New-York tribune., 1918-02-15
The Dram a
"Sinbad," a Show of Many
Maryels, Brings Back
AL Jolson

olhpad' the twenty-third Winter
Garden extravaganza, proves that the
ARABIAN Nights" is almost as COM
pcndious source of inspiration as the
b'ble. The scene in the Palace of Sin
Sad had Chaldean opulence quite
equal to the reports of Belshazzar's
feast, when the king drank out of silver
and golden vessels with thousand of
his lords, and with his wives and his
concubines. For thore were Sinbad
and lnbad and King Serendib. and if
ell the rest of the personages were not
on the stage almost everybody who is
anybody on Broadway was in the or
chcstra.
With the help of little crystal
gazing, travestied from "The Eyes Of
!; icuth, the setting deftly transformed
user from Long Island to the Levant
including nautical episodes in keeping
with the adventures of the renowned
sailor who figured SO conspicuously.
The Valley of Diamonds" "The Cave
CT the, Golden Butterflies" and "The
Isle of Youth" AL Jolson. apparently
quite content with the comparatively
humble part of Inbad, the porter, GEN
crously rendered an unusual number
or songs, all of which, needless to say,
went with great eclat.
Al was in his element, likewise his
pest 1orm, and only the word ovation
IS adequate to describe the acclaim
that greeted him. Laughter waited on
his monologues, his songs, quirps and
with Jolson was the gorgeousness of
the costumes and scenic-yes-inye yesti- :
ture. The imagination of the design
ers ran riot. Every phase of phantas-
magorlcal fancy seemed to be repre-
sented in the garb of the Winter Gar
den blue ribbon girls, and in that of
many of the other ladies as we'll.
The first of the fifteen scenes con-
tanned in the two acts revealed an
Italian garden in the North Shore
country" In the middle distance arose
a double marble staircase to a column
ed pergola, and overhead hung branches
of live oak and magnolias. A surprise
was introduced by the raising of a
curtain behind the pergola to display
tableaus illustrating some of the songs.
street in Bagdad was particularly
gaudy, and in the background appeared
Maxheld Parrish conception Of clus
tered minarets.
The Palace of Sinbad was one of the
most elaborate effects, dazzling with
bright colors and lights. 1t must have
cost deal of treasure. The question
suggests itself whether the designers
might not have concocted something
equally impressive at much less ex-
pense by taking a leaf out of Joseph
Urban's book.
The first bona fide hit was scored by
oonstance Farber with .quippy song,
Where Do They Get Those Guys %
fhpU IN OF |,
and fast. Al Jolson's advice, "Take
the Night Boat to Albany" was highly
appreciated, although no one left the
house at the moment Presently he
contributed another good one in "Clco-
patra:' Then, when Constance Farber
and the Cairo girls had sung 81 Come
from Cairo" Roshanara made her ap-
Magic Lamp Dancers, but Roshanara's
most successful number was the
Hindu Snake Dance in a grotto in the
Valley of Diamonds.
The jumping dogs at the Amateur
Dog Show were one of the most warmly
appplauded features. Most of them
were greyhounds that seemed to enjoy
the sport as much as the spectators,
but one was a sinking wolfhound, that
betrayed a streak of the Russian in
his cosmos. Neither wheedling nor
lepiO OOdl!oA Coulu lNUuce MIN 10 essay
the towering barrier.
Forrest Huff as Sinbad and Law
rance Dorsay as the king were main
stays of the piece. Kitty Doner was
especially electrifying in her dance
with Frank Grace and Johnny Berkes
in "The Perfumcd East" The other
chief performers included Edgar Atchi-
son Ely, Franklyn A. Bate, FRITZ Won
Busing, Virginia Fox Brooks, the Far
ber Sisters, Hazel Cox, Mabel W;thee
Nora White, Grace Washburn, Mile
Rita, Beth Young, Harry Kearley
John kearney, Frank Holmes, Bob Nc
Clellan and George Thornton.
"Sinbad" was written by Harold At
teridgc. The music is by Sigmund
Romburg and Al Jolson, who also had
hand in writing the comedy 1t was
staged by j. G.. Huffman. The musical
numbers were arranged by Jack Mason
and the ballets by Alexis Kosloff. The
stage decorations were designed by
Ernest Gros and Watson Barratt and
executed by the John Young Studios
and P. Dodd Ackerman and the whole
production was made under the per-
sonal supervision of Mr.. j. j. Shubert.