“The Dress Rehearsal”

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Chorus girls, scenery sets, costumes.
Singing and comedy.
At the Windsor the first part went along swimmingly, but the remainder of the tab lacked steam and animation and thereby veered off into the wrong groove. It's one of those bare stage affairs at the start, stage setting to follow with the "rehearsal" taking place right there before your eyes. The first act is noticeably similar to the "rehearsal" idea used in the former Chicago show, "Miss Nobody From Starland," and many of the lines and crossfire gags are identical. Moore has given the tab adequate scenic settings and the chorus of eight girls measure up reasonably well on looks and stage ability. Candidly the choristers outshine the principals and it's the latter department that jars the batting average of the production. Moore has spent a pretty penny in the costumes and some of them are a la Ziegfeld folly. The first part did well on its comedy bits, but the second part jumped the story into the period of 11 hundred something and that spilled the beans. Another thing that must not be overlooked and which would help the tab climb a few notches is the music. There are several real musical comedy numbers which in the hands of capable principals would make them go even better than they did at the Windsor. Jessie Maker is the soubrette. She works hard enough, dances real well and displays a dandy kick, but for some reason failed to put any color into her work. She has youth and speaks her lines intelligently and should improve as time rolls on. Raymond Castle as the unsophisticated boob with the longing to become a stage star, was the best laugh getter at the Windsor with his awkward, silly mannerisms. Charles J. Lammers strived his mightiest to keep the tab going at high tide. What the tab needs is a good comedian and a juvenile who can sing and dance. The second act could also be rebuilt and more meat inserted that would enable it to run even pace with the opening part. Moore has gone pretty deep on scenery, costumes, chorus and songs, but in the going has been unable to get the right bunch of principals.
Source:
Variety, 40:8 (10/22/1915)