San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-26
New York Holds Its Breath
and Vice Crusaders Storm
in Rage at Realistic Re-
production of Artists
Studio and Mcdels-Ac-
tresses Rather Enjoy the
Cussing.
By MALCOM ELLIS

Copyright. by the San Antonio Light.
New York. Aug. 25.-New York is
holding its breath at the latest effort
OF the American theatrical managers
to achieve the daring of the Follies
Bergerere and other French theaters
that strive for exposition of the nude.
So far, they have. in the vernacular,
gotten away with it, for while the
society for the suppression Of vice
has protested, the only noticeable &C.
tivity Of the police has been directed
toward keeping order in the crowds
that line W nightly tefore the box
office.
The particular offering to which the
vice society objected represents the
musical revue at its daringest. 1t came
without warning. There was no ad
vance publicity to indicate that man
ayers had departed from the discreet
breech clout and shaded lights that
have marked their efforts heretofore.
The revue marks a step forward
or backwards, take your choice-in
the mental processes Of New Workers,
for Dorothy Dalton as "Aphrodite"
created an uproar three years ago.
The curtain rises upon a scene in an
artists studio. A young model of
lithesome curves and graceful lines
is posing N the altogether, as they
say in the studios.
Above her is a powerful light, sim
ulating the suns rays streaming
through a skylighted studio. She is
turned obliquely away from the au-
dience, but the seen leaves nothing
to the imagination. Her only adorn-
ment is wisp Of blue chiffon, caught
around the neck like a collar. She is
no Lady Godiva with a wealth of
flowing hair.
Oh, What a Gasp.
As the stage artist draws his brush
deity across the canvas and a violin
in the orchestra pit whines out OF
the darkness of the back-stage comes
4 procession Of girls with no clothing
above their waists. Below they do
not wear riding breeches. The au-
dience, composed chiefly of men with
less than a half oxen women down
stairs on this particular evening. gaspS
and then settles back TO a study Of
nature as she is. A calm and un
biased reviewer would be forced to say
that the audience applauds. Perhaps
! it is the beauty Of the artistic effect
J. J. Shubert, under whose direc
ton the show was staged. answer
directors by saying that it is artistic
| and true 90 life in the studios. SOM
of the New York critics have sup
ported him in this contention. HI
denies that it was written in the DO.
office" and that it is a bold bid TO
receipts. He calls it a happy com
bination. the combination of artistr.
and the Qualification Of womanl
charms, which recalls a famous state
mcnt of Raymond Hitchcock. tn
comedian. to the effect tina: if an
Of the girls como to his show glorified
he sends them home.
Gosh, What Cuss Words.
, The same show embodies the nd
vancement the New York stage ha
made in another objectionable car
italization of profanity. That is NOR
or less common in theaters of th
. metropolis. Heretofore, such minc
| expressions as damn and "hell
have drawn reactions from ii
.. audience. particularly when used b
women, but jaded audiences clamc
for excuses.
8 Somerset Vaughan put a foot 70
! ward in advance NJ the minor eur
: words in his play Rain which crit,
9 have praised above all others. I'll
leading character IS a woman Of Il
streets who uses inYectives that a
the cue for shooting irons in mo
, American communities Words III
q slip from her tongue would do cred
? 10 truck driver.
1 In another show, "Icebound." viii
2 won the Pulitzer prize rs the be
e play of the year. the leading ma
1 character used a word that is
$ direct violation of commandme
p and not exactly native TO the drawi
rOom In hoth these eases II is RI