Evening star., 1925-01-21
A MU USEMENTS S
National" The Comic
Supplement"

Florenz Ziegfeld waved his wand
2t the National Theater last night
and brought vividly TO life the bois-
terous, flamboyant comic supplement
of Americas Sunday newspapers, i'm
mersed in the trappings and pulchri-
tude of A Ziegfeldian revue.
Making its premier bow. the new
Offering, officially named THE Comic
Supplement of American Life, raced,
with more or less halting speed, and
some few bitches, through two acts,
including % scenes, and came to a
belated finale on the stroke OF mid
night, leaving a first-night audience
wondering whether the master pro-
ducer of revues had brought TO full
bloom a blossom more nearly related
to the sunflower or to the orchid.
There is much beauty, partly un-
covered and bewitchingly half draped;
there are blasts of homely exag-
gerated comedy, long moments of
humor bordering on the buColic
plenty of hokum, a fragile lit
tie sweetheart, who is mighty
lax rose" and her hand
some lover. with unique settings by
Norman-Bel CIeddes, which bear the
stamp of unique genius; At least two
tunes that linger in memory; Brook
Johns and his banjo and w. c. Fields.
Book and lyrics are by J. +. McEVoy,
with music by Con Conrad and Henry
Sougaiue.
1t ought to be said, in spite of the
elaborate investiture of this piece,
and all the hard work which mani
Testify has been put into it, with even
undeniable Ziegfeld snap, frequently
evident, that the audience last night
was far from satisfied. Somehow the
idea of the whole. with its heteroge.
70 Sfri In
justice, however, praise should be
bestowed here and there. and on some
individuals. Perhaps with sharp ell
Bions, the toning down of overex-
Rggeration and, of course, the filling
in OF gaps, eXcusable. perhaps. in the
'public dress rehe a show may
be made which will go"
Take w. c. Fields. for instance. His
Ia Jones was robustly comical,
rollicking, and at times his panto-
mime brought shrieks of laughter
daughter of Pa, was wispish,
dainty and quite a finished bit of
1ovelnesS
Clarence Nordstrom provided a
pleas sing foil, of attractive manners
and it was the Allen -Nordstrom
romantic melody Of kissing" that
may prove the hit of the revue--tf
any This little song is lifting and
tuneful. and provides Brooke Johns
his best banjo opportunity, to the ac-
compartment of a dance by Joyce
White, who is the little tornado of
the show, on toes. In passing around
the tribute Rae Dooley must not be
overlooked as the baby Gertie of the
Jones family, overdone a bit. but full
OF surprises, especially in a freak
dance in the last cabaret scene, which
brought down the house.
What plot there Is carries the
Jones family from a homely early
morning scene to the beaches, pas
drug store, a cafeteria, the lodge
room of the Royal Sons and Daugh-
ters of Arcola, where Fields produces
q capital pool table act; a city park,
city street full of scenery, city hall.
JOY ride, A tiny apartment of the
newly weds, a ride on the Riverside
bus and a wind-up in the city cab
aret, presided over by the amtable
Brooke Johns
There Is almost as much machinery
rs in a curcus: Freak radios. a trick
automobile, a whole apartment in a
folding piano, automatic pool tables
a huge Riverside bus with wheels
that go round. and a row of elevator
doors.
Although comments were inclined
10 be unfavorable. the folks In the
audience rocked in their seats long
and often, and most Of them stayed
10 see the end The show sparkled
with newness. 1t may be forgiven for
many shortcomings of the first night.
The future only will tell how far the
departure of this "funny-paper" bur-
1esque on life will win it's way into
the favor OF the fun-loving public.