New-York tribune., 1920-10-20
''Hitchy-Koo 1920"
Brings C.. P. Huntley
Back to Our Stage
English Comedian and Hitch.
cock Share HOnOrs i'm Mu.
steal Show; Old Wheezes
Often Shine Like New
By Haywood Broun

In the middle of the first act Of
"HitchyKoo 1920" at the New Amstcr-
dam Theater last night, Mr.. Raymond
Hitchcock interrupted the performance
and advancing to the footlights said
that he had an important piece of
news for the first-nighters. "The audi
ence will be pleased to learn" he an
nounced, that Philadelphia has
reached its quota for the Third Lib
erty Loan" Later Charles Withers. as
a country chairman with list of no.
tices to give out, issued the following,
statement: "Mr Thompson, the man
who used to drink so much and didn't
show it, will be buried on Thursday
afternoon"
The rest of "Htchy-Koo" is hardly
as good as that The material, if re-
garded critically and dispassionatcly,
is undeniably old and frayed. There is
difficulty, however. in regarding it in
any such spirit, for Mr. Hitchcock, cnd
even more, Mr. G. P. Huntley, manage
to animate many a familiar wheeze 10
such an extent that it falls cnticingly
upon the ear. In other years and in
other places we have watched the scene
in which the customer came into the
drug store to shop for stamps and
after much deliberation decided to take
the one in the middle of the sheet, but
it was never so funny as last night,
when Hitchcock was the clerk and
Huntley the customer. There was also
considerable amusement in the song,
Buggy Riding" as acted out by
Hitchcock and Julia Sanderson, par
ticularly as the personable Miss San
foH
in broad clowning after the manner OF
Ray Dooley.
As is the custom the performance
begins with a short informal talk by
Hitchcock, who describes the plot of
the piece. 1t proved to be colorful
and beautifully costumed musical
play with a minimum of dawdiing.
There is some excellent dancing, par
ticularly by Florence O'Deni shawn.
Not much of it is novel, although the
final scene which pictures old New
York during the height of the cam
paignA between Cleveland and Blaine
is ingenious. Perhaps there were two
campaigns between Blaine and Cleve-
land, but this was just one Of them.
The scene afforded an opportunity for
q stirring choral number in which all
the girls assumed cre roles of march
ers in a torchlght procession. 1t also
afforded Mr.. Huntley, as visiting
Englishman. an opportunity to inquire
wha all the row was about and upon
being informed that America was elect
ing President to remark, What; on
purpose!"
There is some fun of avery rough
and tumle nature in burlesque melo-
drama, engineered chey by Charles
Withers as manager, ticket taker,
orchestra and announcer. We can't
remember anything about the music,
SO it can hardly have been either an
affront or sensation. We have
feeling, however, that Charles Steven
son sang some Of it pleasantly and
danced equally we'll. 1t is also our
impression that Miss Julia Sanderson
sings not at all we'll, ut we are just
as certain that nobody else in all the
world tries so prettily and pleasingly
Like Babe Ruth, Miss Sanderson is an
attraction even when she swings and
misses.
TO adopt the convenient method of
rating musical comedies somewhat
after the manner of history examina-
tions, "Hitchy-Koo 192o' ought to get
about B minus, which is a good safe
pass.