BING BOYS ON BROADWAY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 47, 19 November 1920, Page 9

BING BOYS ON BROADWAY

— -4 A THREE HOURS MUSICAL . FRIVOL "Tho Bing Boys on Broadway," a. musical! farco in two "acts, by .Fred. Thoni|Hon and Harry M. Vernon; music by Nat D. iyer, lyrics "by Clifford Grey. Cast':— Ezoliial Bine .......... ,-CPiiis. Hovtfird Matilda Bine Beatrice Wenban Potifer Bliik ..' Gub. Bluett Susio Bin? ..-.. Meta Brcakwell ."Hob" Williams Kesinald Roberta Shorty Herbert 0. Walton Tats Tittlorow IVm. Lockhart Kubo Wilkins , Harry Paulton Ballerina * Phyllis .Amery Emma. ::..... '. Jennie Hartley Newspaper Reporter Jack Hutchison flhbrty : Herbert C. Walton "Diamond Gcrtio" Beatrice Weuban

"Tho Bing Boys on Broadway," which kept a large audience simmering with merriment at the Opera Houso last -iveii- . ing, is a product of probably the mast flippant and inconsequential theatrical era the world has known. It is called a ."rovusical comedy," from which it may be gathered that it is a dressy" musical show oouceived and performed.in a spirit of frivolity. No one pretends' to be siucero or real for ono moment—if they did the toppling superstructure of delicious nonsense would dio of an altogether 'unexpected attack o£ seriousness. Irl the present instance the Bing 803-S are not brothers, as. they w-ere in thc s first edition, and they, oxo not ibo lmsophisti-. cated. youths they were. The Bing family,' in the nature of things, has straddled , the globe.. . One wing has settled in America, and founded Bingville, while tho English branch poes to seed comfortably in dear, old England. Lucifer becomes a weed in the garden, and for his excesses ■ haa .to fleef to America, but ho does not go alone. With him goes: Emmn.,.his first fove, now the Duchess of Du'llwotor. and it.is-the experiences of the; Duchess and Lucifer, and incidentally- of- cousin Potifer (from Bingville) which form the giddy groundwork of the merry farce. As the Duchess we are introduced to Miss Jennie Hartley, one of_ the brightest, most -nlert', and magnetic singing comediennes seen hero for a long time. Her, Emma is a delightfullyl vulgar creation. Sho .knows 110' law. Her'talk reeks with the argot of Seven Dials, shot with idioms from Coney Island on Thanksgiving Day,' and ■governing all is- a certain viilal charm that wins: ■ Miss Hartley 6cores her first success in "Hello, New York!" on-land-ing with Lucifer from the liner.a swinging number wWch is given an animated ensemble dressing. Another captivating number in ■ the same scene is the duet, '"The Firet Love," sung bv Miss Hartley and Mr. Phil Smith. "Hop" Williams, an American crook (Mr. Reg. Roberts) has heard that Emma has "boiled" all the jewels from her ducal tiara down into n garter, and with "Diamond Gertie" attempts to a'.ienl tho glittering treasure. "Hop" poses as one of "the ten," and after an evening in a roof garden theatre, with the lights of New York glimmering afar on tho back cloiih, he conceives, tho idea of showing Emnm tho sights of Chinatown, where he hopes 'to secure the garter, but after a dreamy Oriental song and dance interlude, comes a dash of. burlesque melodrama, with. Lucifer as the rescuer of virtue (witli tho garter) in distress. Then Emma secures an engagement at a fabulous figure to.act m pictures, and she appears, as saucy as ever, as "Laughing Cheese," an Indian squaw, in a wild and woolly Wild l Wester "in five reels and a spiral noso dive. This scene, like that of the i ro ?i f L Ra i rt l? l ' ff!vcs scop 6 for a b 'ff Indian ballet, both picturesque and original. Finally Mr. Roberts reappears in an'"arresting uniform to sing (without any great pro-' vocation) of "Mandalay," and the- glow.ing lights of a pretty evening scene Latore a Burmese bungalow 6ces the curtain fall.

[ Apurt from Miss Hartley, Mr. Phil Smith throws a lot of unctious'liuwour into the role of Lucifer, the sophistic ted male "vamp," who, .in' a variety of O.S. costumes,.is never long away from tho lights. | His mummery is always ex-cellent-m quality, and Few chances for : "gagging" wittily are lost by this clever fitfclo comedian, who, with Miss Hartley, carries the load. Tho company is equipped with two gifted dancers in Miss Maggie Dickenson, who throws amazing vitality into a sailor's hornpipe, executes with fine point : and finish a tip-too' "Danae 1, Parisienne," followed . with a comical "Jazz" dance. '' In .the cabaret scene, Mi6S Phyllis «Amcry (who- is as light and graceful as a iawn in spring) danced with Mr. Jan Caryll, ,and was charming as the ballerina of tho first act. Miss Tthcl Drayson,' a tuneful soprano,' sang "Bubbles" and "Something Oriental." ' Among tlio catchiest numbers .were/ "My Position" and' "Tuko Your Girlie to the Movies," by Miss Hartley, and tho gagging' duet, "Day After Day," with Mr. Smith. Mr. Reginald Roberts bad little to do as "Hop "Williams" Mr.-"Herbert Waltcm ' as ."Shortly I .' had nothing to (hank the author for, and Mr. Gus Bluett got all there was out of Potifer Bing. Miss Gwen Ives and Miss Peggy Sabine figured among'the soloisti). The smart dressing and grouping of the big, wDil-relected chorus made for a succession of fine ensembles, and the music, which was mostly of the ragtime order, kept feet tapping the night through. Mr. Harry Burton •controls a competent orchestra. The Bing Boys on Broadway" will bo played for the ensuing week.