The Washington times., 1902-01-14
COLUMBIA-"San Toy'-A Chinese Eng
lish musical comedy
are localities in these United

There are localities in these United
States where the name San Toy" stands
for something to theatregoers. At the
Columbia theatre last night the musical
comedy was stared at as thing new and
strange. A representative gentleman
stood in the lobby and asked IL the gam
bling scene was any good. He was told
that unless the plot had been changed
there was no feature of the sort men
toned connected with the attraction.
"Well,' said he, ''the title of the play
suggests it,
How is that?" was asked.
Why said ne again, Fan Tan Ev-
erybody knows fan tan is gambling
game"
When some one remar ked that the name
was San Toy" the representative thea
tregoer walked Indignantly from the lob
by. as though he had been cheated.
And then, again, when George Fortesque
numbered on the stage-big George with
his three hundred and odd pounds of jol-
lity and unction-the people In the or
chestra were whispering "Who is that
large man? 1t isn't often you see such
stout person on the stage, is it?''
But, if the house wasn't familiar al
the start, with the performers, it soon
warmed up to most friendly spirit. The
charming music. the fun of the low COM
edian, and the prettiness of Paula Ed
wardes caught the audience and held il
fast. 1t was the low comedian who made
the big hit of the evening. Samuel Col
| Inns as Ii, the part Jimmy Powers Gre
ated, was a laugh from the rising OF the
curtain to the going down of the same
He is a rare combination of clever panto-
mime and nimble wit. He can screw his
face up into as many knots as Eddie Cir
ard ever showed; he can be as silently
comical as Eddie Foy, and there are times
when you might close your eyes and fancy
Sam Bernard was on the stage.
Mr.. Collins sang one song. "The Chi
nese Soldier Man." that wore out the
gloves of his audience. He came out as
many times as the stage manager would
let him and the audience want hall
| through with him at that. He and Paula
Edwardes worked together in avery pretty
umbrella dance that was almost equally
popular with the Chinese Soldier Man.
Miss Edwardes has dimpled arms and
wears candid skirts and stockings and
sings and talks through her nose. 1t is
such a very pert, cute, little nose that
her audience was quite willing she should
talk with it or put it to any other pur-
pose which suited her. The charm about
Miss Edwardes, in addition to the few
points enumerated, is that she is aliyl~
| about sixty seconds to the minute.
/ Melville Stewart plays the leading
| juvenile role. He is very nicely put VI
! young man. who would make highly
successful football player Also. ne Las
| a baritone voice that is not altogether
/ displeasing. By a mistake he has been
| cast for a part which calls for at least
| a half dozen minutes Of acting. This is
unfortunate. Mr.. Stewart may. by nc
stretch of imagination, be branded al
actor. However, as remarked, he Is a
| healthy looking young person, even deco
! rative in appearance.
| The programme Of this particular at
| traction is a source of much important
| information. BY ii We learn that the
book of San Toy is by Edward Morton
| the music by Sydney Jones, the lyrics ty
Harry Greenbank and Adrain Ross, The
| additional musical numbers by Lione
| Monckton: that it is under the direction
| of b. D. Stevens and Edwin H. Price. Tat
| the musical director is John Braham, the
production under the personal supervision
| of ]. C. Duff, the ladies' costumes by Miss
Fisher, London, and Colin Eayes, New
| York; the gentlemen costumes importe1
| from China, the mechanical effects Ly
| Thomas Mangan; properties, Robert :
| Cutler; shoes. A. J. Cammeyer, and wigs
| o. F. Burner. This is highly interesting
| 1t is to be inferred that the wives of these
| gentlemen, from Mr.. Morton to Mr.
Burner, selected the chorus. No mar
with an eye for beauty drew the "Sar
Toy extra ladies of his own accord.
But the chorus can sing and does sing
Also. Miss Marie Celeste sings and dances
and acts-and fills her part and her boy
costume in a manner highly satisfactory
On the whole, San Toy was much en-
| joysd.
Matinees of San Toy" are announced