The times., 1899-10-01
more generally vaudeville will become more
popular with thinking people.

II Il is true that a little knowledge Is a
dangerous thing aad one is allowed 10 de-
duce from this fact that talent is likewise
precaricus vhen endowed in small doses.
folk should be warned against Harry Nor
ris. whose burlesaue on ~Cyraro de Ber-
geracr was the feature of the last weeks
show at Keruan's. And yet. as a mat
ter of verify Mr.. Morris is the only person
ieopardized BY his short and long comings-
He has so narrowly escaped being clever on
a dozen occasions that the critic cannot
help regretting the false ideas that have
created the margin
For several years Harry Morris has turn
ed the greater portion Of his attention 10
the writing and acting Of travesties. There
was a paraphrase OF Madame Sans Gene
and another OF Secret Service" and a
third on Rostands remarkable drama All
OF these have been closer approaches TO the
offerings of the high-priced houses than
anything else OF the sort ever seen at the
LyceuIn- They have been well set and In
variah'y eostumed in lavish manner. At
least two OF them have nearly been hu-
morous: SO near that little more wit on
the part OF The author might have made
them so. But Mr.. Morris ability seems to
stop half way. His lines show that his
conception Of real fun is in tie constant
repetition OF such words as damn" and
'son-of-a-gGn," both of which were heard
no fewer than a score CT times in each Of
last weeks renderings OF "Cyrano de Rub
berneck." 1t is too bad that money and
brains should be wasted on material OF this
sort. In the future Mr.. Morris would be
wise either TO take such pains with his
burlesque as would ensure is improvements
or to give the work into the hands OF some
one more efficient, reserving to himself the
task OF costuming and staging the produc
tion-a task TO which he has shown him
self adequate Thus would the comedian
altogether avoid the danger mentioned
To say the least, it Is singular that the
morbid ones whose condemnation OF The
Conquerors" and THE Turtle last season
was worth hundreds of dollars to the pro-
prietors OF those attractions. should have
lost sight of little matter OF modesty that
came up regularly during the past few
nights at the Academy. Isham's "Octo-
rooms were the attraction at the resort in
question and Belle Davis was the neadfner
CT the combination Her speciality consist
ed Of the rendering OF two or three coon"
songs and in this effort she had the con-
ventional assistance OF several pickanin-
MES. All of these were in various stages
OF undress and one. il no more, was. ex-
! eepting for breech elout absolutely nude
Had the lad been five or six years OF age
the case might have been passed by as un-
worthy of note. but he was eleven or twelve
III day. On the programmes the spectator
was informed that the ycungster had ap-
peared with Miss Davis at Hammerstein's
| Victoria, in New York, aud this statement
/ may be taken at its face value. The star
! OF her race is not the only woman who
/ has recently discounted disfobing scenes in
/ Gotham by doing away with the robes.
! In the minds of numbers OF theatregOers
/ there is unquestionably a doubt regarding
| the power Of the colored performer Of to-
\ day to elevate the stage. Whatever may
\ be thought OF this. IL is hardly probabIs
| that Miss Davis can hope to elevate any
/ thing more general than the youths gaEb
/ by introducing into her act nsariy- -nake1
! negro. Truly, these sights are not un-
common in Central America. or even on
the leyees in New Orleans and Jackson
Vile, but there is place for everything
and the place for such exhibitions is not
/ the stage of a theatre attended by ladies'
AID gentlemen. The suggestive lines of
/ The Conquerors' and The Turtle ere
/ ated comment Now and then hue and
| cry is raised about some lack of clothing
! at the local variety houses, which are fire.
/ quented only by members of one sex
4 What. then, should be said OF absolute
nudity in resort of the standing OF tEs
/ Academy?