Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-21

Freddy Popple, OF lppIeton, EnFpnG FEsr1ssnth
jc;;uentIn iTyS ToS
HsvsoSk PStronce Page Lounge, Hotel Biits. New
Yos EteninF At s EHfteT1oon M,lgr SpI of the
II day.
,oso as tho music has plenty TO 90
1sy oH plot n,uv r'iturl
.,svns n wasn't "unfurl" Maybe, II
:. cborus had had the precise and excel
- 4punciation of Nigel Barrie it might
80. sounded like "uncurl." But. any
~ ~ Il was, then Nobody Home GER
,.,.,,, has. That's the sort of plot that
s.,ones to IT, And the music. as per pre-
s.sin,jon. takes the curse off,
49, ,,,usiraI comedy which came to
Iasinhi last night is an Americanized
..r.,on of mfr Popple, of lppleton. Be
'..sn the Allied authors Of England and
,rsrica. there isn't much LETT OF
.sstever plot Providence may have set
ssIde for II. Briefly, MIR. PoppIes protner
:. a. love with a young New York girl
- ,s afraid her parents will discover
~, 10 knows n Winter Garden singer
ss- tsonole himself braves the submarines
q ordsr TO borrow the singers fiat. ana
-.isIn nj the end that his brother mas
s.y,iv more than n nodding acquaintance
r,,h the Winter Gardener whom Mr..
ponnle has decided to marry.
n between the unfurlings of this plot,
t.rome Kern-"and others the New
80 nroqrams said-supply the music
lI,.u ivas nc ''po'' in It, It is almost entirely
q ,bs obviously tuneful and ragful order
- n is therefore catchy and good fun.
IN General the production is intimate
r,.s, hrpduced at the Princess Theatre,
xsv YORK where but 299 auditors may
saueeze in, II dispenses with quantity IN
~ matter OF chorus and goes in Tor qual-
,ly Its humor Is mainly quie', though'
uolke that of "The Only Girl 1T Is not
,adgsnous to the plot. Dancers Quentin
IA and Helen Clarke are vest pocket
,Sl,ions. and their steps court precision
r.iher than abandon. In New YORK
rvobodv Home" threw in a fashion dis
,lsv between acts and an exceptionally
sooa cast. Here the fashion display
And very pretty display, too-is con-
dned to the stage. while the cast has par
tally evaporated
Alice Dovey and Adele Rowland are
sone-or. rather, Adele Rowland is in
ne right city but in the wrong theatre
his week. Tom Graves. the nglish
comedian is also departed and he has
taken his character with him. The result
seems to be slight lack of the daintiness
ana finish which the two ladies might have
supplied Miss Rowlands successor Zoe
Barnett, works with real enthusiasm,
trIne more determination than Is ladylike
and altogether too much persstency. The
rest Of the cast. with one notable eNcep-
ton, fit in capably.
The exception needs little 'eXplaua-
tion. No English musical comedy Is COM
plete without three Comedians short |
eccentric, Ia Graves a long eccentric, !
Ia Percival knight, and-a Grossmith. The !
man who will be undoubtedly described |
elsewhere today as "of that ilk" is Law (
renee and he Is very amusing in quiet, |
Woodworking way. His SILLY ass Is |
good deal more ingratiatng than any previ- !
GUS specimen ! have seen. The gently lum-
bering walk, the earnest cropping intelli- |
gence Of the wrnkled forehead, the hard |
pushed voice, all call for consistent work |
ard thought. They account for many |
Amusng scenes.
The aim of the producers of Nobody |
Home" was evidently TO introduce novelty. |
There are quite few neat turns of an |
odd sort The first act ends abruptly |
and simply the last curtain leaves the |
principals outside with the audience. The |
settings are tasteful and refreshing. Mr.. |
Judels makes" one song by wandering in |
with most fascinating bit Of whistling, |
There is a really novel comic ditty on |
Bed, Wonderful Bed" And not to push |
the list of novelties to extremes, the |
anthors have discovered a curious and |
hitherto unheard of specimen, a winter
uarden prima DONNA" and the chorus men
not only have to work cOnversationally |
during ell the principals songs, but re-
lolce In the not Inappropriate part of |
spendor Colgate, Roger Gallet, Edward |
finaud, Riker Hegeman, Daggett Rams
eel, Rexall Liggett and Richard Hudnot.
*. NJ.