The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
BLOSSOM T|ME'
 TAKES AUDIENCE
Greek Evans And Margaret Merle Head Exceptional
 Singing Company

S-s-s-s-s-hi It's suspicious! (Par- don us, MT. Allen).
 o.The management of the Jefferson theatre and the Messrs. Shubert con spired against the Birmingham pub lic when "Blossom Time" was booked tQ appear at that playhouse Thusday, Friday and Saturday nights and Sat urday matinee Their motive was | clear to the appreciative audience i which sat out front Thursday night. They insured the presence of a com 1. pany outstanding among those which . have visited Birmingham, at least in the last five years.
 Blossom Time" is a beautiful musi- cal play, it's theme the life of Franz Schubert, with the composers best known melodies found in the score. |. Haunting, soulful, tender and tear -ful strains for which the memory sGot the Viennese genius is cherished.
 Careful casting is readily appar- '">ent-it is said it took year to cast the several companies presenting the story of Sehuberts love.
 Blossom Time" is written around reported love affair between Schubert and one of his pupils. Be that fabri- cation or no, the exquisite creation pardons any Aggression from his torical fact.
 The story opens in a cafe on the IIdLGlt Nltiiuds III IoGDs LWO NedAS bS- fore Schubert's death at the age Of 31. Scenic and lighting effects in this and the other two scenes are remark ably well done, 1t might be said here. The drawing room in Vienna home and Schuberts lodgings form the ' back ground for the rest of the action. z Greek Evans Delightful.
 Greek Evans who sings the role of Schubert. has a wonderful baritone voice known t6 music lovers all over s,sthe south His filling of the part seems inspired. Margaret Merle, late of vaudeville. is a dainty miss as
 "Mitzi" Schbubert's hopeless love, s bringing recollections of another de- ea.1ghtful young woman of that name. !. Not only Schubert, but the entire au- s,dience fell in love with her appeal 2 ing personality and a beautiful Voee. i The combination of Greek Evans and Miss Merle in singing the Song of Love- set to the music of Schubert's sTdelicate unfinished Symphony left the audience breathless with not few throats throbbing.
 "Tell Me, Daisy" was another beau -aitiful duet number for this pair in a atcomparable Thursday night, with an effective setting as first Mitzi, then < Schubert, indulge in the age-old ref erence to a ddisy's petals.
 Robert Rhodes, who qualities as matinee idol, has an excellent tenor tG back up d pleasing personality. As Schober. Sehuberts friend he is given opportunity to enchant his audience. He and Mitzi score heavily in "Only one Love Ever Fills My Heart" with a background set by the tragedy of Schubert's failure in love through terrible mistake.
 Fenita de Sora, Spanish prima donna, was handicapped by a cold in singing, but her vivid person was to be deterred but little. She was ia vorite. especially when Keep It Dark" a poppy number was con cluded. An excellent male triC was exceptionally fine in laughing chorus feature of this selection.
 Now we are there, after many % breaks in that direction. This trio ef. deserves more space than can be @Ngiven, but unstinted praise for their ssworz in the ever popular "Serenade' -s.could be heard even after the more .t,.striking solo numbers had died into SsSsfrence. Undoubtedly, Cliff Nhitcomb, .--s55dward Orchard and William Lilling sSsilre above comparison with any group sStof male voices heard in Birmingham sTin many moons.
 Robert Lee Allen, informally intro yduced in the first paragraph, is the comedian of the play, and very able one. lie Is recently from the Broad 4e way production of "Kempy" We 7. don't know why he is not On Broad s way now.
 . Q Everyone SlnEs Heii.
 N+, Everyone sings well in this produc- -tfon--excet the dancer, Ruth Reming- ton, who is poetry itself in motion. Alma Keller and Bee Brady, as Mitzi's sisters Isabel Vernon, their mother, Jack Hamilton and Oliver T. McCor- mick as their sweethearts, and Verna Schaff as Greta the maid, all sing and act their roles in excellent manner. If all maids were like Greta, the ser want problem would be solved.
 Gregory Ratoff, as Count Scharn- e toff. is the villain most necessary to = opera bouffe. He causes strange rumblings. mindful of the light operas of yesteryear. His terrible laugh is S a work of art when he causes MT. F Allen to become really serious for .. moment.
 ses Careful though is shown in every costume and production details.
 Dancing numbers are done with precision and beauty, the orchestra ton is unusual and the curtain falls upon a play which delighted an au- dience Thursday night more than any performance given upon the Jetfer- son stage in many seasons.-H. w. S