RipDelight
This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.
jaredbergertx
Buster Keaton shows off some of his signature blend of physical comedy, visual puns and amazing gags in this great short. Although instances of black-face date the film, I find it greatly relateable even over 100 years after the release. A great laugh for anyone who has played an instrument or been involved in a theatrical production. It gets a 9/10 because the only thing it is missing is an ending to rival Keaton's longer works.
Michael_Elliott
Play House, The (1921) *** (out of 4) Buster Keaton short starts off with a dream sequence where he plays twenty plus different characters. The second half of the film deals with Keaton destroying a stage play. To call this a gimmick film would be an understatement because Keaton certainly goes all out in the first part of the picture. I wouldn't say anything at the start is funny but it's certainly amazing and interesting to watch. The second part of the film is where the laughs start to pile up including a wonderful bit where Keaton plays the part of a monkey.
Cineanalyst
"This fellow Keaton seems to be the whole show.""The Playhouse" is one of Buster Keaton's best and one of the most ingenious films from around this time that I've seen. It might never have been, either, if Keaton hadn't broken his ankle, thus temporarily prohibiting him from some of the daredevil stunts he'd become famous for. Instead, "The Playhouse" relies upon technical innovation and intelligent concepts; as a result, it's one of Keaton's most cinematic films, alongside "Sherlock, Jr."The first six and a half minutes are especially brilliant, featuring an opera house where all the performers, staff and audience members are Buster Keaton. It unfolds wonderfully, beginning with a sole Keaton purchasing a ticket, then opening upon Keaton as the conductor of a six-Keaton orchestra, a la trick-shot pioneer Georges Méliès's "L' Homme orchestre" (The One-Man Band) (1900). That's followed by a nine-Keaton minstrel show, two Keaton's dancing in harmony and the above retort made by a suspicious Keaton audience member to top it off. In addition to what seems an intentional allusion to Méliès, others consider the program gag a rib at influential producer Thomas H. Ince, who, indeed, credited himself repeatedly in the opening credits of his movies. There's a resemblance, especially in the interaction of the audience members, to Charlie Chaplin's "A Night in the Show" (1915), too.Keaton reveals the opening sequence to have been a dream, something he did with some of his other films, as well. What I think is especially interesting about the remainder of "The Playhouse", as well as the first sequence, is its self-reference. Even though the film is set in theatre, the cinematic self-reference isn't lost, and much of "The Playhouse" alludes to the deceptive nature of movie-making, from the multiple exposure effects to realize multiple Keaton's to the illusion that a set is Keaton's bedroom. Furthermore, the twins and the use of mirrors reference the first part of the film.The latter part of the film greatly resembles "Back Stage" (1919), which Keaton made with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbcukle. Perhaps even the same sets were used for both films; otherwise, they were duplicated. As in "Back Stage", an acting troupe quits, forcing Keaton and some other amateurs to take their place for the night's show. There's the typical backstage mayhem, with Joe Roberts chasing Keaton around. The aping bit from "Moonshine" (1918) and the cup of water gag from "The Rough House" (1917) are also both revitalized here. Every scene in this ingenious, witty picture takes on greater significance and humor in referencing itself, other films and cinema in general.
Vigilante-407
To be honest, the only video of this movie I've seen has been rather washed out. But the wonderful special effects of the first half still show through. This isn't a Melies' fantasy with avant garde stylings and effects, but rather a simple and almost elegant movie with one simple effect: Buster Keaton plays ALL the parts in a theatre presenting a minstrel show. This may not seem much in the CGI-world of the nineties...but back in the 1920's it was a tour de force. The ease with which Keaton brings together at least ten separate performances at one time is amazing...one can only imagine the planning that went into this movie.The second half is a tad low-key...though it of course features more of Keaton's acrobatic slapstick, and a particularly striking bit with him dressed up as a monkey.This is definitely not The General or Steamboat Bill, Jr., but it is very enjoyable and, I believe, very deserving of a high place in the canons of early film for the artistry that Keaton applied to the special effects.
