The New York herald., 1921-08-18
The Mimic WorLd
Puts Shakespeare
in Jazz Number
Revue at Century Promenade
Aims to Make Bard Popu-
lar in Comedy.

The new revue which reopened the
Century Promenade last night and was
called '"rhe Mimic World for the best
OF reasons. which is no reason at all.
accomplished what other revues have
hitherto either feared TO do or lacked
the erudition in the management to ac-
complish. 1t put Shakespeare In a jazz
number. Syncopation in this latest Of
fcring by Lee and J. ]. Shubert might
be said to be bidding for Immortality.
The number. emblazoned on the pro-
gramme as "Shakespeare's Garden Of
Love-" revealed the Bard of Avon him
self staring straight across the foot
lights at Jack Dempsey In the first
night audience and looking without a
quiver at the heavyweight champion.
Jack. be It said for him. stared back
at him. Then came Hamlet Opheltd,
Romeo, Juliet and all the other great
lovers OF Shakespeares imagining, de-
picted by various dazzling figures, who
indicated that the producers were bent
upon making the Bard as popular on the
musical comedy stage as he was in the
schoolrooms.
Perhaps It was symbolic of the now
friendly relations between the Shuberts
and the Actors Equity Association that
they had this resplendent echo of one
OF the features of the annual Equity
show. which. Judging by the acclaim
with which 1t was received last night,
revealed that Shakespeare on the roofs
at least isn't feeling the effects OF
prohibition.
"OpheIia" Aids in Song.
On trotted the ponies presently to
give the real dramatic touch to the poets
scene. They jazzed and shimmied. and
the whole portrait gallery. even the
demented OpheliG and the mesancholic
Hamlet, joined in raggy song that
may have been an up to date rendering
of some of the Elizabethan's sonnets,
though 1t was hard to distinguish the
words because Of the resonant efforts Of
a well trained orchestra which was
bound to do its part In this Shake
speartan renascence.
That was one OF the outstanding
features Of a girl and jazz show which
brought the Century roof, redecorated
and refurnished with orchestra seats,
back into the Broadway trade as a
regular theatre. There were pretty
girls and yet more pretty girls-the
principals hardly had room to move
because Of them--and the production
was gowned and mounted with a sump
tuousness that convinced one the Shu-
berts had bought out department
store and added music by Jean
Schwartz, Lew Pollack and owen
Murphy to it.
Judging by numbers that were occa-
sionally waited across the footlights,
there was some reason to suppose that
the programme was right when 1t said
that the show had book and lyrics by
Harold Atteridge and owen Murphy.
However. this was another Of those
entertainments at which one could aud
IDLY express appreciation to friend of
one of the comely damsels without dis
tracing the attention of neighbors from
the plot. The twenty-six scenes were
disclosed through folding lunettes OF
golden cloth that would alone be Of un-
usual interest to dry goods dealers and
out of town buyers.
Pin Daisies on Spectators.
Other novelties were a number in
which the chorus trooped into the au-
dience to pin daisies on the male specta-
tors and again. gave squeaking dog
whistles to the onlookers with which TO
squawk their enjoyment of bow bow"
act.
Though no prima donna was on hand
the prima donna element was supplied
by Jimmy Hussey. who was reported to
have taken exception to another act on
the bill and so at the last moment was
turned out to cool off in Central Park.
However. his absence did not seem to be
missed by a codial audience. for they had
Brendeland Bert In their amusing elope-
ment and parlor entertainment skits,
BRANDED and Wiser with their surprising
hat tricks, Miss Mae West with her viva
cious and comic impersonations OF
French vamp and Nazimova, Frank
Hurst OF the agile dancing legs. Miss
Ann Toddings. Eddie Hickey and reans
OF others who made this high class
vaudeville offering which. while not a
midnight show. encroached on that hour.