New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-04
Trick of Not Letting the
Public Know What
II Takes
THE CENTURY GIRL"
AND IT'S BEAUTY
Urban Makes Good Use Of
Vast Spaces of the
Huge Stage
By HAYWOOD BROUN

Art is like castor oil. Folk who can't
stand 10 straight won't even make
face II 70 is ingeniously mixed with
ssrsaparilla Thus, there is bound to
he greater demand for the wares OF
Dillingham; and Zicgfeld than for those
OF Winthrop Amcs. A beautiful set by
Joseph Urban is none the less besutI-
full because you have TO look around
Marjorie Cassidy to see It, nor do the
antics Of Harry Kelly rob A bsckdrop
OF its glory. Painting the lily may he
poor business, but Ziegfeld and Dilling-
ham can crowd some mighty fine mural
decorations on a slspstick. "Ihe Cen
fury Girl" achieves the rare feat Of
making the beautiful popular.
Sometimes we could wish that Urban
would stick little more closely 20 his
oil and let somebody else supply the
sarararlla. For instance. he mars one
Of his best sets the celestial staircase
by tanning couple Of punches Of
purple flowers into a design otherwise
severely simple. Yet, on The whole.
Urban's fondness for ovoreleboration is
allowed less play than IN most of his
recent work Here he lets heavy built
in gewgsws 60 hang and puts his faith
i'm drop or cyclorama, and his faith -
not misplaced. With great skill he has
awaited himself Of the full depth Of the
stage, and the finale Of Act " Us an
enormously effective stage picture.
Once AZ least, he has given the cos
tunes full chance by setting them
against plai black background. These
are the costumes for the Alice IN
Wonderland" number, and they arc fine
enough To- come through the test with
honor. Under The sea, the stone age,
and a school garden arc other pictures
i'm which the imagination Of Urban
shows 10 good advantage. II the Long
vue Restaurant drop for Maurice and
Walton is alss by Urban he must have
dashed it of during an hour set apart
for rest and recreation.
However. that does not matter much.
"The Century Girl" is beautiful show,
both in setting and costuming. Any
body who can look back TO the days
when the notion OF = smashing enect
was to set electric light bulbs in the
nhLS OF lNN tUUi Us kiAlF FHNNiN t-~f
for the continued prosperity OF h1eg-
field and OF Dillingham;.
There is a continuity Of beauty IN
THE Century Girl" but the humor IL
less of a pattern Frank Tinney is
gloriously funny and Sam Bernard's
political speech is good. The Ballet
Loose is allowed to drag. after begin
ming i'm entertaining fashion. We yield
to no one but Mrs. Janis in our ad-
miration for the art Of Elsie Janis,
but 10 is high time that this talented
Young woman ceased limitations when
have lost their SAVIOR, like those of Ed
die Foy. George Conan and Ethel Bar
rvmore. Miss Janis dances better than
ever and sings worse. There IS no par.
ticular reason why Elsie Janis should
sing and ever so many why a young
woman with 90 rich and varied play
Of expression should come 10 her
proper field Of light comedy.
Dancing is one of the strong feat
ures of THE Century Girl" for in ad
dition 10 Miss Janis there are Doyle
and Dixon, Maurice and Walton and
Leon Enrol.
The President Of the United States
gets $4,000 a year, which Is supposed
to COMPENSATE him for the fact tina,
he can't see shows except from box.
Langdon Mitchell undoubtedly read
"Pendennis" carefully. and vet he
passed by some ready-rade material
for the theatre in devising the scene
between Emily Costigan and Pen.
Here is one instance where he might
have taken the tip from Thackeray:
"Pen tried to engage her in CONVEX
sation about poetry and about her pro
fession. He asked her what She
thought Of Ophelia's madness and
whether she was in love with Hamlet
or not. In love with such little
ojous wretch as that stunted manager
Of a Bingley?' She bristled with indig-
nation at the thought. Pen explained
il was mot Of her he spoke, but OF
Ophelia of the play. on. indeed; u no
offence was meant, none was taken;
but as for Bingley. indeed she dId not
value him not that glass OF punch.
To the credit Of Hartley Manners and
Of his wife. Laurette TAYLOR, let II be
said that when the curtain Of The
Harp Of Life" goes up the star IS al
ready upon the stage. No effort has
been made 10 dish up an entrance
which is usually so dear 20 the player
Of prominence.
Ziegfeld and Dillingham; have held
the spotlight up TO nature.
Hippodrome Benefit Nets $4,000
NIL. fo., ,,,r,ero,,s nroductiOus