconsidered its advertised decision to close on the 6th and would continue for some tr, possibly until Labor Day. If the idea was ta make this department look like a sap, a straw vote would probably indicate some degree of success And, as if that were not enough, the Confidential Guide for the following week, already printed and on its way to the Coast and China, contained an “In time long which was very pat when written but hardly warranted by the facts when it appeared Memoriam” notice for “Abie’s Trish Rose’ 4 ROM now on we refuse to commit ourself about this play. It can run forever fbr all of us. We have lost interest in it. We will play safe and run it in the Guidk not only until it has really closed but for six months thereafter, but as for wasting any more time on boosting it, we are through, It is evident that Anne Nichols and her management are not to be trusted. And the next time we make an announcement of that kind it will be in a paper which goes to press fifteen minutes befor: the date of issue—if at all. As a matter of fact, we may retire from writing cn- tirely and take up clay-modeling. This thing has pretty much broken our spirit. —_ & ——— HUS depressed, tractions can be no more than perfunctory ur comment on other current at- There na” and are two Negru revues now running, “Africa 19 “Rang Tang”—both better than most of their predeces ‘is much the most elaborate produc tion that a colored revue has ever achieved, but with g Broad way, a thing which colored performers have no need to do. “Africana” makes 1 anything. but Neg Tt boasts but o sors. “Rang ‘Tan, ati this splendor goes the disadvantage of imi pretense of tacky back-droj Mississippi steamboats giv showing the customary unbeliewabl ing the levee a run for its money, but it has much that Ra Waters yg ‘Tang’ has not, including Miss Ethel Miss Waters is a remarkable performer who, with out anything wonderful in the way of a voice acting tbility, makes you feel that you are in the p ice of and acting artist The Negro revue comedy still smacks of the nursery, especially that of Messrs. Miller and Lyles in “Rang Tang.” Here are two natural waste their heritage on jokes inv vpn comedians who Iving the mispro nuneiation of long words, and a mispronunciation, at that, which is almost entirely limited to a mechanical substitution of the syllable “re” for th correet one With something adult to say, Miller and Lyles would be grand. Winifred and Mills, in “Africana.” with their familiar Chinaman-and-gob act, seem to be the only colored comedians with material which even approxi mates inspiration. The dancing in both revues, needless to say, is super human. WwW! AT may turn out to be the opening season was unveiled at the Earl Carroll Theatre a week or so ago, by name “Allez-Oop!" It will have to pull itself together and behave like a regular show if it hopes to open anything at all, much less a season, but the new with the substitution of a curtain which works for the hollaw mockery utilized on opening hit, and the in stallation of a 1 reliable clock back-stage, the thing ought not to be difficult to whip into shape. “Allez-Oop!" has some good ideas, which is saying a great deal for a revuc It has more dd comedians than it has use for, the luckiest being Victor Moore in his burlesque Roxy act, and Charles Butterworth, who now shows himself to be what we suspected from his Rotary speech in last year's “Americana” able comedian who might some day play a heart-breaking a very Valu itimate tragedy. W Oop!" is probably worth an evening will take a chance on saying that, by now, “Allez if they all didn't get discouraged after the opening and leave town Robert Benchley comicbooks.com