The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-22

man who would presume to CriticisS
the show because he could find no plot.
Yet there are such maIcontents.
For it is a beauty show primarily
and secOndariIy.
This IS not to say that its whole
virtue ends in the display of female
loneliness, for it does not by any
means. Miss Held has also surrounded
herself with clever comedians, who are
provided with ludicrous situations and
diVerting songs and specialities which
they execute in original and entertain
Ing fashion. Never think for a mo-
ment that when the girls are not on
the stage time lagS. Every second is
Drofftably and honestly employed in
amusing the behOlder.
There is not a single tedious interval
bearing the earmarlls of a time filler.
To borrow from the expressive vernac-
ular there is something doing" all
the time, and something clever at that
If Miss Held had nothing but her
personal graceS to commend her to the
theater- goer she would be might pop
ular, as witness the fact that she chaI-
lenges comparison with a galaxy Of
exceptionally beautiful WOmeT, and
suffers naught. If she did, the writer
failed to note that her luSter was
dlmmed. But when you add to her I'M
deniable physical graces the posses
sion of unmistakable hiStrionic talent,
as manifested by her powers Of facial
expression, the intelligence that domi-
mates every word and action, the fit
ness and appropriateness of her de-
meanor, the keen appreciation Of the
sentiment she cOnveyS-you have a
combination that the theater- going
public has quite naturally found ire
sistible.
Some misguided commentators
many to be Sure-haVe betrayed their
unfortunate inability to see anything
more than this little woman's beauty
of person. Let us deplore their infirm-
1ty, not demonstrate or argue with
them. To do so would be to set I'D
man of straw to be blown away by
q mere zephyr.
could not help but feel that the
most eloquent expression of the HeId's
art found its vent in the little snatch
OF song she sings in her native tongue
at the opening of the second act. It
IS a gem-as she sang it-with volumes
OF meaning. 1t seemed too bad for her
lover to enter the room and so put an
END TO 1t after only one verse. Just
one more stanza 1t surely deserves
Whlle her ardent admirer cooIs his
heels and his heart outside.
But something about the girls who
constitute the brilliant setting. for
HISS Held like good wine needs no
bush"
Nothing quite so potent in the way
OF composite beauty show has ever
been exhibited upon the local stage
within the writer's recollection. The
spectacle of the twelve richly gowned
Sadie" girls who drop into the bou-
COR OF Claire de Brion in the second
act Is captivating, not to say confus
ing. Perhaps exasperating is even a
better word to express the sensation
caused by trying to pick out the pref
test face. the finest figure the sweet
est gown. 1t is certain you can't make
all three decisions in one evenings
study. Tall graceful and ussom is
every figure, pretty and animated
Is every face, rich and superb in fit is
every gown What are you going to
DO? Nothing but sit back, gaze upon
the vision and admire
This may sound somewhat tropical
or even hyperbolic to those who have
not beheld these radientIy ROBBED crea0
lures with Anna Held sparkling in the
very center of the constellation But