THE THEATRE.
"THE SPANISH LOVERS," AT THE KINGSWAY THEATRE.—" CHUCKLES OF 1922," AT THE NEW OXFORD.
Iv speaking of The Spanish Lovers last week I used the words " notice later," but having seen the play will the reader forgive if I do not after all fulfil my promise ? It is a harmless sort of melodrama in the Spanish manner, and some of the audience seemed to enjoy it very much. But it was not for me. Whence we turn to Messrs. Cochran and Aaronsohn's imported revue, Chuckles of 1922, all hot from Broadway. This revue I liked for two things: first, the great speed at which it is played, and, secondly, for its charming " funny man," Mr. Bobby Clark. Mr. Charlie Chaplin is funny because he always fails ; he is humanity's Forlorn Hope. You know that his braces will burst, that the ladder up which he is climbing will break, that for the harmless small boy whom he is to meet in the ring will be substituted a champion prize-fighter, that the mule will kick, that the automobile will break down. Our pleasure is in the gallantry with which he faces a series of misfortunes. He is. indomitable—Mrs. Partington against the Atlantic. Mr. Bobby Clark gives us this theme reversed. For the most part he acts the part of a small and unassuming person, of whom the world has no very high opinion, but who nevertheless makes good on every occasion. Throughout all his vicissitudes he is never parted from his cigar, from his spectacles or from a certain prim simplicity which is extremely engaging. He and his partner, Mr. Paul McCullough, are worth seeing. I found them particularly so, as to me this genre of humour was more or less new. There was one general " turn " in the revue which I thought amusing, and that was " the 'gnats ' Pluto ' Troupe of the World's Worst Acrobats." Here Mr. Clark was the coy lady acrobat. The performance was a parody of a Japanese acrobatical turn, in which, as the reader no doubt remembers, the performers produce a most exciting effect by calling warnings to each other before each feat. This performance consisted entirely of this preparatory calling ; complete failure resulting every time the mildest acrobatics were attempted.
Xt would be interesting to know how Chuckles of 1922 stands in America, whether we may regard it as typical of a Broadway " girl and music show." If it is, then I think that the com- mercial theatre in England is ahead of that in America in several respects, and that the English revue stage has but two lessons to learn .from Americans. These are their admirable rapidity— indifferent jokes, like thin ice, will bear very well if you don't linger-rand the delightful humour of Mr. Bobby Clark's school.
TARN.
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