The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-20
AT THE THEATRES.
Man In the Moon. Jr.-


sherlock Holmes .............-.... ieI soLotIIon
Willie Bullion ......-........-.--.- julius steSer
Jimmie Donohue ..............s..... LOUIS Wesley
Planlssimo ..................s's. FRANK whitman
Apitonse .................-....- ceo'gc t9u.tne,
Diana nscn ie
Viola Alum .--..................... botue Meoiey
Spirit Of Mischief. and nypheuia
Bullion -.................. Violet Hoiis
Eittfe Iorraine ....... Deanc Wilkie |
Brittania MIA hiiey
Columbia ..'.s'...s'.'.'.'.''.'''' Lila hi"quess
There are shows" that would battle the
most conscientious, painstaking, hard |
working reviewer. One OF these is THE
Man in the Moon. Jr.," which opened for
an engagement of the usual duration last
night at the Columbia. The individual
who successfully criticised ''the great
golden spectacle" would be obliged to ex-
ercise the observatory genius possessed
by the gong Taper of a three-ring circus.
the vocabulary OF Noah Webster. and
the ability for condensation that made
famous the name OF Gail Borden. So YER
satile and talented person might write
concerning The Man in the Moon, Jr.,
an article in which would be erudite COM
ment on the book. scholarly reference to
the lyrics, musicianly description of IL:
score and-and other details that would
give an idea OF what all the performance
was about. The ordinary looker-on OF
yester-evening is likely to have left the
house with only confused recollection
that he had seen an indefinite number OF
startling girls. a bewildering array OF
brief but brilliant dresses, a vast deal OF
slightly battered but very serviceable
scenery. and Sam Bernard.
Ii is hardly probable that TIE watcher in
question could have rem'n;be red having
heard much. The piece really might be
enjoyed by deaf and dumb mute almost
as thoroughly as by more favored being.
There are few Reginald de koven and
Frederick Solomon melodies that seem
worth whistling, and there are occasional
moments in which Mr.. Demands difficult
ties with the language are provocative o,
wonder and merriment but little else that
could appeal to the ear. Louis Harrison
, and Stanislaus STANCE evidently began
their portion of the manuscript with the
intention of using an exceedingly practi-
cal plot Between the complicated set
tings. the terpschicorean Interruptions. Mr.
Demands aforesaid English and the au-
thors' own whimsical but hardly congru-
Gus devices this plot is so tangled before
the first act is over that the auditor is
tempted 10 pay no more attention to It,
Messrs Harrison and STANCE. apparently.
were slightly mixed themselves before they
had reached 10 finale, and sensiby gave
UP all but guiding thread early in the
second act. Resultantly THE Man in the
Moon, Jr.." contains several exceptionally
clever jests. dozen interesting travesties
and specialties various ingenious bits OF
business. and an abundance of music cue
/ lines as the ultimate outgrowth OF tale
that has something to do with cashier
who is supposed to have robbed his
bank of S10.oo0.0 600, and who then
| falls in love with an animated statue from
the top OF Madison Square Garden. These
| compilations are pleasing when voiced by
| the comedians and interpreted by the
! dancers. but the production would be de-
| eldedly tame without their work and that
| of D. Frank Dodge and Henry Hcyt, who
we're responsible for the investiture. Like
| The Belle OF New York. this offering is
"a. gorgeous sayety.' But IL IS more
| gorgeous than gay.
| The gorgeousness crops out in sundrJ
| particulars The settings mentioned com
| mand admiration rather because of their
| number than of their beauty. The cos
! Tunes however, are as striking ana costly
as they are many. The majority OF the
| ballets are exQuisite-combination oil
| swaying, gliding figures that drop Ito
| form with the precision Of machinery.
! and vet that never lose their grace or
/ seeming abandon. There are marches and
..terpschieorean vagaries" and even old
| fashioned clogs with songs before tEsn.
| The stage always Is full OF people and OF
| sceuery-both people and scenery are NOV
ing constantly. This is the salvation oil the
performance.
OF course several of these people are
clever too and provide touches that are
carried away with memories OF the
shows" higness and brilliance. sam Bsr-
| nard as has been remarked is omDip0-
| tent and omnipresent- His English as
| she Is broken often is irresistibly FUNNY,
| and. save for his very long monoiosue IN
| the FIRST act, the comedians Efforts consist
! emily are OF the highest order. Fred Solo
mon has n role like that which Willie COZ
lier assumed in Little Christopher. and
does we'll with it, while julius Steger
| sings delightfully."- in the part OF Willie
| Bullion and Louis Wesley and Frank Whit
! MANTLE enc as tough boy and the
other as a musical acconpanist for the bur
| Iesaues on The Christian are most
| laughable Mr. Whitman's Hall Game
makeup is especially good Helen Lord,
grown stout since 1.-The Belle OF .lew
York" is an adequate Diana: Lottie Mex
| ley travesties Viola Allen effectively, and
, Violet Holls is sufficiently shapely TO rem
der forgivable her histrionic deficiencies.
All in all THE Man in the Moon. Jr.
| is an enjoyable composition of brief ana
breezy bits that might be guaranteed not
TO fatigue the brain OF an infant