New Plays

No Foolin'. Florenz Ziegfeld's annual summer side show is not this season called the Follies. For reasons of litigation and liabilities the Follies, which are not owned completely by Mr. Ziegfeld, may never reappear. For this cruel fact there might be a few moments of national mourning. The Follies started in 1907 and became indisputably the sovereign of all the annual revues. Of late years they have had more competition and were occasionally surpassed by others. Yet the name Ziegfeld Follies was as sure a trademark of excellent entertainment as one could find in the show business. One trusts that from the shadows of dispute it may sometime rise again.

In the frenzied search for a new title this show was known as Palm Beach Girl and, at the last moment as No Foolin'. Beneath this inconspicuous nomenclature lies a show bursting with opulence. On the opening night it played till midnight. It showed dozens of gorgeous scenes, scores of glorified girls, countless songs and scenes. So great was the supply of everything that the mind wearied and the tastes grew tired. One wished that Mr. Ziegfeld had condensed his entertainment. Such condensation will unquestionably occur before ten days are gone.

If there is one weak spot it is concerned with comedy. James Barton, Ray Dooley, and Andrew Toombes have a few magnificently excruciating moments and far too few. Mr. Barton's dancing again proves that he has no rival for laughter below the knees. Greta Nissen, lured back from the movies, does a neat pantomime. The chorus is traditionally comely. In fact nearly everything about the show is excellent, except its massive length and breadth. Perhaps banting would help.