New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-30

Lew Fields could remark that the aver
age annual rainfall of Waukegan, H., is
7.3 inches, and do il in a way that
would draw laugh from every person
in the audience. 1t so happens tina.
most of his lines in "Step This " ay''
are per sc more humorous than the
average almanac quotation, hut they
would not need to be. Mr.. Fields is a
show in himself He is Independent OF
his author-f not totally, az .eas. TO
n greater degree than any other come
dian on the American stage. This fact
was attested, if it needed attestation,
at Mr.. Fields's return 20 musical COM
edy at the Shubert Theatre last night.
Let me go! I've got 20 celebrate
my golden weddng!" he cried.
Your golden wedding" queriel his
stepdaughter. "Why, you've been mar
ried only a year"
as that all ?" was the Fields reply
and the house at large roared.
Drawn presumably by the remunera-
ton, the Messrs. Fields and Weber at
tached themselves, early the current
season to the long caravan that winds
from New York TO Los Angeles. In the
films they encountered pleasant but
complete oblivion. and since then they
have been beating back by way Of
the vaudeville stage. And now Mr..
Fields has re-arrived For his home
coming he has happily selected THE
Girl Behind the Counter" and has
caused it to be rewritten and retitled
The new title, it chances, has nothing
20 do with the show, but apparently 1t
doesn't matter.
A multitude of new songs have been
injected into the piece, but the comedy
scenes remain approximately the same.
So "Step This Way" is a bright and
breezy summer show-aso a bright and
breezy spring, fall and winter show. 1t
still contains the uproarious scene in
which Mr. Fields gets himself into diff
culties at the soda fountain, and il
again gives the comedian the oppor-
tunity 10 pose as a head waiter-long
enough 10 instruct his subordinates in
the art of waiting Once more, too, he
remarks that he is suspected Of stealing
a pair of stockings and is in danger OF
being arrested for hosiery.
Although il is Dir. Fields who car
ries "Step This Way" TO triumph, he
is by no means unaided in his efforts.
IL is a matter of nine or ten years
since THE Girl Behind the Counter"
was produced at the now departed
Herald Square Theatre, and il was not
possible to regather the original cast
A number of the newcomers. however,
do valiant service. Lew Brice dances
grotesquely in the part created by
Vernon Castle back in the days when
il was not beneath Nernons dignity
to dance grotesQNely. Charles Judels
has replaced George Beban. and is
probably as good MS anybody but
Beban would be.
The beautiful John Charles Thomas
sings the hero's role in first class fash
ion. and Ernest Terrence, late of The
Only Girl" is among those present.
And there arc also Gladys Clark and
Henry Bergman-Clark and Bergman
when they were in vaudeville. Mr..
Bergman, n particular, is an excellent
entertainer. Beth Lydy. seen for a
time in Alone at Last" now plays
Winnie, the girl in the case. Miss
Lydy sings well and is pretty. but
somebody should give her a few les
sons in the art of makeup. It is prob
ably a waste of valuable white paper TO
add there is a squirmy Hawaiian dancer
Doraldini is her name. What is
musical show nowadays without a Ha-
waiian number?
The two scenes are handsome, so are
the costumes, so are some of the
chorus girls. The music is good
onough-even better. step This Way"
is a nit. just as it was certain TO De
with Lew Fields in the cast.