![]() | Mikael Uhlin's Marxology @ marx-brothers.org
[Main Page] | [History] | [Vaudeville] | [Misc.] | [Films & Film Projects] |
Chinaman Roger Dodge
Scene 5 - Chinatown StreetSong When the Shadows Fall Philip Darby Art Curtain open. Enter Girl
who looks about her and runs off right, followed by two Chinamen, who
are also followed by Policeman. Enter Beauty and Thief right.
Thief So you're looking for a thrill,
kid?
Beauty A thrill.
Thief Why certainly a
thrill. You ain't seen nuttin yet. I'll show you the life of a thief,
the thrill of getting away with murder, the thrill of being chased by
the bulls.
Beauty Opium.
Thief What's the matter, cold feet?
Beauty Lead me to it.
Thief Somebody's coming. Get in that
doorway and I'll join you later.
"Burglar Number"
Scene 6 - The Opium DenChinaman discovered asleep on
Bench. Enter Policeman who looks at Chinaman, smiles and puts toy
balloon in Chinaman's mouth and exits left. Business with balloon.
Chinaman Ang Quang Fong Hil
Noise and whistle heard off right.
Door slams.
Enter
Thief and Beauty.
Thief Hush, quiet, safe.
Beauty What a funny place.
Thief Say kid, if you're
caught here
you'll
have the thrill of your lifetime; you'll be a ruined woman.
Beauty Ruined. Why where am
I?
Thief Why you're in the
lowest dive
in the
City, where wrecks of humanity drug their brains with poisonous poppy.
Beauty The despicable vice.
Thief It's a tough break,
ain't it?
Beauty What?
Thief Take a few puffs - - -
dream.
Beauty I'll try anything
once.
2nd Chinaman Young Ton Fir
How
1st Chinaman Alla Hic, Alla
Hic.
Chinese Apache Dance
Cecile
D'Andrea and Harry Walters.
End of dance, Chinaman enters, sees a
dead
body, throws him over his shoulder and exits singing San Toy.
Scene 7 - The Dream ShipEnd of Second Chorus the dream ship is shown. Beauty gets up from couch and comes down Centre. Close Art Curtains. Enter Groucho, Policeman, Chinaman and Thief. Groucho Officer, arrest that
woman.
Art Curtains Open into Court
Room-scene.
|
Script
source;
Library of Congress, Washington. Variations marked MK
from Miles Kreuger Collection,
Institute of the American Musical, Los Angeles.
The Burglar Number in Scene 5 was - at least in later versions of the show - the song Break Into Your Heart , sung by Marcella Hardie, Edgar Gardiner, Burgler Girls and Street Gamins. An ad-lib Groucho made in this scene was saved for posterity in a review in Variety, May 28, 1924: "The dash of dramatics in the bit was lightened to a laugh when an underworld character with a gun appeared and Julius Marx said, "Go ahead, shoot; you're on Broadway". ![]() In the whirlwind and rather daring Chinese Apache Dance in Scene 6 by "White Girl" (Cecile D'Andrea) and "Hop Merchant" (Harry Walters), D'Andrea reputedly lost most of her clothes and the remaining photos have been retouched. When Groucho remembered the whole thing in the 1970s, he wasn't that impressed: "I don't remember who they were. It was a man and a woman, both lesbians." ![]() The Dream Ship in Scene 7 was recognized in the reviews as a "beautifully staged specialty" and was probably similar to the Love Barge from the 1922 show Up In the Clouds, written by the Johnstones and produced by Gaites (shown in a picture provided by Noah Diamond from the San Antonio Evening News, 25 January 1923). |