The evening world., 1894-10-09
"A MILK WHITE FLAG"

Isn't 1t strange that with all our civili-
cation, our studies, our religion ana our
tendencies, we cannot come to look upon
death as Joke? We recoil stupidly
from the idea OF associatinB amicably
with an undertaken; We exclaim Sh!
when any one OF fippant turn OF mind
utters a death Joke: in fact, we are Ia
mentally old-fashioned and absurd
Charles H. Hoyt. who Is humorist-
with a capital HIS going to educate us
In spite of the fact that he declared last
night at his pretty little spick-and-span
amusement house (nee Madison square,
that he would not attempt anything OF
the sort. In "a Milk White Flag" his
latest effort, which we saw last night Tor
the first time, he has waxed bubblesome'
effervescent scintillant, hilarious and
even uproarious on the subject OF death.
why not? IT'S as easy to die as TO he
born" says Bacon. After this all such
Jokes are not criminal 1t Is merely
matter of taste as the old lady remarked
when she kissed her COW.
Two rival regiments of citizen soldiers
are the cause Of the lugubrious episode.
one regiment has a sumptuous funeral,
tcrmines not to be outdone. Piggott
Luce, successful promoter" who
wants the 100000 insurance on his own
life feigns to be dead-everybody sup
poses he is dead-and the Ransome
Guards purchase his body for $3.50 from
his widow, In order to have a jolly, roll
licking funeral. They want 1t at once.
for, as the Colonel says, a corpse won't
keep for two weeks. They put poor Pig
gott on ice, and he catches a bad cold in
his nose. He Is laid out In his coffin
| (why did Mr.. Hoyt prevent us from see
ing and laughing at that cofiinD. and he
| hobs up sereney from time to time to
| converse with the undertaken, who Is his
accomplish in the insurance fraud. go
back to your box" says the undertaken.
sklttlshly, and at frequent intervals. The
widow-who never loved him-wants him
buried even deeper than six feet, SO that
he can never come to the Surface. She
rebels at the charge OF S3UC HE only
weighed 1872 pounds" she murmurs, 'and
I'm willing to pay 80 cents a pound
Even bottle OF embalming fluid is in
troduced.
That there are people who will rebel at
|
who feel that their time Is coming, will
be unhappy; recently bereaved theatre
goers will find old wounds reopened, and
offense may be given in other quarters
You see, we have not been educated UP
to corpse speoialties. and they seem a
little strange. That's all. Better days
may be coming.
Apart from these death episodes-and
they unfortunately pervade the whole
playa MIX White Flag Is as bright
and witty as could be desired. 1t Is
beautifully staged, and II has songs and
, dances that are even better than those
: seen In "a Trip TO Chinatown" The sat.
, ire lavished upon the poltroon members
OF the two regiments Is keen and bril-
[ liant, and the action of the piece never
4 flags. With a different humor-motiv,
Hoyt would have surpassed himself, fo
g he has never written anything of suci
. literary excellence as n milk Whit
Flag" 1t Is quite the best thing he ha
done. If 1t does become popular II Is ow
ing entirely to its gruesome popularity
| watched an old gentleman who sa
y near me. Here Is a synopsis OF his sen
!" timents: Act 1.-The best thing | hav
i ever seen. 1t beats "A Gaiety Girl
o Act II. uneasily)-"Beastly bad taste.
l. can't understand IT." Act III. lin tn
i lobby)-'lts too warm. shan't g
e back"
y, The cast did admirable work. Mis-
- Isabelle Coe was capital as the bereave
y. widow. She really contributed a spler
>, did piece OF genuine acting, in whic
"a there was no self-consciousness and n
flaw of any sort. l should advise he
, not to sing. but to leave the field ope
to Maggie Cline. Charles Stanley g
, the Colonel. Lloyd Wilson as the Majo
Arthur Pacie as the Judge-Advocat
II. A. Roberts as the departed, an
Frank ]. Keenan, as the General WEI
all good The dancing of Miss Lott
;, Moore and Frank Lawton must be seel
~ and some of the choruses were surpri
-, ingly good Percy Gaunt deserves col
=, siderable credit for his musical work.
Ms The theatre redecorated, renovatt
in and renamed, looked exceedingly prett
lie Although It seems cruel to tear ava
lis an old name that might become Ian
mark, New Workers won't mind 1t vel
much That also is merely matter
taste-a question for which there are
ne rules and regulations. ALAN DALE,
on