Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-08

AMERICA need not be permanently de-
[Apressed about tho local triumph OF
London-made musical comedy over tho
German-American product: "Tonights
the Night" vs. "The Lady in Red" a
few weeks ago. we had Hello, Broad
wayi" and next season we shall see some
ut successor to THE Pink Lady" More
over, the piece at tho Forrest is. In GER
tain respects, an inferior specimen OF
American enterprise. All the same,
comparison Is In order.
Item /, Chorus-Decision to England,
with right OF appeal The refinement Of
the English chorus girl, coupled with the
novelty OF her peculiar style Of nose, hair
a-d limb, make her temporarily more
fascinating than her sisters of THE Lady
In Red" On the other hand II IS a reason
able wager that In the long run-the-
atrieaily speaking-the monotony of the
English charms would go under before
the variety and vitality of American
chorus girl.
Item 2 Scenery-Decsion to England.
If "Tonight's the Night" is fair sample
which It probably isnt-the English
producers have found out how charm
ingly the new stagecraft suits musical
comedy. Joseph Harkers firm. which
furnished Mr.. Favershnm with his eN-
cellent settings for Shakespeare, has
given the first act OF the piece at the
Lyric an admirable setting in a slightly
impressionistic manner. Tho black and
white of the room. relentlessly carried
out TO the smallest details is interesting
in itself and emphasizes the rich green's
and purpes of the landscape behind
Item 3. Costumes. for America,
If we are little pokey in the matter of
scenery, we outshinc our rivals in cos
tuning. Whether 1t is Melville Ellis, Of
the Winter Garden: some New York mo-
diste or the unnamed designer of The
Lady in Red" our musical comedies show
a color effect in variety and mass that
the jumbled commonplaces, or at best
eccentricltles. of London never equal.
Item 4, Players-Decsion for England.
Many of the Americans in musical COM
edy are admirable. AS comedians, lead
ing men, dancers and soprano heroines
with a sense of humor, our players have
fine abilities and individual flavor, The
English, however. can boast as much. and
they add to that personal distinction
and a polish that we can't touch. ITO
nights the Night and "The Lady in
Red" are good enough proof.
Item g. Stage Management-Decision for
England in the present case; reversed in
general. 1t happens that the present ex-
ample OF London musical comedy has
much of n decidedly clever nature in its
chorus evolutions and stunts of stage
management. THE Lady in Red" on tho
contrary seems principally deficient In
just the field where America generally
excels. One would hardly have believed
that Frank Smithson could devise nothing
better than such old-fashioned, played-out
tricks as pocket flashlights for the chorus
ana colored spot lights swinging on n
succession of colored flashes
Item last-Bools. Music, Humor. No de-
cision; point absolutely indetermlnable.
English librettoes are usually less inter-
esting, but more discreet and full of char
HCt0r. English hmnnr n
really intelligent But in general our
writer's and composers have about as
many planes of merit as the English. If
tho German-American combination at the