The Perfume Shop

The Perfume Shop, a musical comedy performed in 1929. 

The book and lyrics of Lady Lightfingers was written by Luther A. Yantis while the music was by Hampton Durand. Jimmie Caruso supplied the orchestra for plating during the show. Lady Lightfingers was a play by W. B. Sutherland.

The costume effects in the Perfume Shop scene were the most gorgeous in the entire performance. The Perfume Shop scene depicts the history of perfume. Percy Morningstar in the role of a floorwalker in a big department store, sings the song which explains the various perfumes. As he sang, five beautiful show girls entered one by one in costumes representing different perfumes. Miriam Cooper, whose blonde loveliness showed to perfection in the Ashes of Roses ensemble. Then Betty Greene in a lovely lavender gown with a headdress of lavender plumes. Marjorie Perez in flowing white shading into blue with a tall candle in her hand received special applause at her entrance as Christmas Night, while Black Narcissus, as represented by Elizabeth Ackerman was very charming in black velvet and very beautiful was Elizabeth Gibbs whose entrance as Gardenia was the climax of this spectacular scene. Her gown was white draped with pearls and lace with a spreading headpiece of white. 

The audience roared with laughter when the elaborate headdresses  became entangled now and again with the scenery of other actors.

The Perfume Shop was a dance number performed as part of the musical farce Lady Lightfingers presented by The Colony House at the Academy of Music on February 3 & 4, 1930. Raymond Clarke performed the role of the effeminate floorwalker.

The following dancers were dressed in elaborate costumes representing their own bottle of perfume:

• Ashes of Roses: Marjorie Edinburgh
• Fleur de Lys: Edna Redmond
• Black Narcissus: Marjorie Clarke
• Christmas Night: Rachel Everson
• Gardenia: Helen Fyfe

During this scene, the perfume Toujours Moi by Corday was sprayed out over the audience. Corday provided the perfume as well as counter displays of the fragrance gratis. 

Mrs Helen Fyfe received a big ovation for her elaborate costume as Gardenia perfume.

The Perfume Shop number also included a troupe of dancers representing the Golliwoggs: Hazel Ridley Bergen, Jane Fyfe, Eleanor Folger, Alice Nichols, Virginia Reed, Marguerite W. Simmons, Muriel Springsteen. Each wore Golli's colorful distinctive striped pants and grotesque masks.