Evening star., 1901-10-01
ADJUSTMENTS.

it that you will find a pot of gold at the
end of the rainbow. Anna Held's manager
has acted on this suggestion. He has ram
sacked the spectrum for tints which min
gle and fade amid bewilderment of swirl
ing draperies. There are upon the stage
types Of every complexion, from roseate
blonde to starry-eyed brunette. Smiles and
millinery are flung out in Kaleidoscope cas-
cadeS. The senses become almost weary
and welcome any jest or any strain of
melody that may be introduced to break
the monotony of ocular delight. Truly this
thing vaguely described musical COM
edy' has wrought strange changes. The
librettist is extinct The musician is no
more. The comedian is recognized mainly
by certain fossil indications. The comsdi-
enne is put in a glass case and pointed out
to visitors a priceless treasure. Madame
the milliner, the center of the stage is
yours.
There is one scene which leads all the
rest in the measure of applause The un-
bounded enthusiasm is due neither to
words music nor acting. Agility of ankle
and comeliness of feature have no share
in the credit. A line of girls, who but re-
Gently were diSporting themselves in the
ranks of the gay and festive, are garbed in
gowns which are unconventional only be-
cause of their richness and beauty.
They They inspect one another with iorgnettes
They turn their backs to the audience.
They walk to the rear of the stage.
Only this and nothing more.
The audience breaks into tumultuous ac-
claim and hales them to the footlights
over and over again.
Is it any wonder that w. S. Gilbert says
he will write no more for the stage, or
that John Philip Sousa is allowing his
operatic aspirations to languish? A salts
factory definition of musical comedy" has
never yet been devised. 1t is something
less than comic opera and more than ex-
travaganza. No comic opera was ever
tod
NO extravaganza was ever more needless
of considerations of plot and situation.
There is no lack of mirthful talent; such
deficiency could not occur with Charles
Bigelow, Joseph Herbert, George Marion
and Charles Swain and Eva Davenport in
the cast But Anna Held's strange person
ality stands out before the array of beauty
and frolicsomeneSs as conspicuously as her
name stands out In black type. She is a
mystery. A passive languorous quantity in
each scene, she is none the less a center Of
interest AS an opportunity fer acting
The Little Duchess is not calculated to
afford the scope that 'Papa's Wife pre-
sented. She has one or two scenes that
suggest the drinking scene, but the sug
gestion is slight and passing. Yet, dreamy
and effortless as she always appears, she
never drifts into obscurity. At the end of
the second act Miss Held personally thank
ed the audience for it's expressions of ap-
proval.
Mathematically considered THE Little
Duchess" might be described as 90 per
cent costumes and - per cent each of book
and music. Mr.. Smith has written some
blithe and tinkling lyrics and Mr.. De
koven has thrown his cassicism into the
waste basket and brought out some music
which initiates the popular street song
The musical numbers are not introduced;
they are merely inserted. Mr.. Bigelow's
grotesque comedy is, of course, strongly in
evidence, and he gets the laughter watch
his performances always claim Herbert
IA n
his share in some seasons in dueling
master. Mr.. Smiths satire on the French
duel, with brass band and photograp piers
in full attendance, is one Of the cieverest
things in the performance. The scene in
which the robust Miss Davenport turns Mr..
Bigelow Qmpersonatfng a bathing master
at Ostend) over her knee in order to sew
up rip in his green and yellow costume
awakens genuine hilarity. But the comedy
and music are subordinate to the feminine
f1nery, which is in constant display Def ore
some of the most beautiful stage settings
ever devised. This production represents the
final capitulation of pen and ink to needle
and thread. 1t is audacious in it's pecuniary
lavishness. If there are no more varieties
of costuming it is because there is no
chance to introduce them; if there are no
more poseful coryphees it is because the
stage has not space for them. At the por-
tails of the Columbia last night was a small
man Of alert bearing and inconspicuous at
tire. His face wore look of eager pre-
occupation. 1t was the manager Mr.. Zieg-
field. He was thinking up new ways to
spend money.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-Francis
Wilson gets to be a habit, like absinthe or
cigarettes, save in the fact that there are
no disagreeable next mornings" A large
and loyal following always turns out to see
him on Monday night, and it must be a
very bad piece to keep people away for the
remainder of the week. And THE Strollers"
is by no means a bad piece. 1t comes to
the National Theater with a record fully
established. 1t has several songs which are
already played and sung by Angelina on
Wednesday evenings, when her best young
man calls. There is an abundance of strict
ly Wilsonian humor, and the melodies are
fluent and graceful, some Of them having
real musical substance as we'll as strong
popular appeal. 1t Is a musical comedy
Any one not liking musical comedy these
days may go and sit In the park It starts
with a plot which involves a diamond neck
lace and two strolling magicians imperson-
ated by Mr.. Wilson and Irene Bentley. The
first act contains many laughs, and they are
all of the spontaneous, irrepressible kind
that leave no doubt as to the genuine
quality of the humor which evokes them
There Is no man who combines antio IA
cility with the ability to get the full effect
of humorous speech more completely than
Francis Wilson. Eddie Foy's semi-articu-
late drollery forms capital contrast, and
there was no dearth Of merriment at any
time. The piece is in some respects like a
tender memento of the sainted "Erminie."
Wilson is at home in the part of a rogue
who is mistaken for a noble parsonage
There is a suggestion Of plot in the pro-
logue act. but 1t grows dim in the first
and fades far and faint in the second. Pos
sibly this arrangement is what makes it a
musical comedy, for some Of the scenes
and ensemble numbers are well worthy of
comic opera in it's days of greatest dignity
and esteem. But semblance of seri-
GUS purpose is allowed to disturb the froic-
some irresponsibility of the evening Mr..
Wilson dances with characteristic abandon,
and Miss Bentley Is chic accessory to his
terpsichorean moods. D. L. Don has some
rough -and-tumble seances with the furni-
ture and is otherwise amusing Marie
George has several good opportunities,
which she improves promptly and viva
c1ously. A male chorus of unusual strength
Is one Of the notable attractions Of the pro-
duction.
The chorus in it's entirety is comely and
Imposing, and the scenery and costumes
ore In keeping with the present demand
Tor extraordinary stage display. The in
PRODUCTION Of a more or less dashing auto
mobile is one of the various touches of
modern color which reminded the spectator
that this is not a comic opera. Mr. Will
son insists on putting ideas into his work.
but the presence of a house with steps in
front of 1t was an assurance that Mr..
Wilson would consent to kindly ohliga with