The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-02
1.-THE ROLLICKING Girl" A HIT.
BERNARD AND HATTIE WILLIAMS
SCORE AGAIN.

Charles FFohman MAKES q Departure Into
Midsummer Musical Madness GariSh
Color Dubious singlnt, Horse Play
and Horse LauEh-But bumcieney,
There vas never moment Of DOUBT
a. to the fate Of The Roliicklng Girl
last night at the Herald square. From Sam
Demands first entrance TO HE last exit tho
house rolled With laughter. In times past
he has had much wittier plays and better
sketches Of character to IN In, and has
acted with a far finer sense Of the artistic
values OF low comedy. But he has never
been more irresistioly and tempestuously
funny. The al dlenoe laughed until the
attendants had TO turn on the electric
fans, a full month before their seaso-.
Han austere soul were inclined 10 censure
the amusement as rather primitive, ne
would find himself forestalled by All Hay
mans announcement that Mr.. Frohman
intended no better. Fun ard nonsense
for the silly season, madness 70 oeguile
the midsummer, the horse play which brings
he horse laugh-that IL what Is intended.
And that In abundant measure IL provided.
The play is by Sidney Rosenfeld, the
quondam rough rider through lbsen and
Shakespeare, at the head OF his Century
players He shows at better advantage
here. The piece Is billed as a new version
Of a Dangerous Maid which ran a ttfui
course some years ago on Broadway.
not written but rewritten. This play was
rewritten. Mr. Rosenfeld may conclude
the syllogism as he sees Mt
There are three acts and seven scenes,
but not a whit more Of story and character
than is TO be found in the ordinary two act
piece.
The scenery and costumes created by
Ben Teal were rich and very gaudy. The
music by W. T. Francis Is spirited and
melodious. Several of the numbers were
on sufficiently familiar and catchy, lines 70
be caught up by the whisters in the audi
ence.
Mr.. Bernard was a comedian Of shattered
English and mockabout fooling that would
shatter any bones but his. Hattie Will
Jams did her best at syntaX breaking by
his side. she was no more graceful than
ever, and like the proverbial bagpipe sang
4 the nose. But she was full OF vitality
and obvious good looks, and more than
paid her own freight.
Mics WIllianns's most striking costume
was that Of cuirassier in which she led
a ballet Of armored Amazons. Sam BeT-
nard assisted on the side. clad in much
which evoked hilarious laughter Miss
Wiliams's cuirass was m iul n front
NJ iernArd c rass altogether behind,
and was one Of the funniest ever.
one Of Miss " illiams topical songs was
about the Equitable imbroglio, and dealt
in tuneful numbers, that bid fair 70 be much
whistle with the woes which Mr.. James
Hazen HYDE il sufering-as the song had
it-at the hands Of his friends. Mr.. HYDE
sat in a box above the stage, and was OBJ
viously amused.
Joe Coyne had the part Of an antique
silly ass OF the convent ional order. He
sang with abundant humor and danced
with delightful grace. Aimee Angeles
figured as Sam Demands better half, and
gtt out Of her part what fun there was it.
The show girls were pretty enough and
wore their gorgeous costumes hand
somely The best praise Of the whole AFFAIR
was the laughter. and that was sufftciency.
1t would not be surprising if the play out
lasted the summer