The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-19
G.. M. C0han's Musical Comedy
Production Bound to Strike
Pay Dirt Here.

For once a musical comedy lives up
cess on tour. Mary" which George NJ.
Cohan's comedians presented last night,
is bound to strike pay dirt at the Knick-
erbocker, because in 1t Otto Harbach
and Frank Mandel, the librettists, have
introduced the two subjects nearest
every ones hearts-a home for two at
reasonable rates and an oil we'll at un-
reasonable profits.
That Is to say the story, simple yet ef-
fctive, has the rare merit OF being worth
sitting through. even with rheumatism,
on winter night. Then there is. of
course. the sprightfy and unflaggngIy
entertaining cast of principals, with a
chorus that has been trained by Julian
Mitchell and Sam Forrest to do some
excellent rioting in the guise of dancing.
With its frequently amusing lines and
It's dainty, novel scenes Mr.. Conan may
be said to pour oil upon the troubled
waters of Manhattan's prohibition.
One mustn't forget, of course. the lit
ing music by Louis Hirsch, for that has
already acted as an envoy of peace ana
goodwill preceding the production. Even
the sophisticated audience, familiar
though some of 1t was. listened to 1t
with the rapt air of those who were
hearing something quite capable of
breaking down Broadway's barriers of
jazz. THE Love Nest" naturally led the
race In popularity, with four encores,
and with well conducted orchestra
bringing out its haunting harmonies II
proved to have a winsome, meiodious
quality that the honky-tonks of the
Rialto have not quite been able to muir
der.
Anything You Want to DO, Dear?"
"Reprise," Every Time I Meet a Lady"
when a Vampire Exits Laughing"
waiting" and the "Oil'' song also ran
a close heat in popuiarlty-in fact. vir-
tually every number kept the audience
applauding until they became exhaust
ed watching the hurting chorus grow
out Of breath. Assurance is given by
competent authority that the orchestra
ton is excellent.
THE Love Nest" is inspired by the
cheap, portable house invented by a
Frenchman, In which Jack Keane be-
comes Interested in the hope of rehabil-
itating his family fortunes so they will
not be ruined and his emotional mother
driven to taking in floors for scrub
bing." He goes to Kansas with this
house, but in locating 1t there strikes
oil inadvertently. which enables him to
return with fortune, the money some
how opening his eyes to the fact that
he really loves Mary. his mothers Sec
rotary. instead of Madeline, who Is a
widow, and therefore dangerous for
musical comedy purposes. Though
Mdry has been changed into a debutante
by his mother with the hope of sharing
some other wealthy young man, Jack Is
able to put the satisfactory finish on the
second act.
The trick scenes, with model of q
house lighting up and smoking in one
scene and an oil well clinking and turn
ing In another, brought forth the ex-
pected response from earnest bondhold-
ing rent payers. Miss Janet velie was a
delightfully."- fresh Mary, the country girl
stenograp her. with q voice as rich as
Kansas corn. Jack MCGOWAN carried his
part with ease, just as his tongue con-
veyed almost every syllable of Harbach's
lyrics, which were too good to be shut
fled by muffied tones
Miss Florrie Millership danced blithely
as the widow; Miss Georgia Game did
well ms the mother; James c. Marlowe
was amusing as a financier and Charles
Judels was highly diverting as a French
man with habit of suddenly letting
slip his SIS"
The chorus men almost rose TO the
height of principals, and deserved to be
called gentlemen on the programme
All the dancing soloists were excep-
tional, ana the chorus moved with
Cohanesqle rapldity. winding up In
I'm which they almost
kicked off their slippers