The Washington times., 1903-12-15
Plot, Repartee, and MelO-
dious Score at National.
AUDIENCE WELL PLEASED
Avowed Effort at a Retreat to Comic
Opera of Twenty
Years Ago.


tand. the glory Of Augustus Thomas.
the vogue of Oscar wilde, and the
drama of the dilettante-even the rise
of the musical comedy which perme-
ated and disturbed all these chapters
in the biography of the American
drama. It went back, in fact, to the
opera which the older folk present re-
called indulgently and the middle-aged
remembered as the chief dramatic
charm of their youth--the opera of Flo
tow. Won Suppe. Offenbach. Balfe, and
Sullivan. For the work performed
there last night-"Sergeant Kitty 1T
was caIled-proved to be compound
of .sStradella," The Merry War La
Perichole.'' The bohemian Girl and
s'Patience.- How willingly commu-
nifty Just freed from The Rogers
Brothers in London" would forget what
has interviewed between The Chimes
OF Normandy" and that last affection
need not be explained. Sergeant Kitty
was received exactly as 'Nanon was
received. and a representative assem-
bly, of Washington theatergoers was
glad 70 take part in the reception.
In Other Days.
In those older days-when a company
of forty was a 'stupendoas organiza-
ton and two changes Of costume We're
an elaborate investiture comic opera
was a distinctive and established art
form. It consisted mainly of a plot
within the field of the imagination. COM
edy which aroused uirth without EFFORT
on the part OF the audience, and music
which was at least ineligible in mel
ody entrusted TO a company which
could really sing. Every solo was per-
formed from the center Of the stage.
The chorus sang blithely Away
Away" while standing as still as the
clouds on the painted background One
set of scenes did for operas of ancient
Venice, medieval Spain, and modern
London. But always there we're plot,
laughable COMEDY, and music which did
not Offend.
Everyone knows what presented itself
as the successor to this art form. IL
haunts our stage like Banquo's ghost
at the feast ia Macbeth" The air
is still chill with its visitation Of last
week Ii is the ''hant Of music and
corpse Of comedy When the theatrical
age now passing shall have actually
expired. the dead past will bury its
dead musical comedy in the theatrical
potters field
Fruits of Reaction.
sergeant Kitty and 'Babette" are
the first fruits OF the reaction Bo.a1
are ayowed efforts at a retreat to the
comic opera of twenty years ago. and
both win probably prove popular sue
cesees. 1t Is significant. although per-
haps not strange, that both operas
were produced by managers new in this
field, and both served 70 present stars
equally new.
Virginia Earl as the chief figure in
the company, A. Baldwin Sloane as the
composer, r. H. Burnside as the author
Of the book, and George r. White as
the manager, have alike contributed
TO Sergeant Kitty.
The music Is light rather than Sc
rious, and popular" rather than genu-
ine Half dozen OF the solos will fasten
themselves securely on the whistles
which register in the street the musical
temperature in the theaters. Several OF
the choruses have more dignity and pos
sibly a lesser claim on the popular at
tention. But all the score is melodious
and each note In It Is worth more no
fice than the whole of THE Rogers
Brothers in London
Confused Personalities.
More than ordinary interest win be
excited by the book. The plot depends
upon an old but an ingenious confu-
sion of personalities. which after two
acts Of average length disentangles
itself pleasingly. Perhaps the chief
feature OF this complication is that II
presents the star in tw suits of knick-
erbockers and three charming French
gowns OF the period Of 1890. But the
interest indicated will not concern the
H.. oil NH rF
makes the French use such phrases as
up 20 me- and foxy" and .sGmethin
doin'." but which by virtue OF genuine
wit OF rather a high grade keeps the
audience in an uproar of laughter
The requirements of music. plot and
repartee have all been fulfilled by Man
ager White. For the music he has pro-
vided a new prima donna. who has more
than an acceptable voice; a second So
prano. Estelle Wentworth. who gave
much pleasure last night; a tenor, AL
bert Parr, who IS better than the av-
erage light opera tenor: and a chorus
which in singing capacity easily sur
passes any similar chorus heard here
for many years. The comedy is pre-
sented by Junic McCree, George E. Mack.
Sylvan Langlois. and CARRIE E Perkins
and tho two first named are unusually
successful Finally, soloists. comedians,
and chorus are costumed. In colors So
bright and rich and presented before
two scenes so complete and pleasing
that the opera seems at times a pro
duction'' after all
Interest in kitty"
Much sympathetic curiosity will fol-
low Sergeant Kitty" as her sweet and
naive personality progresses from city
70 city. Elsewhere. as in Washington,
her musical charm and her natural fun
must commend her and the Judgment OF
the great number OF theatergoers in
.dorse her Yet a question will still
remain 70 be solved-whether theatrical
history or any other history Is made
by turning back the pages? II the inn
provement always corresponds TO the
Improvement Of Sergeant Kitty" over
the usual musical comedy, everyone
must hope this may prove TO be true.
A. D. n.