New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
A White Elephant at
Work
By ]. A. Pierce

The Century Theatre, with its new
revue, Miss 1917" going The Century
Girl Of last year one or two better, as
sumes the aspect Of white elephant
broken TO harness and settling down
TO run Marathon handicap in pursuit
Of five or six million dollar deficit.
"Miss Seventeen" provoked glowing
words from the most hardened review
ers in their efforts TO convey some idea
Of the bewildering profusion Of spec
tscle which possibly approximates en-
chantment as nearly as the work Of
merely human wizards may.
The story Of the Century, with its
series Of failures, relieved only by 40
seph and His Brethren" and a bright
spot Of popular opera, is pretty we'll
known 10 New Workers. Then came the
new policy last year. Musical comedy
being in the long run far and away the
most profitable form of amusement, the
directors, among whom are Otto Kahn,
Clarence H. Mackay and the Goulds
and Vanderbilts, agreed that the best
chance of pulling the charred chest
nuts out of the fire lay in presenting
musical revues on a grand and lavish
scale.
When it came to selecting producers
the directors, not unnsturally, we're inn
pressed by the achievements Of Charles
Dillingham; and Florenz Zicgfeld with
the Hippodrome and The Follies,' and
accordingly engaged the pair 70 collab-
crate with Ned Wayburn on the first
revue. Although an artistic success
THE Century Girl" lost $4,000. Early
in the present year an opportunity to
acquire the Aourishing London spec
tacle Of "Chu Chin Chow" seemed for
a time tempting, but the directors still
had confidence in their policy and felt
that a change would only delay the
winning of g. clientele, and, further
more. the worldwide fame to which
they aspired for the Century as the
domicile Of the revue extraordinaire.
The initial cost of this years show
was 100000. For the first perform
ance 5000 checks were received, rang
ing in amount from S. TO $500. Almost
$4,000 received BY mail for the open
ing night had TO be returned-promis-
ing start!-and at the present date
practically the entire lower floor is sold
out for eight weeks in advance. There
is still plenty of room left for the gen
eral public, however, in the gallery
boxes and balconies Of house seating
5000.
Preparations for the revue were be
gun twelve months ago. The dominat-
ing idea was TO rig dragnet for every
thing big in theatrical specially and
musical feature. In scenery and cos
tune the ain was 20 have everything OF
the best The most important con
tracts were made early in the year.
The work OF organization was Ike that
Of creating a circus or an army. To
illustrate by special instances, the
buck and wing dancers have been
drilled on their towering stairway
since July. and Tortola de Valencia,
Spanish dancer, was imported from her
native cline at no small cost in treas
Ure and diplomacy.
The sum total Of these efforts was to
produce a gorgeous entertainment that
was at first somewhat too massive.
Owing to the weight and unwieldiness
of the scenery designed by Joseph
Urban. as we'll as TO the size Of the
company, numbering about 1000 al!
told. it was impracticable TO take the
show on the road for preliminary
shakedown. On the first night the per-
Torrance ran till 12:15, on the second
night till 1l:40 and on the third night
till 1880. The ultimate goal is HIS.
Considerable time has been gained by
perfection Of the mechanics of the
show. The stage hands are rapidly
becoming more skilful at handling the
scenery, the performers are learning
20 change their costumes more rapidly
and several acts have been slightly con- /
densed. while a ruthless knife has .
lurked somewhere for specialties that
failed 70 catch on.
After all the worry and the trouble,
the anxiety and expense Of bringing
Senorita Tortola from Spain il was
found that her number lacked the ef- +
feet anticipated. owing 10 want OF har-
mony in the setting which had been .
provided. and which il was too late 70 .
change. In order 10 display her with .
suitable atmosphere il was decided 20
devote Thursday matinees 70 her rep .
ertory. including the Maja dance and
accompaniment written for her By
Granados. when there should be no in
compatible features to mar and dis
tract.
IL has been learned that considerable .
difficulty was encountered in persuad- .
inc Bessie Mccoy Davis 20 return TO
the stage. She felt thoroughly settled
down in her country home with her
four-year-old daughter, Hope Harding
Davis, and had distinct distEste for
change. The consideration that had 7
most influence with her probably was .
the fact that her late husband, Richard
Harding Davis, was a firm believer in
, ( .f, Che JacidaJ tho.