New-York tribune., 1920-06-20
Ibanez Strikes Colors
To Wit and Beauty of
@'FlOrodora" Sextet

The sextet in the original produc-
tion of "Florodora" two decades ago
won it's fame justly. Its members mar
ried millionaires, were the pets of So
ciety, and had numerous admirers who
came to the theater nightly to hear
them sing Tell Me, Pretty Maids
and to see them bob their heads up
well known figure in the world of
literature came to visit them back
stage, and to talk with them Of mar
riage, of beauty and of his own works.
That is q distinction Of which the 1920
sextot, which is appearing nightly at
the Century Theater can boast
Y. ElAsco lbanez, the Spanish novel
list, who has shown q surprising versa
tlnly or talent since his arrival in this
dr0~~'nc roorN last Thursday evening"
"When Spaniard meets beautiful
women he is expected TO say some
thing complimentary" said the author,
and he Immediately proceeded to DO so.
Senior lbanez speaks no English.
The sextet speaks no Spanish. So
for few minutes, as one of the Swan
son sisters expressed it, "silence
reigned supreme" until DR.. Living
ston, member of the novelist's party,
undertook the task Of interpreting.
Then, under the leadership of Fay
Evelyn, the English member of the
sextet, they piled the author of The
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"
with questions. They wanted to know
about marriage, about Spanish women,
about the "cave man interview
First, however, they wanted to know
If he liked the show and were assured
that he did.
should a girl starting on stage
career marry" ?" he was asked.
Marriage has nothing to do with
| literature, with art or with acting"
he replied smilingly. You might just
be married or not. 1t ali depends on
the marriage in each case"
Comparisons he avoided skillfully.
What he thought of the American
girls speaking voice as compared with
that of the Spanish or French girl,
Of the American girl as a type as com
pared with the Spanish or French, he
answered indefinitely but with COM
/ pliment for each. Assuredly, Senor
lbanez is a diplomat
I'VE want to know whether he is a
cave man and whether he believes that
American girls like cave man meth
At this question Marcella and Beatrice
Swanson, Dorothy Leeds and Dana
Sykes, the other members Of the SEX
tet present, came forward. Their in
terest was very evident.
When this request was transmitted
I to him the novelist showed the first
signs Of embarrassment. He reddened,
/ h. spoke raridly, almost APOLOGIZE
cally, it seemed.
4cA o"e young ladies that that in
.ervie" never took place" he asked.
! o1 NV,
Americans who, not daring to express
them themselves, put them in the
mouth Of poor foreigner"
"Well, we do, anyway" commented
Fay. undaunted, and the others nodded
their heads in approval.
All of the girls, Senor Ibancz was
assured, had read his novel, The Four
Horscmen Of the apocalypse and had
enjoyed it, 1t was almost time for the
the second act Before Senior 1banez
left, however, Fay Evelyn produced a
photograph of herself and started to
autograph it. She wrote the letters
"Ib' without any difficulty and then
she discreetly asked for assistance
with the rest of the name. The photo
graph was presented TO him.
What will your wife say when you
bring the photograph back to Spain
with you?" asked Fay Evelyn.
"No Spaniard fears his wife. He
fears only his rotherinlaw,' he an
swered
From the sextet's dressing room
Senor Ibanez was escorted to the gym
naslunl OF the tneater, where The gIrls
who are soon to appear in "1hc Mid
night Lark" in the Century Promenade
atop the theater were rehearsing. He
watched the dancing of nearly fifty
girls, representing different types of
favorably upon the agile saltations of
two of the principals of the coming
production.
Then the novelist went back to his
box in the theater to see the rest of
the show.
TPAVET