Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-09
THE PLAYGOER'S
WEEKLY TALK


UyHE steady output OF musical come
IL dies. farces and revues continues and
stamps this, at least 50 far as Phiiadel.
phia is concerned, as musical snow
town and season. The Champion ~
the only straight play in town and VIII
maintain that distinction next week,
when the sole novelty will be Eearlei
a nusicalization of "Wildhre.' the racing
drama In which Lillian Russell mace
her final starring tour some seasons
egone. -.
Nor does the advance calendar show
any considerable variation from the
froth and frivol OF the music SHOW.
though less jazz is heading this way, at
any rate. Week after next Henry Miller
and Blanche Bates will come In Ihe
Famous Mrs Fair" q SotiriC comedy ny
the auth,r OF THE Chorus LADY,, ana
Leo Garlic will undertake new meter
in THE Tureador." romantic play.
The other several changes underlined
for next few weeks are all of the mu-
sicalized type--such successes as Irene
"Lassie, The Sweetheart shop ana ana
Lady Billy" Musical shows are all
right In their respective ways and are
often highly mertorious as entertain
ments. but il would seem possible In ar
ranging bookings TO make the ratio be-
tween musical and leg innate attractions
bit less dispropOrtionate.
TN1E current weeks musical play in
i three acts" as It Is classified on the
FORESTS program, Is certainly one II
the supyrIOr types Of its genus The
Half Moon" has almost everything, but
of espccial note Is Victor Jacobs score,
which is colorful. refined, lifting In tune
and oTchestrated with real musicianshlp.
It's the kind of music that makes peopre
whistle. mark time with their feet or
sway in unison with IL.
From the attitude of the audience on
the opening night and It's successors, the
Dillingham; Offering has met with popu-
lar approval. Joseph Cawthorn as an
individual star has brought to the foot
lights an experience that extends from
1871 continuously to now, and the fact
that he is playing Straight comedy
without dialect lifts his performance
above the level of the low comedy with
which he has been Identified. Joseph
Santley. Oscar Shaw, Virginia Shelby.
Ivy Sawyer and May Thompson dance
and sing through the play, and Maude
Eburne and Charles Lawrence add zest
to the comedy scenes. The dancing num-
a little different from the ordinary, and
the steady performance Is credited TO the
direction of Fred g. Latham, who has
produced Apple Blossoms" several of
the Montgomery and Stone shows and
many others for Mr.. Dillingham;.
HDEARIE" is said TO retain many
- Of the bright lines Of the former
comedy drama. "Wldfre," but the melo-
dramatic portion of the script has been
supplanted by funny situations, the
whole being nterspersed with catchy
music and of course there's chorus
Presumably of dearies. We shall see
Monday.
The story. one recalls. has TO deal with
racing stable. There Is an attempt to
throw the race in which "Dearie" Is 10
retrieve the fortunes of everybody, but
the widow by strategy outwits the
schemer at his own game and in tn"
end shows her skill nl'picking a winner"
from the list of elhHibles for her hand.
AN AMUSING scene in THE Cham
"A pion." at the Broad. is where a
group of Engishmen in the play come 10
do homage TO Grant Mitchell AZ the hero.
He has returned to his English homo
from America. where he won the light
weight championship of the world,
studied laS and later acquired a fortune.
He returns to his provincial nome town
as n member of Congress.
One of the Britlshers. considering It
an appropriate compliment to their
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the hero
has become a citizen OF the United States
i'm honor of his victories in the prize
ring. suggests that the assembled guests
sing the American national anthem.
puzzled look Of doubt from the Brit
ishers makes II obvious that they do not
know the anthem. An lrishman present
of yankee Doodle" Finding himself
singing alone. he stops abruptly Al,
"Dixie." hut they bolt lamely Then a
sporting earl launches forth with Co
lumbla. the Gem OF the Ocean" An
American from Mexico asks Mr. Mitchell
who has made his fighting reputation
under the ring name Of "Gunboat vii.
liams" what the Brtishers are doing
He replies that they are trying to sing
the American anthem, and IN an aside
adds: They know 1t almost as well as
we do"
This may seem far-fetched. but 1t is
based on many incidents Of real life
hs the anonymous writer OF the following
rei- -"s attestS;
oh, ~, can you sing from the start tc
What so proudly you stand Sor wher
orChestras play it;
When the whole congregation, In voice,
that blend.
Strike up the great hymn and theI
torture and slay IL?
How they below and shout when theyr.
first starting out,
But the dawn's early light" fnd
them nound'ring about.
'Tis THE star SpanEled Banner
they're trying to sing.
But they don't know the words OF III,
precious old thing.
Hark The "twilight's last cleaning
has some OF them stopped
But the valiant survivors press for
ward serenely,
To the ramparts we watched" wher,
some others are dropped,
And The loss OF the leaders Is mani
fest keenly
'"The rockets red glare" gives th
braVest a scare
And there's few left to face th
bombs bursting in air"
'Tis n thin line Of heroes that manag,
to save
The last of the verse and the home o
the brave"
GIT IS often said that the dividinI
i line between tragedy and comedy
the sublime and the ridiculous. is dan
gerously narrow" says Marie Dressler
the popular romedienne, who has re
turued to the stage, greatly to the 10,
Of hpr many in ba In -