Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-18
AMUsEMENTs.


and large, "A Gaiety Girl Is not nearly as
improper In atmosphere as most French
productions are, though an Englishman
may lack the Gallo dellcacy in serving
such viands to q mixed audience, and thus
make 1t seem to be more pronounced. "A
Gaiety Girl Is q musical comedy Of the
two-act type. and 1t is presented by we'll
balanced company Of artists. No one Is
much superior to any other, but all are
superior. There Is a gossamer-like plot In
this play, in which love makes the wheels
go round, but 1t Is merel.' the thread on
which hang the dancing and songs that
constitute the real thing. OF the dancers,
Miss Cissy Fitzgerald, an unusually hand
some young woman, is the leader. and her
beautiful dance in the first act carried the
house unanimously. graceful dancer and
the best singer of the company Is Miss
Decima Moore, who might be star In a
society comedy so magnetic and adaptable
she is Miss Hobson's Lady Virginia and
Miss Palotta's Nina" her maid, were
cleverly done. A really good comedian is
charm of naturalness. An odd fish was the
Maj. Barclay" of Mr.. Fred Kaye, and
whether he talked or sang, the audience
laughed in spite of itself. Mr.. Bradheld
and Mr.. Ryley as "Bobbie' and Charlie"
were fetching sweethearts, and won their
girls and the audience, too. A dazzling
feature of the second act was the carnival
dance. The ensembles were good at all
points. AS rule, the jokes were not too
English to be understood.
New National Theater.-De Wolf Hopper
is no less favorite in "Dr. SyntaX" than
he has been in his other comic opera pro-
auctions. The performance is one that de
fies criticism in all that the phrase may
be construed to imply. AS to plot, there Is
no pretense of originality. But the adapta-
ton is cleverly made. AS to music, there
Is nothing ambitious But the rhythms are
of the sort that 60 tingling through the
nervous system of the auditor in way
literally forthcoming. Hopper as DR.. Syn
tax dances. Edna Wallace Hopper dances.
Alice Hosmer dances Miss Jennie Gold
thwaite dances-in fact, nearly everybody
dances Miss Hosmer Is cast for the role
of Miss Zenobia Tropics, the spinster pro-
prietress of the academy, and she plays
with the spirit and conscientiousness which
are noteworthy in all that she undertakes.
She is, without doubt, one of the leaders
perhaps the leader-in her especial field.
The diet in which she appeared with Hop
per In the first act scored the first OF
liberal number of encores. Bertha Walt
Finger sang with great effect the music
with which Mr.. Morse has provided her,
being we'll adapted to the exhibition of her
voices exceptional resources. Cyril Scott
as Jack Alden was also conspicuously
praiseworthy. Miss Goldthwate as the
clumsy girl who shutters was captivatingly
funny, and Alfred Klein, petit in stature,
plays the part Of an effete nobleman neat
ly. Hopper is, of course, the handspring
of the production. His fun is not delicate,
and he does not try to make it so. He is
a humorist of broad strokes, and thorough
ly artist in his line. His effects are
not accidentally obtained. They are stud
led and presented with a keen perception
of what makes the public laugh and what
does not. The play is rather more sedate
to its theme than the ordinary operate
extravaganza, but the mirth is not allowed
regard for the conventionalities.
Academy.-There was "A Run On the
Bank" at the Academy last night.but those
Napoleons of dramatic art, Ward and
Vokes, ably assisted by a competent force
never let on. but with heroic gallantry met
every turn and sent every depositor away
happy. This Is the first appearance of these
two great variety stars in the legitimate,
and If rOarS of laughter and continued ap-
plause make for anything, they have made
an eminent success, for the audience was
unstinted in its expressions of approval
OF course, Ward and Vokes are the stars
of the cast, but associated with them In
their farcical success are such artists In
specialties as Harry Clay Blaney, Sid De
Gray, Alfred Grant, Chas. Jerome Joe
Russell and Harry Rossitor. with half a
dozen young women, of more than ordinary
beauty of face and figure. and graceful In
dancing and song. All the specalties are
good, and 1t is not necessary to say that
of Ward and Vokes in their great hit
Percy and Harold" which is the feature
of the third act: indeed, IL is the feature
OF the entire performance, and In its Pc
culiar line Is without rival on the stage
AS the play and the players now stand
they may be criticised for some lack of
finish. but after such a team works for a
season or two in combined harness, Ii re-
suits in a company which grows better
every year.
Kernan's Lyceum Theater-Sam T.
Jacks Creole Company opened a weeks
engagement at kernan's last night to big.
business: The company includes many ia
miliar favorites, with the original Tom
Macintosh, who is a whole show in him
self. The term creole" in connection with
the show Is misnomer, but the audience
swarthy shapely maidens filled all require
ments, and their specialties were heartily
enjoyed. A first part, entitled the "Tropi-
cal Temple of Thespis," introduced the
strength OF the company. Then came the
specialties. The Mallory brothers did a
clever song and dance; William and May
contributed comedy spark. and the
were an even dozen living pictures that
was cleverly executed A realistic picture
of the sunny south, entitled plantation
Pastimes," ending with dancing contest,
concluded the entertainment. Again to-
night.
MAX ORelrs" Lecture.-The French,
English and American women, as a type,
were critically and wittily discussed by
M. Paul Blouct CMax ORelD, the we'll
known author. last evening at Metzerott
Hall. NJ. Blouet was most amusing al times,
and If he hit national or social weaknesses
1t was done SO that no pain remained after
the tranSitory shock. He gave his hear
ers a clearer insight into the French ma
tional character than is generally pos
sessed. Society, he says, is the same every
where. The gentleman in Paris is the same
as he Is of London, New York or Washing
ton. 1t Is only with the popular masses
that characteristics can be studied, and for
this reason the lecturer did not take the
society woman of France, England and
America for his discussion. The French
woman, he says, is her husbands equal,
his partner, his friend, his confidante. She
knows what he makes every day; what he
loses. He consults her about investing his
savings. The English woman is her hus-
bands inferior, his housekeeper-with no
wages, and no chance to leave If he doesn't
suit. The American woman is her hus-
bands superior. The Englshman scorned
to reveal his business affairs to his wife
The American refrain ed out of kindness
from telling her. The French girl by mar
rying gained her liberty; the English girl
lost hers, while the American girl retained
hers. He thought the lot Of the American
girl most enviable. If he could be born
again he would pray to be born an Ameri-
can woman. He thought even his own
Compatriots could take lesson in polite
ness from the men in America. While the
Frenchman will stand back to allow a lady
to pass, he will keep his gaze uplifted on
her. The American will bend his head in
deem resDect NJ Blouet'S lecture was brm-