New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-13
The "Follies" Revealed in All
Their Pristine Glory at
the New Amsterdam

THE ZIEGFELD FOLIIEs eleventh - the scrie..
Hooa-t. music BY Raymond Bub6eil Dave s,smper.
vctor Herccr- ard Others: scenery % Josef Urban.
Produced b. Fcrrnz Z.csfed. IT, al the New
Amsterdam.
COMPANY. VIII Rogers. Eddie Cantor Best Will
Irving F.sher Water Cadet. Tom NShsrds Lmly
brmse William c Fields; peEy HOPKINS Fred
Lady Duff Gordon, Eddie Cantor,
Peck & Peck and Josef Urban seem to
be entitled to the major share OF the
credit for the latest edition OF the
"Follies." This estimate is necessarily
based on the early returns. for so ex-
oellent an entertainer as VIII Rogers
had not yet made his appearance at
the time of the tabulation and Fanny
Brice had her best scene still ahead OF
her. With the probable addition OF
these two, however, il is possible to
close the books. George V. Hobart. un-
less he rallied greatly in the final half
hour, finished somewhere IN France.
The folk who compose Broadway paid
the usual fancy prices for seats at the
New Amsterdam last night, and sew
eral hundred OF the unseated crowded
the rear of the auditorium. II was
gala night for Broad~ay and a great
night for the caus of beauty, and
somewhat less M Aentous occasion for
the Amalgamate Order of Librettists.
For the new "Follies." although it is
one Of the most gorgeous productions
ever revealed hereabouts, is for the
most part rather Indifferent entertain
ment.
But it is the "Follies," nevertheless,
and as such il possesses certain
elusive and Undesirable quality
which is peculiar TO this Ziegfeldian
series. Call il tone or atmosphere, If
you will, or call it the master show
manship of Florenz Ziegfeld, which is
probably what it is. The point is that
IL is there, and that other musical pro-
auctions have it not. 1t is, in brief, the
thing which enables the "Follies" to
retain, year after year, the distinction
of being the most popular musical show
in the country.
IL is in the matter of costuming
that the new production chiefly excels
its predecessors. Previous "Follies,"
gorgeously ACQUIRED though they were,
never attained to the sartorial splendor
OF this one. A chiffon-hung scene in
the second act was the means Of re-
vealing the most striking of the
gowns, but the dress display was
dazzling throughout. The scenery was
just step or two behind the costuming
done in the approved Urban style, Of
course, and particularly rich in it's
blues and oranges. Mr.. Urban was the
first man in America to point out that
a drop curtain need not always look
like a drop curtain, and in the new
"Follies" he continues TO spread the
gospel.
It is in inspiration that the enter
tainment is principally deficient. 1t is
difficult, of course, to inject novelty
into so set an institution as a patriotic
finale, but it is to Mr. Ziegfeld that
one must look for such novelty, IL one
looks for it at all. The various scenes,
also, reveal well-worn musical comedy
stamping grounds Mississippi levee,
a roof garden, Grand Central Terminal,
the new subway hazards. But it may
be that one should lay these delinquen-
cies at the feet of Mr. Hobart rather
than Mr. Ziegfeld
This years "Follies" knows not Ina