The Washington times., 1924-09-16
MIR. WOODS HAS Al
HIT AT THE
BELASCO

Early this morning Senior AL
Woods was busy in New York
opening kilograms from Professor
Samuel Hoffenstein, his purveyor
OF publicity, most of which read:
"Well, Al, old fossil, Madeline
got in last night. Everybody
happy and doing nicely!,..
Mysterious, they We're and all
that sort of thing. Madeline in
this case might mean a case Of
Scotch, a baby, a race-horse, or
"a new La Toilette supporter. But
not at all.
The feminine name refers to
very, very blonde and very, very
captivating young wife who seeks
to teach her hubby, a gent whose
morals are on a sliding scale
subject to the cloak-a little les
son. All of which is the theme
and structure Of "Oh! Madeline"
the Otto Harbach farce, which
strutted its way at the Belasco
last night, and, as Lew Fields
used to say, clicked brilliantly"
Mr.. Harbach has managed some
how, between music shows, to
weave a subtle, fast-moving Sc
Quence Of situations, overtoned
with some of the best laughs
you'll ever get in this or any
other season. "Oh! Madeline" is
scream-and q success! It's au-
thor can well look his work in
the eye and say: Pretty good!
Pretty goodP' All of that and
more. For as a merry, Inelodious
farce 1t is something exceedingly
fine-better than either 1.-THE Ner-
vous Wreck" or Fair and Warm.
err" Funny without being vul-
gar; amusing without being OBJ
vious; interesting without being
highbrow. And. as well, cleverly
punctuated with brilliance. Con-
CALCULATIONS, Otto!
4
Congratulations, too, to James
Gleason and Edna Hubbard, who
are instrumental in keeping the
operas mirth-pace an ever.in-
creasing one. Gleason is going to
be talked about before the week is
over. His Amt 1 the Clever
Kid" husband is something to
brave a snowstorm to see and
hear. His style is almost unique
in farce. Finish, suavity, GER
tainty and ebullience mark his
playing. OF Miss Hibbard-well,
in the past this reviewer has
tossed panegyrics into the air
rather freely regarding her work.
She Is the best Of farceurs in the
lady line in this country. A charm
ing, colorful coryphee. who is
more of a delight in "Oh, Made
line" than ever before. Her in
ebriated scene in act two is de.
lightfully amusing.
In fact, the whole cast is cork
ing. James Mariowe, splendfA in
low comedy; Theresa Maxwell
Conover. always the pseudo grande
dame; Allyn King, blonde, volup-
tuous, sweet.voiced and thoroughly
capable; together with Eleanor
Williams, Hobart Cavanaugh,
Helen Groody and Boyd Clark, ali
very satisfying.
oh! Madeline" as has been
said, is a tale Of a vacilIating
hubby, who is all business-a
lawyer-until eight in the even.
ing. After that-it's bring on
the girls" and the gin! So
wife sets out to kill or cure.
What she does is the Harbach
miscellany!
One cant well afford to miss
1T. Provided. of course, one likes
the ridiculous and impossible,
skillfully presented and played
in a manner redolent with wit
and simultaneously keeping the
organs OF cacchination working
overtime.
The Belasco, by the by, is gilt
tering, too. New decorations,
new hangings, new paint, new
varnish. All very pretty. Stod-
dard Taylor can well be proud
Of his genius in making 1t doubly
attractive. And having an "Oh!
Madeline" to collaborate in open
ing the season.-F. B.