New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-11
Interesting Chat and Stage Gossip for Playgoers
Cay Gretchen
Casts Her Vote
For the Dance
Greenwich Village Follies'
Danseuse Only Squints at
the Weird and CHASTITY
By Eiarriette Underhill

John Murray Anderson II . xenius. a
strange genius, If that is not tautology,
who stages show without having any
one know what it Is all about. Even
the principals themselves do not know
until the final rehearsal Just what they
are going to do. You see, Mr.. Anderson
is still thinking 1t out He builds up a
show the way an artist builds . gown.
Tries this touch and that until at last
he gets just tho idea he wants and then
he pins it there for other less magma
tive persons to make fast later on.
If you go to almost the final rehearsal
you will be terrified at the chaos and
unless you know Mr.. Anderson you will
say "sThe Greenwich Village FoIlies'
will never open on time this year." But
they do, for, at the eleventh hour, John
Murray Anderson picks up all the loose
ends and fastens them together with
some startling effect that no one ever
thought of before, and each one Is bet
ter than the preceding one, so that this
1921 edition is worthy of what even the
press agents may say about It,
The New Show Is
u Thing of Beauty, Etc.
1t really is so beautiful that It makes
you gasp, especially the transforma-
"Snowfakes" and the Beardsley figures.
and then there arc Irene Franklin,
With her inimitable comedy; Jimmie
Watts, with his weird burlesque Of the
weaker sex; Ada Forman, with her
sinuous terpsichorean MARVEL and
Gretchen Eastman, with her decadent
Apache dance. But here we are talk
ing like a barker in front Of one Of
those refined attractions: This little
lady on my left does dance that
defes death. Takes her life in her
hands at each and every performance.
The sensation of two continents, only
SO, or thirty dimes. Satisfaction guar
anteed or money refunded. Show
starts Immediately"
Now, of course, it isn't fair, but we
intend to expose Miss Eastman. She
isn't an Apache at all. She Is a young
lady who left college because she likes
tc dance. She never learned, she Just
danced, and she composed and staged
the Apache one all herself. No, her
press agent did not tell us this. We
found it out for ourself when we spent
the evening with her-or what re-
NAMED of it--after the Follies had
closed for the night.
A Personally
Conducted Tour
She wore a dark blue Russian dress
with embroidery on it and Russian
cap to match. She took the wheel of
the car and we all started merrily north
through Broadway. The traffic cops
looked at her so indulgently that we
almost believe she could have driven
south if she had so desired. Every time
she nearly ran over somebody she
would turn around and say, Pardon
me-" or Sorry" so that they didn't
mind having to jump. Miss Eastman
drives her car as we'll as she dances.
Now, having seen her dance you are all
prepared to find blase, sophisticated
creature who has been doing that sort
of thing for SO long that nothing in
the world carries any thrill with it.
Therefore after you meet Miss East
man surprise follows surprise.
AS soon as we were seated she or
dered "honeydew melon, crab flakes,
iced coffee with whipped cream
Then she went away to dance.
OF course we saw that there was nc
chance of getting an interview from
Miss Eastman so long as the band kept
on playing.
GLOW did Miss Eastman start?" We
asked Of our convoy.
"Oh, she just wanted to 90 on the
stage and, as she always manages te
get her way, she just went on. She got
that whole Scene together herself and
started out in vaudeville"
con the big timer" we asked, try.
ing to sound like vaudeville person.
'Yes, at the Palace"
"And every one told me my dance
wouldn't co." interrupted Miss East
man, who was paying us flying visit
because it was SO CHASTITY. But
love weird, unearthly things and gay
bright things and crab meat and grape
tarts and danding." And off she went
again in the arms of our gentleman
friend, and the band was playing ar