Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-16


Hyson.
pnuadelphia, in common with the rest
:, che Y. S. Ais not going TO waste per-
Z sl.,,,, good breath whistling the hits" Of
,.ran rollies of 1917" for the good and
.,r,nle reason that there arc no pure, un-
.ar,terated hits" only three numbers out
8 nearIv a score in the new revue. which
,od at the New Amsterdam Theatre,
W. York city. last Tuesday, can lay any
son 10 popularity, and each has an essen
,a., calling. one has tune but no rhythm,
.,o,ber has rhythm but no tune, while the
,bi,s which has little tune and less
rb,ihm. is difficult to sing But
,The Follies Of 1917" is about the most
uo,, eous seectacular event that has ever
s..n unfolded to a New York audience.
x hosts of pretty girls provided by Florenz
N,gfeld for his annual summer show are
r,sttier than ever; the costumes designed
Sy1adv Duff-Gordon and Joseph Urban are
,hs most magnificent ever worn in a Fol
u.s " AID the scenic decorations by the
y,,,,ose artist excel even his own previous
hass efforts. From the first curtain on, In
~ ,nceasing succession for more than three
tnurs colors shades, hues and tints are
hIended into ever changing combinations
untl the eve is weary and the brain scarcely
sbIe 10 record the latest triumph.
After one has said all this and has then
r.cIted the list of principals, the cup of
nroise for THE Follies Of 1917" is filled to
nverAowing. For it is doubtful if the folly
aver has been less foolish or more antique
tban that which holds the dozen and half
snisodes together The wit Is painfully alb
sent after the promise of much rich satire
1iven by Tom Richards in his comparison
OF All Baba and his forty thieves to the tax
collector, butcher. etc of 1917, at the open
ing of the show. Only once again does
marking humor appear and that is in Act
II when New York's / o'clock closing law
and the endless maze of "subways under
construction" are made the mark for the
lampoonist's shafts,
The "plot" is even more brief than usual.
In fact were it not for Bert Williams and
Will Rogers, who literally drag in the plot
(Allyn King) at the end of rope before
the final curtain the audience would go
home without the painful reminder that
there was a story. Dick Burton Qrving
Fischer) at a wondrous Arabian feast,
vagers that more interesting and curious
things happen in New York in one night
than happened in all the Arabian nights
put together. The prize is the hand of
shahrazad Miss King). Then follow the
eplSOQeS, WnlCn are, II must De duIllllItut
curious, but not always interesting. How
ever It is a safe prediction that before
many Philadelphians visit the "Follies' at
tts-or is it their?-home in the New AM
sterdam Theatre, Messrs, Ziegfeld' Way
burn ct al will bring it up to the standard
The metamorphosis of revue is one of its
most interesting features, especially in view
Of the fact that 1t usually improves the
show One important change that will un-
doubtedly be made soon will be the intro
ducton of new songs. my Arabian Maid"
Is at present the nearest approach to a
successful song, with Hello, Dearie," poor
second.
With the cast of principals which Mr..
Ziegfeld has collected there is no chance
for failure-if such an institution as the
"Follies'' can fail. Bert Williams and
Fanny Brce are old favorites. Will
Rogers with his scintilating, impromptu
comment on the days news, is one of the
countrys few real wits and takes his place
among the leaders. The last in the quartet
Of stars" is a newcomer, Eddie Cantor,
a black-face comedian promoted from Zeg-
fields Midnight Frolc" on the New AM
sterdam roof to a stellar position in the
big show" Cantor is young enough to
have been compelled to register on June 5,
but here is one person who hopes, for the
sake Of the "Follies' and for this branch