Judge — July 6, 1929 — page 19: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon mocking the theatrical production "A Night in Venice," likely a musical or operetta staged at the Music Box Theater in Manhattan. The humor centers on **costume and fashion absurdities** in theatrical productions. The characters—appearing to be theater-goers and performers—exchange jokes about the show's impractical staging choices. One figure questions an "elevator dance" performed while standing still; another criticizes revealing costumes ("tuxedo" worn as a dress); a third suggests a grass hat would be more appropriate. The final character, presumably the show's director or producer, dismisses all complaints by claiming the questionable elements are "in the back—nobody will notice it." The satire targets **theatrical excess and illogical costume/choreography choices** that audiences tolerated in early 20th-century entertainment. The cartoon credits Fred Allen's "Little Show" as the source material, suggesting this parodies real theatrical conventions of the era.