The morning times., 1895-11-24
new YORK STAGE GOSSIP
Marie Jansen's Gowns in "The
Merry Countess"
SUCCESS DEPENDS urON THEM
Honour" Gives Way to ''Sins
of the Night"-Gossip of
the Rialto.

New York. Nov. 20 1S95.-"Thc Merry
Countess at the Garrick Is about as duD
and phlegmatic parsonage as nave Decl
privileged TO see for some time. Marie
Jansen tries TO be merry ana sclnuiate
as the star, but her efforts are i'll vain.
Although she doesn't know how 10 sing
she does know how To dress. She wears
five beautiful gowns. When Miss Jansen
decided 10 follow singing as a profession
she missed her calling. Even what voice
she originally possessed is par1aHy gone
and her upper tones are painful. In order
b to appear merry as the Countess, she sings
four or five songs and often gets off The
key by way of variation. Tie cffcct on
the audience is depressing.
Her skin : the color OF a bay Tilly. ana as
she doesn't use much make up, her neck
hands and arms have the appearance OF a
wasilwoman who has just left tub OF
steaming hot suds.
Tie farce makes an attempt at being
naughty and succeeds in being vulgar
In one scene the Countess changes her ell
tire costume behind a screen, while male
admirer hands her plain pins, hair pms,
and hat pins from the dressing case, all the
time trying to get peep OF his inamorata
as she appears in dishabille.
If he had sat in the audience on the open
ing night lie would have succeeded. The
property man had placed the dressing case
at such an angle that the mirror
reflected the fair Marie behind the screen
and the audience was treated TO 1t display
of unmcntionabies which were not dowI
on the programme.
The first act is ION the beach at Trou-
Vile" and many pretty and shapely womer
are seen in dry land bathing suits Which
water would ruin.
Miss Jansen appears in white anu ME
green. Maud Granger, as widow OF
questionable age, looks the part. She
evidently knows no more about the secret
nf perpetual youth than YOU or do. Her
dresses are suitable hut look as though
they have seen better days and after
long and peaceful siesta in some storage
trunk, have been yanked out, retouched,
and put into service again. Miss Jansen S
new and costly apparel shows them up.
one of the stars gowns which may DE
properly termed a ''dream," consists OF
canary colored chiff on and huge blue
bachelors buttons. The dress is very full
and fluffy and the large yellow hat and
parasOl are decorated amply with blue
flowers. Another gown, which, TO be
particularly effemiDate, shall call II con-
fectinn," Is made of lavender satin. Tue
short skirt is full md the front is covered
with white applique embroidery in sllk
and spangles. The bodice is very low
cut and finished with wide fan OF
spangled white lace.
And last, but not least. comes what may
suitably be described as creation.
II Is an evening dress of pink and white.
The eight or ten-yartls-wtde skirt Is oi
stand-alonrable white satin, brocaded with
pink flowers. The waist is made almost
entirely of pink chiffon with narrow bands
over the shoulders and large pufrs at The
elbows. It's beauty.
The future success ~ The Merry
Countess" depends largcly upon the female
contingency OF New York. 1t now re-
mains to be seen whether handsome gowns
will save Il dull piece or not. i should say
not.