The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-18

uavs has grown I'm usefulness. and II is
said to stand higher financially and nu-
merically. than ever before
The British Burlesque--A Study In Gloom'
Yes: I know we have troubles OF our
own. But let us sit here through me
Artists Model and learn OF grieis harueI
IA bear This is the last OF a Trilogy OF
Gloom that will have taught us 10 lace
our own little woes with finer patience.
Hereafter when our crown OF sorrow
hears down too hard. we shall ease the
main by rejecting that there Is no law 10
make us see another British Buriesque.
And there IS this more to hope Tor the
writer OF real burlesque Is happiest "heh
he makes mirth of pathos or trageuS.
Witness his handling Of the beauuiul
story OF Evangeline, OF the tragic lie Oh
Columbus. Of the glorious aspirations ana
glorious death OF the youth who bore MS
banner UP tho mountain pass. The TRACE
DIV OF the British Burlesque mas mus Tar
been too oppressive for him. but some day
he will nerve himself 20 the task, ana
give MS hurlesque Of British Burles-
me But we shall never see the real thing
again. shall we--not while We can 20 -
thu Morgue and see tho merry sights
there.
Have you discovered why the British
Burlesque brings scalding tears TO the
eveg Of strong men? No? Listen. II is
because 1.-THE British Burlesque-m onger
has never OWNED the meaning OF the
word "burlesque" The dictionary tells
him II Ia 10 treat n triiing subject with
mock gravity. or vice versa. This simple
truth IS too much for him. lie feels
vaguely that he ought somehow TO min-
gle comedy and tragedy. but that these
opposing elements can be united IN one
person or ono theme is away beyond him.
lie writes tragedy and he writes comedy
hut he keeps each 70 itself Not 10 Keep
them separate and distinct would be friyo-
lous joking. and he is foe 20 all that.
And so. I'm his deadly ariless way NE mas
a funeral and a rollicking chorus. and NJ
thinks 10 is burlesque. because one fol-
lows the other.
You remember the first Of this chasten-
ing Trl0gy. THE Gaiety Girl The
heroine was sad-fa,ed blonde who
"dawnced at the Gyety." Having been
brought up in British Burlesque. she
was very serious minded She Vas lead
ing a good life and trying 70 help mother
all she could but they accused her Of
stealing a watch or was II wallet
stuffed with n-pun notes? Had n been
a cable-car or even an eight-day CLOCK
surmounted by bronze horse. II wouidn
have been 80 ugly-nOr 30 British. Inc
moor girl was bounded all about Europe.
Whenever she felt that she was az last
alone with her grief. the other characters
would dart out ard do a sons-snd-danoe
around her. They finally goaded her INTO
wearing a alue-silk batmng-suit meant 10
hide her broken heart. and really capable
of but little else. But even then she was
sad. and the moro bitter tears che shed,
the more heart-rending were the sohs that
came from the audience. the more the
unfeeling chorus rollicked and sang ana
cut ND generally IL was a sad sad ifage-
dr.. When an Englishman writes a bur-
lesque there no nonsense about A.
"The Shop Girl' Is Of more recent out
equally painful memory. IL shows what
an American can do after the British
microbe has destroyed his humorous SEN
sibnitles. That is the piece. you recall,
that was so unpopular with the suburban
ties who have 10 catch the 1902 train for
places i'm New Jersey. They invariably
oversight. But its all right now. They
leave calls when they go In and the ushers
see that they are aroused IN time. We
agreed that 1.-THE Shop Girl' vaults more
lightly from stupidity 10 vulgarity than
any piece we had ever seen. The British
reverence pedigree does not stop with
Family The Briton bows 10 no joke that
does not trace It's ancestry back 10 pre-
Arthurian days. He went Wild with de-
light over THE shop Girl How SAD n
is that the British humorist il at his best
I'm but two lines,-in toying with the
sacred offices OF wife and Mother. and
IN making puns on peoples names. lie
can tell YOU I'm the most exquisite fashion
ia iu a
that Mr.. Black looks blue to-day, and
tho time when a door Is not a door can
be given by him with praiseW0rthy ac-
curacy. But let him bring a childs pc
rambulator 10 the notice Of an engaged
connie. n Won want something choice and
gamev and peculiarly British And why
40 clean. well-dressed American people
continue 10 sit under the jokes that are
sprinkled through this production - jokes
that would make a hardened and dissolute
rhinoceros blush rosy red.
All. dear heart / know not. unless
it's because the critics have written maud
lin puffs OF it.
But see, The last act % an Artists
Model" is drawing 20 a close. IL has been
the old old story: sadness and mirih
mixed like oil and water The baritone
is the gloomiest Of men and the prima
had but one scene that hints of lighter
things than grief. and that is where.
after a rapid exchange Of incivilties, they
sing a duet I'm which they quarrel Wher-
ever tho author has scared TO sublime
heights OF gloom. he has relieved the strain
with a skirt dance. 4 girl I'm restless
lace skirts has come ont and, IN quaint,
sweet way held right foot above her head
n whole lot. But II was no use. Tho
sorrowing lovers kept ahead Of the game
After one stretch OF poignant sorrow
there Is laughing song II would be
good any place else Here tho offender
should be rebuked for unseemly WITTY.
And the pratCing playfulness Of the cho-
rus is that Of little children who cannot
realize that tho Grim Monster has sirlck-
en- their home. All. IL IS so pitiful.
Listen Here is a criticism from the
next seat:
"Of course. you can't expect any plot
or funny main idea. the specialties are
intended 20 carry It.
Then here is another from the other side
OF US:
"Of course. You can't expect frst-class
speolalties. such as you do in our cwn
farce comedies The plot makes up Tor
that"
Both are right. in a way 10 rs the
great American public trying 70 Dide the
fact that IL has staid the thing out be-
cause il ran year In London rs II
that were q recommendation We "o'lu