The Washington times., 1902-02-25
THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC-"The Head
walters" a new musical comedy ban
0uet. Introducing Ward and Nokes.


Harry Soiace. Harry thornton
Wagner Mozart. 't..-.............-.....C Cecil Lean
Ringer. Powers
Gotrox Bywinc Lew Miller
Ty Binder. Frank Willing
Hiram over. Jessie taih
sam Sun. Fred Whitfield
| Joe Kerr. rr.....-................B Bert Wainwright
Iclac Held. d................. Margaret DAILY NokcS
Aiilc Money maine W .ii'e
Chloe Ridley ey...-..............Ma .Maudc Alice Kelley
Folly foothShts ........-.-..-...-....Luc Daiy
Percy and Harold. with their time hon
| ored make ups and with bounteous sup
ply of new and funny sayings, some of
which fairly glistened. arrived at the
Academy OF Music last night at SIS
o'clock, and three hours later sent away
one of the largest audiences of the year
with faces and sides aching from i'm
moderate laughter.
Percy and Harold. it may be wise to
explain, are Ward and Vokes, two of the
cleverest comedians of the farce comedy
world. The fact that they are playing
at the Academy of Music this week should
not be construed into the belief that their
entertainment has deteriorated in any re-
spect, or that the comedians themselves
have grown weary of playing to the fash
ionables who look to the dollar and half
theatres for their amusement. and sit
back in their orchestra chairs, with grim
visages that seem to say, We dare you
to make us laugh"
Manager Stair, who conducts the Acad-
emy OF Music, is also the manager of the
Ward and Vokes company, and, wishing
Nsg.
ing, brought his dollar and a-half musi-
cal comedy organization to the Capital
for the week, during which time they will
sell the finest sort of music and comedy
a laugh with every yard guaranteed-and
all for fifty cents.
It's the best bargain in the amusement
line that Washingtonians have had this
season, or any other. for that matter.
Were comparisons pleasant things to
print, 1t might be said in all truth that
Ward and Vokes' company is the peer of
any musical comedy organization that has
been seen in this city during the year,
and the names of several very widely ad-
vertised combinations would be men
toned in making the comparison. But it
is sufficient to state that in The Head
waiters"-this is the title of the Ward
and Vokes vehicle this season-there are
more laughs, comelier collection OF young
women of the ''Florodora' sextette style,
cleverer comedians, and better stage
management displayed, than in anything
of the kind that has come this way for
many day.
There is no doubt but that the Acad
emy will be crowded to the very doors at
every performance during the engage
ment, and it would be queer il this were
not SO. Washingtonians don't get a dol
lar and a half show every day for fifty
cents.
What is The Eeadwaiters?"
The Headwaiters'' would make Edward
E. Rose. who dramatiZes all the popular
novels for the big Frohman stars, weep
real weeps; last night it made the big
Academy of Music audience weep verita-
BILE tears of laughter; Clyde Fitch would
discredit 1t; Fitch never turned out any
thing one-half SO absolutely brisk in the
line of comedy dialogue.
The Headwaiters'' is simply a title
upon which to string three hours of the
most enjoyable nonsense that can be i'm
agined. The work is credited on the pro-
gramme to Edmund Day. but Ward and
Vokes evidently constructed the piece
themselves; ii has all the earmarks of
being homemade, and the style of Jokes
manufactured by Percy and Harold is
very good one indeed. and vastly superior,
for the purposes, to that turned out from
the joke foundres OF most of the big sal
aried playwrights.
There is good deal Of Percy and Haf-
old in The Headyaiters," but not bit
too much; neither does the fun lag when
the commanders of the army of fun
makers leave the stage. Then the show Is
in the hands of Joe Kelly. who con-
tributes rather unique character draw
ing, that of a dope iend with faculty
for imagining all sorts of exaggerated
| things, and George Sydney. whose Hebrew
character work Is exceptionally good
Then, too there is little Lucy DAILY,
whose feet twinkle with their wonted bril-
liancy and who never seems to become
weary of changing her costumes-some
really admirable creations, by the way.
Besides. there is Margaret DAILY Vofes,
whose comedy is of the subdued order
and VINO completely captured last night
gathering with her duet with Mr.. sydney
''rhe Headwaiters" has a ladies' Tux
edo band that plays splendidly. 1t is
composed or dozen good-looldng young
women, who are excellent musicians. The
chorus portion OF the Ward & Vokcs
company is both large and physically at
tractive. II is richly gowned, sings IN
commonly well. and moves around the
stage as il It has been under the training
of a stage manager that knew his bust
ness.
Most of the music of the piece Is the
work of Herbert Dillea, who also directs
the orchestra. and who gives promise OF
crowding into the niche in musical com
edy leadership and composership hereto
fore occupied solely by Maurice Levi, oi
the Rogers Brothers company.
There will be matinee performances Of
The Headwaiters" today, Thursday and
SAT