New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-17
'THE VANDERBILT CUP"
Broadway Theatre.

And now the horseless nelodramal Back TO the
dust heap with your Ben Hurs'' and "SubUrbans'
and Sporting Duchesses'I The automobile IS star.
THE Vanderbilt Cup" gasolene burlesque, book
by Sydney RosenfeId, music by Barney OIdheld.
was shown at the Broadway Theatre last night.
with little Miss Elsie Janis featured in big type
the programme, and was hailed with delight by
large audience, crossing the finish line at ninety
mile clip a winner. The inventor OF the auto
mobile is going TO have a bad two hours with St
Peter when he presents himself at the pearly
gates but this play will never be scored against
him 1t will rather count to his credit St, Peter
himself to be sure would be quite unable to CLASH
f. ito say whether it is burlesqus musical
comedy or rnelodrama or spectacle or farce or
vaudeville But the good saint would agree that,
whatever It's class, it is vastly amusing, novel and
interesting It may be art for gasoenes sake. even
more than for Miss Jans's sake. but it is amusing.
The plot OF the piece-and it has plot-has
already been narrated in this journal It con-
Germs the adventures of little country girl at the
Vanderbilt Cup race in New-York where she foils
a conspiracy TO defeat her millionaire uncle's car by
substituting her lover the driver. Miss Janis.
of course IS the little lass. and Aubrey Boucicault
the lover. But when the comes off Barney
Oldheld slips into Boucicault's place and drives
his famous green car to victory. This race is the
sensation Of the play, and though IT is worked
in rather obvious way by throwing flying land
scape on a screen behind and letting q DIT OF
stage rush by under foot. It IS indubitably thrill
ing for the two machines are splitting sparks and
coughing like & battery OF Calling guns ana
spouting steam and sending round their absurd
wheels a thousand times a minute. The audlencS
last night greeted the spectacle with cheers ana
were not contented till Miss Janis. the happiest
child in New York finally dragged Barney Oldnelo
who looked quite calm and undismay ed-and not
q bit dusty-in front Of the curtain
The most amusing feature of the play, however.
and the most worth while, Is the scene laid in the
Marjorie Wellington Hotel. for women only This
scene is d capital burlesque Of a somewhat obVi-
ously burIesqUable original. and fTcm the moment
when 4 guest comHained that the female in II
was reading Mrs. Warren's Profession" out loud
till the porteress carried the last ohtrustve male
out on her shoulder It elected shouts OF laughter
such as used 10 be heard in the Weberdsld Music
Hall.
Miss Janis who is still hardly more than child,
sustained her not overtaxing role very prettily,
danced gracefully. and capttvated the audience
with her limitations. She cannot as yet. carry an
entire entertainment on her shoulders, but she did
not have 10. There were the broad shoulders OF
Henry V. DonnelIy and Otis Harlan (warmly well
coined by the house TO aid her. and the novelty
SURPRISES and uerrinent Of the play itself.
There are some songs IN the piece, written by
Robert Hood Bowers. but the less said about them
and the singing OF them!-the better. Mr.. Bouoi-
caut vas the chief vocal offender.