The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-16
VALLAH CLAPP AGAIN.
Disgustingly Undraped Elk
hibition Of Children and
Young Girls in the
Grand Duchess.

Whenever the name of Miss Vallah
Clapp is mentioned IN connection with an
entertainment the people know what to
e~xpect-tights! And last nights production
of THE Grand Duchess at Hasbrouck
Hall. to celebrate the fourth Anniversary
of the Royal Arcanum was no exception
to the rule.
The play was a series of surprises. 1t
was bad enough when the curtain first
went up exposing to view about fifty pairs
of legs of all sizes and lengths. Miss
Clapp does not approve of having boys in
her plays when girls can take the pats
to so much better advantage-in tights
That first scene was an encampment and
represented a number of soldiers and
peasants, the latter, little girls averaging
in age from five to ten years, and the for
mer, girls of from twelve to sixteen. The
soldiers were attired in tight fitting
knickerbockers of red with gold braid and
button trimmed, and coats of blue, while
the>peasants wore fluffy dresses of bright
coiors actually falling within six inefses
above the knee, the stockings marked in
some instances by red carriers which
showed to advantage in a graceful kick
dance.
Upon this scene enter General Boum,
Miss Margaret McKigney, in tights. a
scarlet coat and boots, she struts up and
down the stage, bouts her order in
masculine feminine screams, and sings a
chorus song marching across the stage
with a sort of couehee-eouchee movement.
Then comes the s'Grand Duchess" Miss
Queenie Willmott, in the six inch limita-
ton skirt. She calls forth Fritz" Miss
| Clara. Joel, a private in the ranks and
makes him general. Miss Joel in her turn
does some strutting and singing. slapping
her leg and saying 9TH Deuce. if not in a
graceful, at least in a masculine manner.
1.-THE Deuce" in order tina there may be
mistake about it. being taken up by the
chorus in refrain.
The soldiers withdraw. and prince
Paul." Miss Grace Porrett, a young lady
of about seventeen summers, as near as
a reporter can judge. enters. What
means this costume? demands the
Duchess. The audience had lost its
breath or it would have asked the same
question. Miss Porret was attired in
| white satin tights which rivalled Fay
Templeton's in one ~thing-there were
no buttons visible, and the audience is
still wondering how she ever got into
them. She sings a song about "A Con-
founded Hamburg Journal" and shows
off her white silk stockings and diamond
buckles to perfection.
In the second act she wears a suit of
even greater glove-like tightness,,
rivalled only by the Duchess, who app
pears int crown, a belt, some pink gauze
tights and a sweet smile. 1t is during
| this act that Misses Margaret McKigney
and Grace Porrett give a limb exhibition,
| dancing on one foot with its mate rest
ing in each others arms, and sing a
song about blasting in Harlem.
1t was a leg show from beginning 10
end, and should have made the maidens
! especially Prince Paul. Baron Puck and
General Boum, the young lady actors,
blush. But then perhaps they did un-
seen ehind the mask of paint The
Grand Duchess however, capped the
| climax when she appeared in the last act
| as a walking advertisement for hose sup
| porters-the suspended brand. Evidently
time had been lacking when the Duchess
| dressed. So the light blue six Inch g
lation costume had been slipped on over
the pink gauze, and the black stockings,
| drawn over the pink tights and caught
by the garters-
1t was shocking, but what sent Miss
| Clapp off in a towering rage was the fact
| that the curtain refused to come down on
time, and the poor ~janitor may be getting
it, vet