The Washington times., 1901-11-26
AT THE THEATRES.
The Columbtn-",iis- Rob White,

ihe toiu biH-''hiss BOD " hl'f.'
Willard Spenser can always be depend
Cd upon to furnish a comic opera libretto
that contains nothing that would offend
the most fastidious or prudish. and sew
eral musical numbers that are simple but
pleasing. and of the order commonly
termed catchy" In the Little Tycoon.
his first effort and later in The Princess
Bonnie" he displayed no little ability as
an author and composer. And in his lat
est contribution, Miss Bob White" Civ
en- last night at the Columbia Theatre, he
has not departed from his familiar lines.
He has evolved a story that is almost pro-
sale one which. without the aid of two
such clever comedians as Richard Carroll
and Frank Deshon, would be quite sad to
contemplate. These two funmakeTs read
the lines as given them by Mr. Spenser
with marked fidelity to the Philadelphia
standard of humor, but every once in
while they enjoy an incursion into the
fields of stage fun that Spenser has never
yet attempted to explore.
There IS no denying the fact that the
managers of Miss Bob White have done
everything in their power to provide an
equipment of costume and scenery that
is elaborate, while there is a large and
good looking chorus that adds greatly to
the attractiveness of the different pictures
in which they appear. TLis Bob White"
chorus is much different than the average
merry merry band of village maidens.
There is no be-tighted femininity, the
swish of the silken skirt is never heard.
there are no displays of wavy lingeries
such Gomez from the Casino, and even
the presence of a French -heeled boot
would tend to shock these Bob White"
young women. They are all so eminenJly
sanity in their occurrences. so ingenious
in their gayety, and so lacking in the gen
eral attributes OF the average comic opera
chorus that Miss Bob White might be
mistaken fer a Sunday school entertain
nent. instead of a theatrical performance.
But if this air Of seeming goodness per
vades Mr.. Sponsors opera. it must not
be assumed that the offering is not enter
tanning and interesting The humor is
ladled out in rather generous quantities.
and most OF it is diyerting enough 20
cause mild smile, even if it does not
bring forth hearty laugh. The score is
good at times, too Mr.. SDenseT has never
been accused Of being other than a clever
of pleasing jiugles. and in Mss
Bob White" while there is one song Of the
sort that is readily recalled after the thea
ire has been left behind. the score is for
The greater part very commonplace.
All who remember Love Comes Like
which was drummed to an untimely death
ten years ago, and its successor. Dream
ing OF Love the popular number of The
Princess Bonnie. Will recognize in
When Love Comes Tapping at Your
Heart another song of the same class
and one hat viii no doub, rival its
in popularity. Running
through the piece are number OF TAX 4
ing waltz songs, and a coon" melody, (
with an invisible quartstte, bobs up very /
Miss Bob White" is the incognito as
sumed by young woman who wants to 4
be near her lover. Young fellow who has
lest an election bet, and VINO in conse-
iH"n,, IS CoCmed to live the cNis snce OF 4
a tramp for a couple Of months. Il isn't
much OF . foundation for a comic opera
Iibretto, even as these things go, and
Mr. Spenser may have been unconscious
y wise when he termed his work a com
=dy o2Cra."
MIR. Spenser takes all sor-i OF liber-
ties with his characters. and drags them
on the stage to sing a sOlo, OF q chorus
Or TO deliver merry little quip with
the ear marks of Philadelphia manufac-
Lure all over it, as he pleases. In the en-
ire performance there does 4-Ct seem to DC
an overabundance Of rhyme or reason
nothing but good-looking, dsIuure maid
ems, a couple Of comedians who strive
hard to be funny and succeed after a
fashion, some tUneiul melodies. wealth
Of costumes that are pleasing to the eye.
and a sce.ic inyestiture unusually rich
Ia coloring.
Ethel Jackson is the prima donna of
Mir. Spensers opera. She has a good
soprano voice and makes a very charm
ing picture, besides knowing now 70 act
1etter than mcst young women with prIaa
donna propeusities. HeT love songs and
he one about the quail are rendered ex-
Richard Carroll and Frank
Desnon are the principal funmakers OF
the organization. They are two million
sire tramps, and get more laughs from
their lines than one would imagine pos
sible. Alice Campbell is a very etching
Quaker maiden, besides being the pos
SCISSOR Of a very fine voice. MaIhilde
Preville. recalled here for her good work
in The Princess Chic is a very stately
leader OF the grand danes. William
Philip. who used to sing tenor SONGS with |
The Hcstonians," is not called ipon to
10 very much, but he does his bit excel /
enIly. Matinces Thanksgiving Day and .
H.