The Washington times., 1902-09-09
THEATERS OF THE CAPITAL CITY
ARE NOW IN FULL SWING

ing the ocular senses with his crea
tions. But through the whole the CIR
reigns supreme. She is here. there. an,
everywhere. She is in evidence all
the time, and she makes the most Of
herself-or rather Mr.. Rice does tha,
for her.
1t is now some time since the Boston
Cadets, that body of young men who
seems TO have little else to do but spend
the wealth of their parents. produced
the musical concoction called "The Cap
of Fortune" Mr.. Rice saw the piece
and Immediately conceived the idea that
he could rejuvenate himself and the girl
with it. He mourned for the good old
days of 1882" and Little Christopher. -
He thought of the past glories of the
Rice days when he was pre-eminent in
the musical girl world. and he deter
mined to make use of THE Cap of For
tune" And thus it was that THE Show
Girl was born
Rechristened Cadet Show.
Mr.. Rice took the production o. the
Boston cadets, rechristened it, and it was
that play that was seen at the National
Theater last evening. This, however,
does not detract from the merits of the
piece. 1t is all the better, indeed, for
Mr.. Rice's Intervention. Had it not
been for him THE Show Girl" would
probably never have been produced; st
least, not ''The Show Girl that was on
exhibition at the National last night
The plot of the piece is so thin as to
be barely visible. The theme is old and
the jokes somewhat mature. There are
the same familiar style of costumes, the
same light effects, the same quips that
carry one back almost 70 the days of
Evangeline," and then above all sticks
out the girl. She 1t is who carries the
performance to its ultimate conclusion
She is the predominating power behind
the operate throne 1t is the same old
stock of things worked over, as all mu
steal shows must be, but who shall
Mr.. Rice for his effort; who
shall say there shall be no girl? The
girl, after all, is the show and what
matters the rest?
Wealth of Pretty Maids.
Taken solely upon its intrinsic merits
as play with plot. and the thing
would fail. One sees trifle of 1872 a
little of 'Evangeline"-but then, they
we're both good. The play is bright in
places; the girls are pretty; the cos
.umes are fetching. There are laughs, !
plenty of them,. and there are songs !
which please. Indeed. there is an abund-
lnce of good things to commend The |
Show Girl to the theatergoer. There is |
he old Roman soldier; the Grecian ath-
etc, and the necromancer, and a subtle |
lir of mystery surrounding the whole |
flair; but when one has studied the
whole affair he is forced TO the inevi-
able conclusion that after all it is the
,irl, the Rice girl. that makes THE
how Girl 1t is the girl; only the girl.
1t is pleasing, however, and by those
Who care for this frothy sort of enter
ainment it will be greatly enjoyed.
The cast which produces the piece is
Competent one. Frank Lalor has the
Principal comedy role-that of the man
ger and leading man Of the Sophocles
Company, which, through the
ancies of the author. r. A Barnet.
nds its way into Grecian villa. OF
curse, the company is stranded. and
through the medium of wishing cap
'hich fortuitously falls into the hands
r, rather, upon the head, of the leading
ian and manager, the company is pre-
ipitated into all sorts of escapades.
-hich furnish the foundation for all
ne comedy.
Music Is Pleasing.
Mr.. Lalor struggles hard with the role /
J assumes, and manages to extract 6
lite lot of comedy. His personality ;
Id makeup somewhat resemble Frank
aniels, and when he first came on. TO
e stage last night there was just
question of that pudgy comedian. but
r. Lalor does not attempt to initiate /,
r Daniels. His humor is original. r
ID while he has only the ordinary ,
mic opera comedians voice. he gets :
ite a lot of applause for his vocal 4
orts.
The leading feminine role falls to The
of Kathryn Hutchinson, a recent
aduate from the chorus. Miss Hutch
son has a pleasing appearance. sings S
III. and probably fills the role as well n
anyone could. Yolande Wallace has !,
part that limits her opportunities, but y
e does well what she has to do, and n
ssie DeVoie is pretty and pleasing in :, y
soubrette part. Perhaps the best ~
g in the cast vocally is David Lyth- y y
2. AS a whole, the cast is evenly u
and the production smooth !,