Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-03
MITN IS FASCINATING
IN "HEAD OVER HEELS
New Musical Play, With Diminu-
tive Star, at Forrest, Is Tune
full and Cay

never has Mitzi appeared as winsome,
uainty and clever as she does in Head Over
ieeis'" musical play, presented at the
FORREST last night for the first time In this
CITY Never has this always charming mite
of a comedienne been more magnetic
mouse crowded to the very doors
capltulated to Mitzl's drollery. Never has
her grotesquery been better--Mitzi can be
deiightfully awkward when she wants to.
never has that small but sweet little sing
ing voice of hers been heard to better ad-
Niahtage' Nowhere Is her artistry more
c.eary demonstrated than in the handling
OF the song numbers allotted her. n -
Tttnarkable what Mitzi can do with that
ntlIe wisp of a voice. And OF course she
"dnGes dances with extraordinary grace.
h,tEl ' was good in "Pom-Pom." but snea
nus improved. Whether clowning or serious
--she can strike the note of pathos equally
as wen as she does that of humor-Mtsi finds
an appreciative audience. Not only is sne
appealing TO the eye--and this she certainly
is In both tho black and the pink tights si,c
wears as well as in her other costumes in
the present productSon-but she Is Intelligent
as we'll In this latest vehicle, Mitzi ID ali,
her bright attractive self. with all the ola
niue tricks and mannerisms, which have
ehueared her to the musical comedy loving
new ones 80
With Mitzi to amuse and fascinate ana
Robert Emmet Keane and Charles Judels to
Ieed her opportunities for fun, one is prone
70 overlook the shortcomings of the book by
Edgar Allan Woolf, who is also responsible
Tor the lyrics which are not SO bad II IL
evident Mitzi has not depended upon the
author. The plot was suggested by Lee
Arthurs dramatization of Nabro Bartley's
story shadows" The music is piquant and
lively with frequent appealing touches
Jerome Kern is the composer, and several OF
the tunes have the Jingle for which ne Il
noted. One Of the best numbers Is "Mitxirs
Lullaby" sang by Mitzi, and of which the
audience last night seemed never to tire, 30
many were the encores The melody was
especially liked when Mitzi hummed 1t In her
own inimtable way. THE Big Show" an
other Mltzi number, Head Over Heels" and
Funny Little Something" were other hits.
In the piece Mitzi appears as a young
acrobat, top-lner Of the Famous Ban,-
binetti Troupe" who has followed a wealthy
American she met in Europe to America 'be-
cause she loved him So" Her experiences
among the fashionable set provide the COM
edy, also the love interest. Keane as an ir-
repressible publicity man promoting the In
terests of the troupe of acrobats and Judels
as Signor Bambinetti, are well cast and help
keep the show moving at a fast clip.
Boyd Marshall makes an acceptable lover;
Cyril DuFor, Dorothy Makaye, Irving Beebe
Jean Mann, Margaret Linden. Carrie Nc
Manus and Edmund Gurney are others in the
cast whose work last night contributed to-
ward the pronounced hit made by the piece
There are some exceptionally pretty girls
and, what Is more exceptional, they can sing,
and they do.
The setting for the second act is an artistic,
piece OF stagecraft. Much credit ls due.
George Marion. who staged the production,
and Julian Mitchell and Robert Marks, who
put on the drills. musical and dance mum.
bers. But, after all. 1t Is Mitzis show.