Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-17
THE THEATRE
T)ancing Around
All Previous Shows

dnSt "................... Elleen MoIyneux
Eihtss Elliot t..,....,........M Mary sya Ro6sS3gn sSgn
.4 Af,rsham.,,.. .'''' NisivI1is LfiiIs
isia Elli9s1t. 'ssy "a are. they ars''-Ai Joison.
,.s,rybody knows what Winter Gar
nav tries to do. besides, of course.
.,nr ~ a full house to make up for the
y. ..rtb Of seats put hors de combat by
.nnaway.) Well. Dancing Around"
"And." in the elegant Language
: M. Jolson, then some'
s music. All the favorite rags turn
q come form or another, including.
...,tot1v. "The Same Sort of Girl
r,.neraryo tries to. toc-for the third
.ss this year in musical piece-but
..,oteIv only the title gets by. The
,lsshet and notes are differently ar
rred when they issue from the singer.
l.'n tJeindi model conductor, adds to
ihnVna na,otv with his white cuffs and white
tns.enhoie tns bouduet and white gloves Gust
..u sdr Iolson's) and his very intimate
w isnso.nai interest in all the principals.
\, has costumes BY Melville Ellis. OF
s.,,rse and designed to show that he is
y, m with 4 very short session at his
natulng little piano because ne ls quite
ag,snensab bic as q supplier of Japanese
tsl,ino suits and harem tea gowns.
o,snge and white: black. blue and green;
,tar, and lavender. web of black over
tlns and silver and finally myriad of
snnns ellmmering, glittering Venice of
srsrpIes and opalescence. as remarkable
resb of color as our musical comedy
s,.ra has known. Mr.. Ellis other efforts
s.sss IN for putting Belgium in tights
s,la tbe United States (all five of them)
wsil on earbed modestly in the national
banner.
an the telephone and British officer
md singer who has pawned her voice,
.nd plot TO do the heroine out of her
Scbut in musical comedy. But Mr.. Jol-
son saves her-and us. He has spoiled
syeyv Mot he ever was in and he's ready
a spoI this one. For which, thank
heaven! Just think, II one of these things
kept on to the bitter end.
The Winter Garden show at the Lyric
has everything u Winter Garden show
opght TO have. ut doesn't even forget
Detroit and the 'pront-sharIng gentleman
syho made walking a pleasure" But
mostly it has AL Jolson. He swings the
scenery Ito make us dizzy" He fears
he bank has declared a natatorium. He
Ysslrrects Won I<luck, He talks about the
canned tomatoes he received when he
siayed a bloodhound pup in Uncle Toms
Cabin" before he grew out of the part.
ehIrts for Soldiers; he makes the audi
apce sing It. He listens to the cackle
Of "a laughing Engilshman and remarks
!. lpiuatlently, "I know, but where's the
ssgft He appears as a hotel clerk,
eundoller a porter, a bcllboy, a waiter,
doorman, an Indian prince and a mas
rsuse And all the time he Is his own
all.suficient, dominating unacceptable, un-
deniable self That CLINT of cheerful mas
. lt..., IL ,a AZ G VI baf
the commonest old jest into a classic of
comedy.
Over in London
There hasn't been so dull season in
theatrical London in the memory of the
Oldest playgoer. No ontable, no even pres
sntable plays seem to come to the stage.
Reyivals and disappointments rule.
Occasionally revival is enlivened by
such a scene as the London Chronicle
describes in connection with F. r. Ben
sons performance of the patriotic classic,
Henry W.: "Under the authority of the
Var Office this martial play was used to
assist recruiting, especially the recruit
ing Of the Sd Battalion, City of London
Regiment Royal Fusiliers. Two hundred
SEATS had been placed at the disposal of
ne authorities. and those present in
rluded the Lord Mayor, Major General
kir Francis Lloyd commanding the Lon
don Dlvision) and Lieutenant Colonel Sir
tharles Owens. These gentlemen ad-
dressed the crowded house between the
acts and a recruiting sergeant was in
attendance to reap the fruits of their elo-
aasnce. Mr.. Benson himself, before the
pay began. came from the curtain of
lae past to the curtain of the present
sf'sis through Shakespeare. to ring out
trumpet call to arms"
sr George Alexander mas contributed
some excellent acting, IL not a very en-
Menlng play in his production of kings
Na Queens by Rudolf Besler. This
leans Engllshman once wrote a remark
soly spirited comedy. "Don," which the
asW Theatre produced over here; and
mere was considerable amusement to be
lound In his Lady Patricia" But the
PRESENT attempt to show royalty In un-
ofeas Uniform has only resulted in some
smusing reflections from A. B. Walkley,
q the Times:
somehow or other we all like to see
sall,SiNes running away from wooden
easoshds' so long as they think better
- -