Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-21

The Lyric, transient homo OF La Gaby
| jovlaI Jolson, the Howard brothers and
kindred undergraduates. got quite a diff
| ferent sort OF show last night. 1t Is an
| entertainment decidedly in the formative
state, which means that there are points
of marked merit, and almost as many OF
| no merit at all. OF course. the latter Will
| be eliminated as quickly as possible
Speedy action in this respect Is needed
From S:15 to nearly 10 10 vastly too long
TO linger in any theatrical atmosphere, even
that hallowed with the artistic tastefulneHs
of Mr.. McQuinn's delicate and distinguished
stage adornments, of the thin but cheerful
prettlness OF Mr. Kerns musical jottings. or
OF tho uncommonly proficient ensemble OF
! an uncommon number OF good farcial
actors.
To split hairs over piece that has had
It's head thoroughly combed by the
theatrical BARRIERS, and IL in full trim for
its New York showing, Is usually waste
full and unklnd task, but Girls VIII BE
Girls Is palpably not in trim yet ana can
be made SO with judiclous pairing ana
choppinR so let us note some OF the
pleasant and retalnable features of Miss
Marbury's and Mr.. Shuberts production
and then some OF the unnecessary and, IN
our opinion. unretainable ones
We have. first the cast headed by Miss
Wood, who can interpret light opera as IN
"'rhe Madcap Duchess or musical
travesty, as in Hello, Broadway with
equal facility and Mr.. Hall, youthful vet
eran Of Philadelphia stock We have MT
Sylvester, whose maniac In The Misleading
Lady" he has never quite equaleu' put
who Is an adroit player OF Grotesque roleS
We have the sempiternally juvenile Miss
~ 81, M
the baby-syed Miss Meredith. and some
other engaging girls We have Mr.. Ames'
droll and dry English "aSs"; Mr.. Welsh,
capital Junior comedian; Mr.. TOD, the RAD
idly refined dancer, and Mr.. Webb, the an
gularly agithted dancer Put them In sur
roundinRs almost II not quite, as charm-
ing TO the eve as stop. Look, Listen!"
give them tiny tunes, ingeniouSy orches-
trated for playhouse or the Rev YORK
Princess size; clothe them in well-made
and handsome garments, and what more
can you ask?
lust this, A llbretto Thomas sydney"
so tho lobby gossip ran, is or are, two
gentlemen having a try al something new
by writing "book." They should nave
been advised, and our advice to the back
ers of Girls VIII Be Girls" is TO throw
away three-fourths of the current one and
get an expert show doctor to do the lob
over again, keeping joke here ana there,
all tho lyrics, and nothing OF the plot
This Is tenuOus beyond belief repetltiVe'
mild bore at its best. Its inadequacy pre-
vents what might have been successor
TO ''Ths only Girl" from achieving that
end. All kinds OF opportunities abound.
They taper into vacuity People ramble on
and on stage In manner suggesting a
cross between a high school performances
and a vaudeville show, Much is said that
Is not intelligent
Girls WIN Be Girls" should boast a
stoutsr mental thread on which to string It's
melodies its gowns. its sets and most OF
an itA company And, by the way, the orig
inal title "strke the Lyre,' was much bet
ter than the present one. Couldn't that be
included in the reVamping prOeessR
IN