Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
NOVEMBER 4,
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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1922
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The Bi& Boston Fox Trot Hit
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HEAR IT NOW!
SECOND MUSIC BOX REVUE A MAGNIFICENT OFFERING
Irving Berlin's Iiatest Revue a Gorgeously Staged Spectacle Replete With Tuneful Music—Cast
Exceedingly Well Chosen—Show Receives Unanimous Praise From Press and Public
Sam H. Harris presented Irving Berlin's new
Music Box Revue last week at the Music Box,
and it fascinated its first audience—the most
distinguished seen at a theatre for several
months.
The magnificence of the offering may be im-
agined when it is known that more than $350,000
had been expended on its preparation.
One scene, the Diamond Horseshoe of the
Metropolitan Opera House, cost in the neigh-
borhood of $17,000. The cloth, representing
thousands of diamonds, was made especially for
this scene. It is used to cover the boxes; a
special curtain, made up into dresses, worn by
many pretty girls who grace the "boxes."
Grace LaRue wears a train of this material—
the most beautiful thing the local stage has
ever shown.
A scene of great beauty and cleverness is
"Satan's Palace," which closes the first act.
From below the stage come into -view the
Devil and his Chancellor, Don Juan, followed by
the famous wantons of history, Catharine of
Russia, Madame DuBarry and Cleopatra. The
lighting and mechanical effects in this scene are
remarkable. In this scene is introduced the
song, "Pack Up Your Sins and Go to the Devil,"
sung by John Steel.
"The Forest" is a scene of exquisite loveliness
and introduces scores of pretty girls, represent-
ing birds. "The Little Red Lacquer Cage,"
sung by the entire company, adds further to the
beauty of this scene. They make their entrance
from the stump of an old tree. Still another
scene which won admiration is "Housetops,"
which shows a miniature city at night. John
Steel here sings, accompanied by the chorus,
"Lady of the Evening."
An unusual "set" was shown early in the show.
It represented the stage of the Music Box with
a mythical audience entering the playhouse
while the chorus was singing and dancing a
number. This was followed by "The Auction,"
in which William Gaxton does brilliant work as
the auctioneer, reciting his lines in verse and
showing in rapid succession "Tapestry," after
Fragonard, posed by Helen Rich, Evelyn Oli-
phant and Hilda Ferguson; "The Idol of Jade,"
impersonated by Amelia Allen, a remarkable
dancer and contortionist; "The Harpsichord,"
showing Chopin, playing his compositions for
his friends; "The Wrestlers," which serves to
introduce those marvels, the Rath Brothers;
"Chinese Porcelains," by Helen Rich and Eva
Sobel, who are both fine singers, and "The
Porcelain House," with Stowitts and Ruth Page,
assisted by a bevy of pretty girls, representing
porcelain figures. The song, "Porcelain Maid,"
a feature by the company, closes the scene.
The entire show was conceived and staged
by Hassard Short, who directed the first Music
Box show.
The new Music Box Revue is more than a
succession of beautiful scenes, however. It is
an entertainment in the fullest sense of this
much-abused word. There is fun in abundance
and clean fun at that. It is furnished mostly
by Bobbie Clark, a real comedian. He is at his
best in a burlesque of cheap melodrama, in
which he plays the role of Mahomed Mahoney,
an arch conspirator. Clark was formerly in
burlesque, then went to London and scored an
immense success. He probably is lost forever to
the cheaper-priced theatres. Clark can also sing
and with his partner, Paul McCullough, he ren-
ders several numbers effectively.
There is also in the production John Steel,
with his golden voice; the clever Grace LaRue,
who has too little to do, and the interesting
comedienne, Charlotte Greenwood, who has no
great trouble in winning laughs.
Little dancing is to be found in this show,
and what there is is furnished by William Sea-
bury and Olivette.
The music by Irving Berlin is at all times
fresh, spontaneous and tuneful and the lyrics,
also by Mr. Berlin, are of genuine.merit.
"Crinoline Days" is probably the outstanding
song of the whole show. It shows Grace LaRue
at her best and the effective setting in which
the Crinoline Girls appear is not to be forgotten.
While it is true John Steel sings several
songs, his most successful number is "Will She
Come From the East?" This, as the title sug-
gests, is a love song showing a girl from Broad-
way, a girl from the regions of the ice and one
from the heart of the West and the inevitable
girl from the land of cotton.
"Bring on the Pepper," sung by the McCarthy
sisters and the entire company as well as what
are known as the Pepper Girls, is not to be over-
looked as one of those things which will be
heard frequently during months to come.
"TROT ALONG" A HIT
New Will Rossiter Number Promises to Be-
come Very Popular
CHICAGO, I I I . , October 30.—Will Rossiter re-
ports that the new number, "Trot Along," will
undoubtedly be one of the biggest hits in the
country from present indications. It is a fox-
trot melody with an altogether new rhythm.
The words are written by W. R. Williams and
the music by Clarence M. Jones.
"Some of These Days," the sensational come-
back which was recently introduced by Sophie
Tucker, is now recorded by Al Jolson for the
Columbia records. This number has proved
very popular since its late reintroduction to the
public.
The Bi& Waltz Ballad Hit
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