Evening star., 1924-01-29
"Begsar on Horseback. .

Dazzling is the word for 1t. Beg
gar on Horseback" at the BeIasco
last night, swept through two acts of
multifarfous scenes-swiftly changed
looked on amazed--a comet of satire
trailing a nebulous appendage OF in
tansibility like a comets tall, which
one knows Is there, but never knows
what It's made Of
A respectful audience sat still when
the curtain descended for the last
time on the premiere Of George S
Kaufman and Marc Connellys laugh
Al the world in general and called
again. The tribute was Well merited
flashlng with brilliance from the
start TO finish, carrying a vast amount
OF VII, satire and everyday humor
enS HorseSaek sGa spsediy Eesgar on
thing they're not accustomed to at
the Belasco last night, and they en-
Joyed 1t immensely.
You can't exactly call it a fairy
tale for grown-ups, because actually
lies at the base Of it. 1t cannot be
rightly called a fantasy, because mys-
ticlsm is lacking
And yet it's flavor Is distinctly Of
the fairy tale and fantasy variety.
Sharp oarbs OF satire are directed at
the business man with the hard head.
at the red tape Of efficiency manage
ment; at office conferences; at the
man who became the boss OF his fore
man by studying nights: at the gem
tleman who would enjoy the kisses OF
MIS- wife If he only could meet her
when each would be ignorant of the
others identity. and at dozens Of
other types.
love story glimmers through the
pnesentati9n: 7 re I.h Neil MeRea, ideaiist
Of his career. He wants to complete
his great symphony. but money mat
ters interfere. He spends his time
accumulattng coin by hack song writ
ing. There are two girls. One will
bring him millions of dollars and
bushels of worriment. The other
would live in IL cottage and sell eggs
from the little red hen and milk from
the dun COW. The first would buy
him. The second would be a wife to
him.
So McRea goes to sleep and dreams
everything out. Into the dream is
woven pantomine in which gentle
solar pleXus is delivered to the per-
sons admiring somebody else's hus-
pand or Somc one elSe's wife.
ROLAND Young carries the role of
Neil McRea, the young musician, with
a human feeling that walks right
into ones heart. Kay johnson, as
cynthia Mason the real girl, is su-
appreciation of the character OF
Gladys Cady. the small-town, small
brain millionheiress George w. Bar
bier. as Mr.. Cady. the h.-h. business
man, does wonders with true-to-life
role, and Osgood Perkins presents a
capable comedy role as Homer Cady.
lazy lounge hound. The others are
all good.
The music. which is interspersed in
the presentation, by Deems Taylor, is
exceptionally appropriate.
winthrop Ames deserves a tribute
for his method OF staging the play.
The lighting change scenic effects, as
well as the arrangement OF settings.
painted by Woodman Thompson, all
are contributory factors to a we'll
rounded presentation.
A surprise greets the audience after
the first act when a newspaper ap-
pears on the scene containing a de-
scription of the dream murder of the
entire Cady family by Nell McRea.
All in all. the play should be enjoy
ed by highbrows as we'll as lowbrows.
because there's a good surface. as
we'll as a good subsurface for those
who like to figure such things out.
Mother. father, grandfather, grand
mother. Johnny and sister-all can
get pleasure out OF something like
"Beggar on Horseback"