Life, 1929-05-17 · page 32 of 52
Life — May 17, 1929 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **theater listings and advertising**, not political satire. It's from *Life* magazine's "Confidential Guide" section reviewing Broadway shows circa the 1920s. The content consists of: 1. **Drama and Comedy reviews** — Brief critical notices of plays at various theaters (Brothers, Harlem, Journey's End, etc.), with ticket prices and cast members noted. Reviews are tersely sarcastic ("It is a play and what we mean is a play"). 2. **"Eye and Ear" section** — Reviews of musical revues and variety shows, including performances by Bill Robinson and Lew Fields. 3. **Life's Ticket Service advertisement** — Information on how readers could purchase theater seats through the magazine. The humor is mild and contemporary — poking fun at thin plots, dated material, and audience reactions rather than addressing political issues. This reflects *Life*'s primary function as entertainment and lifestyle commentary for New York's theater-going public.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
30 New York Life Le onfidential (*+uide ‘WBroruens. Forty-cighth Street. $3.00—Sat. $3.85—Handsome Bert Lytell of the cine- mas in a double role of interesting melo- Carnivat. Forrest—Behind the scenes of a cooch show with Norman Foster in the role of a snappy lover. Concratutations, National—To be reviewed later. *wCourace. Ritz. $3.00—Sat. $3.85—The open- ing scene of the kiddies at the photographer's is worth the tariff. WHartem. Times Square. $3.00—A carbon copy of a cross section of life on Lenox Avenue. Good. Journey's Env. Henry Miller. $3.00—It is a play and what we mean is a play. All-Eng- lish and played in a trench. *Minta, Belasco. $5.50—Lenore Ulric goes mechanistic with Mr. Belasco. Man’s Estate. Biltmore—Margalo Gillmore in a marriage dilemma. Mysrery Square. Longacre—Summerish, the weather these days. Rocxsounp. Cort—If it is still playing our new critic better keep away from this office. Srrance INrentuve. John Golden—You go at five, an hour out for dinner, and you bear people theorize outloud. *KSrarer Scene. Playhouse. $3.85—Sat. $4.4¢ —The difficulty is getting in. A moving panorama of life in the tenements. *Sxivpinc. Bayes. $3.00—Good enough to keep going despite premier hoots. #Tue Love Dutt. Barrymore, $3.85—Miss Barrymore Julietting to Louis Calhern’s Don Juaning in a little goulash from the Hun- garian. Tue Camer Tuxoven Tit Neepte’s Eve. Martin BeckR—A Guilder and concerns an- other Cinderella. $4-40— non 's novel ®Tue Ace or Innocence. Those charmed by Edith mi with the same name, have a chair. Tue Come-Ox Man. Forty-ninth Street— One of those thin plots that keep you awake just the same. Tue Perrect Aussi. Charles Hopkins—A Milne murder and a neat solution. Comedy *Berore You're Twenty-Five. Maxine Elliott. $3.00—Sat. $3.85—A new one by the au- thor of “The Barker.” *Birv In Haxv. Morosco. $3.85—All-British and had a big run in London. Deals with class consciousness on the countryside. *Houway. Plymouth, $3.85—A society back- ground and sparkling when Hope Williams has the stage. KJonrsy. Bijou, $3.00—Sat. $3.85—Adolescent bean spilling with some excellent Main Street atmosphere. HKisrrzex. Royale. $3.00—Sat. $3.85—Ed- ward Robinson turns to pinochle. Lime Acciwent. Ambassador. $3.00—Sat. $3.85—A mix up over a baby with several hearty laughs. *Ler Us Be Gay. Little. $4.40—John Golden who produced it cannot get seats for his friends. Francine Larrimore is magnificent. So is Charlotte Granville. *Mas. Bumrsteap-Leich. Klaw. $3.00—A ree vival which serves to show Mrs. Fiske de- serves her laurels. Meer Tue Prixce. Lyceum, $3.85—Basil Sydney and Mary Ellis in one of Milne’s ones. *My Gin Fripay. Republic, $3.00—Sat. $3.85 —A little broad but popular. Caprice. Guild—Also Guildish and Lunt-Fon- tanneish, Net FCI Eye and Ear HBracksiaps, Eltinge. $3.85—Sat. $4.40—All- colored gi a singers and, of course, Bill Robinson, best tap-hoofer in the world. ‘kFionetta. Earl Carroll. $6.60—The easiest production on the eye in town. *%Fotrow Trnv. Forty-sixth Street. $5.50—Sat. $6.60—That scene in the locker room stretched Mike Hogg out in the aisle. A big hit. *How> Everynie, Broadhurst. $5.50—A clever singing and dancing show with box- ing as the theme and laughs by Bert Lahr. *tHet10 Davvy. Cohan. $4.40—Lew Fields and ‘one or two whistling tunes. Lavy Fincers, Liberty. $5.50—It is almost “worth seeing twice just to hear Marjorie White lisp. The musical version of a crook drama. Muse IN May. Casino. $5.50—A splendid evening for those who like melody. Solly Ward is the quipster. Messin’ Anounp—Mentioned in this issue. New Moon. Imperial. $5.50—Sat. $6.60— Old New Orleans so beautifully set to mu- sic you do not even miss the Absinthe. *Preasune Bownp. Majestic. $5.50—Phil Baker as suave and handsome as ever and Jack Pearl stuttering ouf a few gags. Spine Is Here. Alvin. $5.50—The nice Mr. Hunter in a tuneful thing that is worth while. Tue Granp Street Fottses—To ‘be reviewed Tater. #Tie Lime Snow. Music Box. $4.4o—Sat $5.50—To be reviewed. Tue Rep Rose. Shubert. $5.50—Walter Woolf singing pleasantly in operetta. *Wuoorre. New Amsterdam. $6.60—Anyone who cannot laugh at Eddie Cantor has the Vapours or something. (Continued on Page 32) Lite’s "Ticket Service HOW LIFE READERS CAN GET GOOD ORCHESTRA SEATS AT BOX OFFICE PRICES If you are planning a visit to New York, or if you live in New York, Live's Ticket Service will not only save you money but an extra trip to the box-office. Help Lire to drive the Ticket scalper out of business! HOW TO USE LIFE’S TICKET SERVICE Good seats are available for attractions above indicated by stars and at prices noted. All orders for tickets must reach Lire’s Office at least seven days before date of per- formance. for exact amount must be attached to each Purchase Order. Receipt will be sent to purchaser by return mail. ‘This must be presented at the box office on the evening of the performance. IN ORDER TO KEEP TICKETS OUT OF THE HANDS OF TICKET SCALPERS - 3 598 Madison Ave., New York City Purchase Order: Dear Life: I want seats for the following: : SEATS WILL BE HELD AT THE BOX-OF- : FICE AND WILL NOT BE RELEASED UN- ? TIL AFTER EIGHT O'CLOCK ON THE NIGHT OF THE PERFORMANCE. In selecting attractions, purchasers are asked to send two alternative choices of shows with cach selection, in case Lirr’s quota of seats for that performance is exhausted. Remit- tance will have to cover the cost of the highest 2 priced seats asked for. Any excess amount 3 will be refunded. > Lire wil be glad to make appropriate lections for purchasers if they indicate with order the type of show preferred and re: mit amount to covi prices. Any excess amount will be refunded by return mail. NO ORDERS FOR SEATS ‘TAKEN OVER THE TELEPHONE. eee This service is not offered in connection with matinee seats, which are ordinarily available ++ at box offices, comicbooks.com ay 2S SS. ff 4.3 RPA ee