The Washington times., 1902-09-23

- ~ = sic of the jingly
popular fancy catch
EMMA CARus ing variety; nor q
quartette of funnier comedians, nor a
corps of abler singers. nor more artistic
groupings, nor such a multitude of null
ti-hued lights aimed at the stage from
/ all portions of the theater-if there has
been really better bit of musical
nonsense, such as all the light, frothy
affairs are, it has kept away from Wash
| ington
Last night the National audience show
| cred any amount of praise upon Come
dian Alexander Clark, Will Armstrong,
Richie Ling. Charles Wayne, Emma
Carus, Mayme Kelso, Lotta Faust, Edith
| Eldridge. and the four score OF others
who contributed to the performance.
1 Encores were so frequent that one soon
became tired keeping track of them, for
the demands for repetitions of the
songs started early in the first act when
Emma Carus. that little woman with
the great big voice, and dozen stunning
show girls sung about the queens of
| society.
An Elaborate Production.
''The Defender" management has been
prodigiously prodigal in equipping the
entertainment with scenery, costumes,
and the other accessories that go 10
make up the complete musical show of
| the up-to-date sort. and after every
other theatrical manager had supposedly
used all the available material and
worked out every possible color scheme.
and when such a thing as noyely was not
| TO be thought of, here comes The De-
| fender with not only new twist TO
| the conventional musical comedy story,
but with brand new setting, and
enough novelties TO equip three or four
| shows of its type.
In the "Pinky- -PankyPoo song the
entire chorus IS on the stage, in Chinese
costume, and possessed of sticks of
lighted joss. During the singing of the
chorus the theater is suddenly thrown
in total darkness, and the people on the
stage obtain very telling fre-fiy effect
by waving the burning joss.
In the last act of the piece-and the
excellence of THE Defender unlike
most of its kind. is cumulative-is a
travesty on vaudeville performance
that is simply Vdicrous, while at the
fall of the curtain q beautiful, but
unique, shower OF confetti from above
the stage is fitting climax TO series
OF musical comedy innovations. that
should prove so pleasing TO Washington
theateTgoers that the seating capacity
of the National will be tested nightly
durino the remainder of the week.
Story Out of the Ordinary.
The story CT THE Defender" con-
Germs the visit of Sir Thomas Teaton,
whose yacht is to try and lift the Amer
lea cup, to this country, on his private
yacht, the Hibernia. Sir Thomas is ac-
companisd by his ward, Hilda shipton,
and Mmber of guests, including the
representative of an English syndicate
that is backing the Teaton boat to win
the race, no matter by what means, fair
or foul. This syndicate agent endeavors
to enlist the services of Charles Dare.
the son of an English earl, who has
shipped as a sailor on the American
yacht through a stringency in his finan-
ces. Dare, with the assistance of his
sweetheart, exposes the plot and like a
good American musical piece. the Yam
kee boat runs away with the prize.
1t isn't much of story. but il serves
to give the scene painter some admirable
chances to distinguish himself and in
the scene aboard the Hibernia the artist
has been highly successful The cabin |
pilot house, masts, chart, halyards.
sails, ratlnes and other appointments
of the yacht are of actual size and prac- |
tfcal. The chorus men 20 aIoft in real |
sailor fashion. and perched high above |
the stage sing their jolly jack-tar songs |
and make very picturesque scene.
Comedian CLARK Is Funny.
Alexander Clark is at the head of |
The Defenders" fun forces. He is a
comedian who is never sad. he has a
peculiarly droll style that is irresistiblv
funny. and is decided relief from
the star" comedians that go trouping
about the country with large reputa
tions but little merit. Mr.. Clark
song of the dojngs OF Mr. Doolev. fa
miliar TO ve'l. willie patrons. was new to
the National clientele, and the cone
dian was forced to sing himself ont, and
only escaped by repeating one of the
VIII Armstrong, a capital baritone.
is the Sir Thomas Teaton of the affair,
and sings well, besides exhibiting a
brogue that the Sir Thomas of real life
might well have been proud of. Richie
Ling plays Charles Dare and sings tenor
solos with the same finesse and in the
same rich, sweet voice that he did when
he was 4 regular comic opera tenor.
with the lovely curls and the velvety
costumes. Charles Wayne is an aero
batic branch of Pinkerton detective
gency, and his cleverness assists
largely in the comedy portion of the
show.
Excellent Feminine Quintet.
Emma Carus, Mayme kelso, Lotta
Faust. Clara. Lavine and Edith
are a quintet of vocalists of
he kind that are rarely heard in musi-
al pieces nowadays.
Miss Carus sung THE Queens of So
,iety" and I'll Be Your Rainbow so
we'll that she was forced to repeat each
lalf dozen times. Miss Eldridge dis
,losed an uncommonly fine soprano.
'ich and full and fresh and excellently
nodulated. in Love Is Queen of the
sea-" Miss Kelso's number, "Vesper s
3ells," was oapitally rendered. and Is
Hiss Lavine's Hoop la was spiritcdly /