The sun., 1919-07-16
VILLAGE GIVES up
POSTP0NING SHOW
Audience in Delirium Non
Tremens, Approving and
Otherwise.
UNITYg - WELL, WHY?
Lines Slung Round From In
finite Variety of Cir
cumstances.
UNITYg - WELL, WHY?

Greenwich Village Follies was itself
cancelled last night and the entertain
ment of the merry and the carefree
villagers ticklcd the risibilities of a first
night audience, which in the Intimacy
OF the little Greenwich Village Theatre
at times approached the dellrious in it's
friendly approval Not that the approval
even TO the point Of deiirium non
tremens-was not deserved at times.
For instance, there was James Watts.
James IL to the art of the dance and
the drama what Ted Lewis is to music
and Ted was on the bill. too. James
played Lady Godiva---peace TO the gal
liant lady's soul! James played, and sang,
Marguerite. and II L. TO be hoped that
the souls Of Qounod and Berlioz and all
the sober minded. musicianly gentlemen
who twined melodies Of love and jewels
about the story. lost the sense of hearing
when they parted from this earth. 1t 10
within the bounds of belief. however
tfat Melba would have rocked out of her
seat with laughter had she seen-not
heard-what James did last night. AS
a rollicking burlesquer Watts out-Dool-
eys the Dooleys. for he Is more articu-
late, and more versatile. which Is going
some. He fairly romped from dance and
song into drammer.
Wells for Bessie Mccoy Davis.
Nor Is the Joy Of the Village Follies
all burlesque. Bessie Mccoy Davis romps
as easily from burlesque into loneliness
tat
There was finely touched sentiment in
her Message of the Cameo" and there
was glorious 1.-the grace in her dance
in the Floating Cabaret" OF course
the Bessie Mccoy who earned million
devotees in the Yama Yama was there
with her husky voice and her grotesque-
ries of gesture. But the loneliness OF
Bessie Mccoy Davis's hoop skirt bit In
the Cameo and her sheer dancing in
the half-veilinR costume and surprising
Jewels Of the Cabaret" scene were finer
than any recollection of Bessie Mccoy.
The audience seemed to think so, for
they demanded her again and again
with real yells.
There were spots in the production
as II was revealed last night which
aroused envy for a foot that could sleep
comfortably. But II is fair to presume
tnaI I1t% Will De Int Spots lIldI VIII
go when the piece Is cut, as cut II must
BE-. to ordinary length. 1t lasted well
after midnight last night. There will
be plenty left for an evening OF remark
ably intelligent amusement.
The Follies is designated as "a revu-
steal comedy. by Philip Bsrtholomae
md John Murray Anderson. with music
by A. Baldwin Sloane" II by" indi-
Gates that any one wrote a book for
the show. by" Is gross libel For the
show proceeds In violation even of such
unity as might be attributed to an en-
cyclopedia. II "by" means that the
two gentlemen first mentioned are re-
sponsible for the varied assortment of
lines which are hurled from an Infinite
variety OF circumstances upon will
ing audience. they are to be congratu-
lated on the versatility OF Webster
Mr., Sloare's music was adequate at all
times and though frequently remin scent,
Bessie Mccoy Davis announced on the go
in that II was so intended to be Resides
there are several songs that seemed dur
able enough to can and to sell sheet
music to orchestras,
OF course, the setting OF the perform
ance Is lovely. Why rot, when The Be-
hemians, Inc" produced II right where
Art lives? The stage OF the Greenwich
Village Theatre Is not a large stage, yet
liberal use OF beautifully colored gauge
gave some splendid Illusions OF distance
Color and light are employed both with
power and discretion. The same might
be said OF the costumes. There were
many that were brilliantly original. but
none as painfully bizarre as some Of
those which on Broadway attempt the
sensational. The average OF feminine
pulchritude is remarkably high and the
work OF the chorus in both dancing and
singing is admirable. The chorus makes
Its biggest hit. however. In the real skill
with which the girls, all of them. fill in
the pictures. There is much evidence
there of Individual intelligence as we'll
rs good drill.
Refreshing Entertainment.
Altogether the Greenwich Village Fol-
lies--and of course there's Just as much
Broadway and Harlem and Bronx
back and front as in almost any other
resort around Washington Square---,s a
mighty refreshing summer nights en-
tertainment Through the whole of 1t
run bright sparkles OF the red hair of
Irene Olsen and OF the nimble dancing
Of Billie Holbrook. He and Cynthia
Perot do the best Harlequin and Column
bine dance that has been seen in many
a day In very beautiful setting.
Suzanne Morgan and Harry X. Morton
have some familiar comedy scenes and
Bobby Edwards appears both In and
out of character. He seemed sadly TO
realize that the day of the ukelele had
passed, but insisted on playing It once.
Jack Wilson did some amusing "sin-
giles In one" while they were shifting
things back stag but IL must he con-
fessed that It took them too long TO