The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-18
AT THE THEATRES.
The NationnI-"Mnm,seIIe ,Awkin..,

'Mam'selle 'Awkins" is a delightful sort
of young person. with favor of piquancy
and chic about her that is very fetching.
She resembles, to a great degree, her
sister musical comedies of light, frivo-
lous character. and is as entertaining and
pleasing as the best of them. When the
'Awkins girl made her appearance upon
the stage of the National last night, 1t
was to the accompaniment OF battalion
of maidens of the chorus, fair to look
upon and possessed of very pronounced
habit of Haunting a bewildering mass OF
wavy, dainty lingerie, a number of catchy.
tuneful melodies, few fair specimens OF
modern stage wit, three sets of elaborate
products of the scenic artist and some
costumes that must have cost a pretty
penny After being well entertained by
Miss 'Awkins for nearly three hours. she
was, by very general consent, voted a
Jolly young woman, who will doubtless
receive many visitors during her weeks
stay at the National.
According to the programme, Richard
Garlic is responsible for the libretto Of
Nam selle Awkins." II this be true.
Mr.. earle is either the owner of com
plete file of all the patent medicine alma
macs that have ever been printed, or has
Il =
jority of the witticisms he claims as
original have been in constant use on the
comic opera and variety stages for many
years. and such jokes as are not so
familiar are reminiscent of Gotham
Tenderloin district. Whenever Mam'sel
'Awkins and her companions are per-
mitted to stray from the earle libretto,
they introduce some very light, catchy
music. written in Alfred e. Aarons' Test
vein. The inevitable coon" song makes
its appearance in the second act, and IS
demanded and redemanded.
Whatever plot there is to Nam seile
'Awkins" concerns young bankrupt no.
bleman who has secretly married, but VINO
has as his chief creditor a money lender
who wishes him 20 marry Honorah Awk-
ms the cockney daughter of the inventor
of a new soap and heiress TO millions
First, the nobleman gets physical culture
friend to take his place and pose as the
husband of his wife, and then persuades
Scotch lord to take his place with MISS
'Awkins, all Of which provides enough
complications for the purposes of musical
comedy.
Olive Wallace plays the principal role.
Mrs Malaprop part, with animation and
cleyerness. Carolyn Heustis Graves is
pleasing cousin to the Understanding
Honorah 'Awkins. and Georgia Carhart
makes considerable out of the character OF
Lady Janet Bedford. The comedians have
all they can do to extract fun from Mr..
Carle's sad libretto, and the fact that they
cause SO much hilarity as they do is
splendid tribute to their abilities. Etienne
Girardot. recalled as the original Char
ley's Aunt in this country; Edward S.
Abeles, Harry Kelly, and Snitz Edwards
contribute to the merriment of the per-
formanee One OF the distinct hits Of the
show is made by Ellie Fay, former mem
Der of the Biiou stock company when that
house was under the management Of John
Grieves. Miss Fay is an efferveseent young
person, who breaks into cakewalks and
oSher terpsichorean acrobatics on the
slightest provocation.