The times., 1898-02-20

As If TO show us what he could do by
| trying hard, Manager Frohman sent last
| week, besides Under the Red Robe"
performance in strong contrast ,fi with
that faulty production. This excellent
entertainment was known THE Cir
Gus Girl. and it-perhaps one should say
she--was a near relative to THE Gaiety
Girl" The Telephone Girl" and dozen
other Girls who have been given 10
visiting US in the last year or so. Only
that this little lady was far more charm
ing than all the rest put together, not
so much on account of the way her
authors arranged her as through the able
manner in which she was represented.
True, her music was charming, notably
a little waltz song in the first act; that
catchy circus chorus, and, last, but not
least the air put TO words about "a Lit
tie Piece of String" 'ut there We're faults
that, unseeabie in the hands of the COM
pany presenting her here. would have
been gross but for that company. There
was plenty of humor. but it was not
especially well put together. The enc
thing that carried the first scene in the
second act was anticipation of the COM
ing fight between Biggs and the giant
together with certain interest III the
supposed performers continually passing
through the dressing tent into the ring.
This was a phase of life we had seen
exaggerated form, it could be nothing
but attractive. The courtroom portion,
however had absolutely nothing to rec
ommend it, beyond the implied excuse
that it filed in time while the stage
hands were setting the next scene.
And with all this THE Circus Girl
was thoroughly delightful. She affected
one like a mint julep on a hot day or a
hot scotch on a cold one. The reason
was with the people presenting her, and
it is simple of explanation. In the first
place. with one exception, L. III. Van
Vechten. every member in the cast was
not only competent but irreproachable.
Beginning with John Slavin, down past
our friend of the Columbia Stock Com
pasy. Bert Thayer; by Samuel Edwards
and Mary Young TO Mabella Baker and
charming, winsome, little Gladys Wal
lis not player in the company but was
more than worthy of the part intrusted
to him.
But a still greater factor was in the
stage management. Some years ago e.
E. Rice discovered that a little black ho-
siery, with some lingerie and small
amount of leg was far more pleasing
than the usual blatant display, and he
made fortune out of it. George Ed
wardes. the sponsor of 1.-THE Circus
Girl has evidently found that this is
true for the idea is carried out in his |
to an extent that lends no |
end of daintiDess and charm to his per- |
formances. Then, Mr.. Edwardes has |
evinced the fact that he knows some
thing of feminine beauty and has inva- |
rably sent the most petite, graceful and |
charming specimens in England to our
shores. The Rice ideal of pounds and |
prettiness does not find a disciple in the
London manager and consequently his |
chorus does not resemble a line of ap-
plicants for the position of rat woman in |
some dime museum or other.
Further these women seem to be
drawn from higher class than our own
chorus girls, for, not only is their work
more refined, but they certainly show in
telligence totally lacking in American
,horuses. So precise and SO graceful are
their mOyements-so different from the
struggling ones too often seen, that one
cannot believe that stage direction has |
all to do with it.
Still another thing is the detail OBJ
served in the performance. During the
:ircus scene, in the comedy, a line of |
performers walked across the stage ev-
cry few minutes-presumably on their |
way to the ring, really to vanish from j
he public eye until the next chorus. And /!
,et the types represented were as varied i
is they would have been in Barnum i
md Bailey SHOW, and as carefully cos i
umed x Il
These are all small matters. but it was i
he close attention that was given them i
hat made 'The Circus Girl pleasing.
We have had, better comedies, we have i
lad as good companies, but, for these II
rifling reasons, seldom so de1ighsul and Il
a production.
The fearful disaster to the Maine last iIi
week had O. -greater effect on the thea Il