Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-01
AIl-Colored
Comedy Seen
at the Shore
Laurence Eyre's "Sazus
Matazus' Shown at
Apollo Theatre

ATLANTIC CITY, July i.--optimistic re-
ports, brought here by managers, producers
and actors, Of the business being done AT
the tag end Of the theatrical season proves
that the situation is clearing up nicely for
next year. Despite the jlnx that presi-
dental election year is supposed to cast
over the theatrical business every one is
sanEuine about next season and is proving
II by taking lengthy vacations and spending
a lot OF money. Managers, agents and per-
formers are holding daily confabs here over
the past and present. and healthy condi-
tion is reported in every branch OF the busi-
ness even the much-desplsed one-night
stand showing desire for the spoken
drama instead OF screen productions.
There will be many new productions and
companies on the road next season. and the
opening up of one-nlght stands for attrac-
tlons will relieve the larger cities OF forced
runs of plays that are not phenomenal hit
Philadelphia and other cities that demand
chance to see new things VIII get the op.
portunity, next season, and the public will
ont only profit by this, but the managers
will fare BETTER financially.
Unless the promised boom hits a snag
between now and September the theatre
going public will have no cause for COM
plant about the offerings. Producers are
arranging to send out many mammoth pro-
duotions; the American dramatiet will get
his innings, II he has anything worth while
to offer the burlesque end will be clever
and better; vaudeville, with It's many tribu-
taries of big" time and small" time, will
be much improved and the new interna-
tional circuit will revive n form Of arnuse-
mont for tho masses that will be welcome
in the shape of hrst-cass attractions offered
at low price OF admission. This circuit
will have 40 theatres next season, three OF
them in Philadelphia, and attractions Of ex-
traordinary merit to offer.
There was but one new production here
this week, that of "Sazus Matazus." pre-
sented for the FIRST time any stage by
William Harris, Jr. on Monday night June
Sc. at the Apollo Theatre. The author of
this new character comedy Is Laurence
Eyre. and its chief claim for q hearing con-
sists of the fact that all Of the sketchy char
acters are supposed to be of the colored race.
Into theme and story the author tried to
put an Edward Harrlgan touch but he
lacked the deftness Of that master hand and
the offering failed to please. While 1t was
advertised strongly as destined for a whole
seasons run on Broadway, It is doubtful II
II will reach that goal for a hearing. much
less a run. But little novelty was injected
In the story, tho trite theme of sudden eleva-
tion to wealth through the fortunate pur-
chase of a lottery ticket being threadbare
one.
Tho scene OF action Is placed at Norfolk,
Va, for the first act. tho characters at
that place being OF the old plantation type.
The lucky turn Of the winning ticket comes
at the exact moment when New York
confidence man comes down to gather UP
coin from unsophisticated people by offer
ing stock in Sazus Matazus. which will
bring untold wealth to all purchasers. By
playing on the ignorance Of some of the
characters and flattering them with stories
Of their greatness he secures the money
that has been won and takes father
and daughter to see New York life. The
second act is at Cupola Court, an alleged
fashionable apartment house in the metrop-
oils. Sazus MAtazus proves to DO land
scheme with lots of sand at low tide and
exceedingly moist when the tide comes In.
The bubble bursts quickly, and after the
sheep are shorn of their golden fleece they
return TO the old plantation In Virginia to
be forgiven for their flight into society,
While there were many true-to-llfe char
acter sketches and every hue of color from
the octoroon to the darkest shade OF the
colored race, there was but little heart In
interest, and even thot was of a forced kind.
Clever people gave artistic irnpersonhtions
Of characters that did not appeal to the
audiences.
Mr.. and Mrs. Adam Forepaugh are here
for the summer. BOB "AIr'