Scheveningen Lacht!
Willy Rosen's final revue at the Lutine Palace

Now that Willy Rosen's ensemble (or rather, the ensemble surrounding Willy Rosen) has already reached its last revue, we begin, not without regret, to realize that summer is well advanced and that Scheveningen will soon stop laughing again. For the moment, however, it is still laughing, and this time at the Lutine Palace it laughs with all its heart, even though they unashamedly pronounce the name as "Sjeveningen" so as not to trip over their own tongues.

The word "Scheveningen," as everyone knows, is the shibboleth of the Dutch; anyone who cannot pronounce that word and the word "Spui" impeccably still betrays himself as a foreigner in our Jerusalem. The people around Willy Rosen, however, have no wish to pose as pseudo-Dutchmen, only as agreeable guests, and so they make no effort to pronounce the name of their revue correctly. That does not make them any less energetic in their campaign of laughter.

Anyone who enjoys this kind of revue-cabaret will find here an excellent example of a light and highly varied sequence of sketches, songs and anecdotes, put across with an unsurpassable sense of pace. An "experiment" such as the sketch Im Restaurant best shows the appealing level these texts can reach. This time, however, Messrs. Franz Engel and Max Ehrlich, and this is no empty phrase, really surpass even themselves.

Engel, as I wrote on an earlier occasion, is an actor "of class," possessing a rare versatility even in this cabaret art, although the serious stage would surely suit him no less well. One must see him, for example, in Der Regenschirm, carried over from a previous program into this new one, to appreciate his qualities fully; the sly tenacity with which, as an apparently simple-minded man, he brings his innocent opponent to his knees is superbly acted. But this actor, who has something of a plump Churchill about him, is also unsurpassed as an impersonator, and as a master of ceremonies he is no less effective.

As an impersonator, however, Ehrlich draws level with him, and indeed throughout the whole "Sjeveningen" program he is scarcely inferior to Engel. The two gentlemen are also perfectly attuned to one another, as is evident, among other things, from their work together in an imitation act, one of the most delightful numbers.

Willy Rosen, who has composed a new hit, Ich kenn' ein kleines Fischerhaus (the house is in "Sjeveningen," as one might expect), this time joins his colleague Ziegler, seated at their golden grand pianos, in a survey of his past as a composer for the lighter muse (and in that respect he has had a very eventful past). Oskar Denes and Rosy Barsony are also back, and although in my opinion their numbers are not quite as amusing as on previous occasions, their pace is irresistible enough.

Fritz Steiner and Otto Schnitzer do commendable work in supporting roles, and the singer Rita Georg also shows her best side this time, especially as an "Apache" woman in the chanson Bei der roten Laterne. Last night was already sold out, and the mood was as cheerful as the floral tributes were abundant. "Sjeveningen" will undoubtedly pay this final revue as much honor as the previous ones, if not more. — M.t.B.

Translator's note: "Apache" here is the period European cabaret term for a Parisian-underworld character.
Source: Menno ter Braak, Het Vaderland, 16 August 1939. Original Dutch article.
English translation prepared for the Max Ehrlich Association archive, 2026.