The Washington herald., 1907-01-01
Richard Garlic Makes a Hit at the
National in ''The Spring Chicken"

Richard Garlic Makes a Hit at the
National in ''The Spring Chicken"
Easily the hit Of the season in musical
comedy was made at the National Theater
last night by Richard Carrie and his clever
associates in THE Spring Chicken" This
airy and artistically worked-up piece Of
nonsense Of French origin has as it's
basis the adventures of a Paris lawyer
and his American father-in-law The
lawyer works hard and deports himself
decorously during most of the year, but
when the first swallow appears In the
spring he renews his youth. shaves Of
his beard. discards his dignihed raiment
for the gayest he can find, and goes back
to the giddy whirl of love-making and
boulevard life His father-in-law. i'll when
ne arrives in Paris. consults a physician,
who gives him an injection of lambs
blood that makes of him a NJ companion
for 1.-THE spring chicken" as his trans
formed son-in-law is called. on this back
ground of amusing improbability is en-
broidered bewildering network Of ridicu-
ious adventures and capital musical num-
bers that kept the audience at the
National last night as genuinely and de-
lightfully entertained as the most ex-
acting could require or expect
The first act is the best example Of what
can be done in the line of musical comedy
that has been seen here in many years.
Without obscuring the background Of the
plot a series Of the most fetching musi-
cal numbers and dances is introduced that
fairly take the audience by storm and
win round after round Of enthusiastic APP
plause- The elimination is reached in a
dance Of the nations, represented by
thirteen unusually pretty girls, who pirou-
cite bewitch.ngly in accompaniment 20
Mr.. Carries song, "All the Girls Love Ne. "
The audience was exceedingly 10th 10 al
low this interlude 10 end and the other
good things in reserve 20 be brought on
The other great hit Of the act, perhaps
or the evening. was Miss Emma jan
Vier's unusually clever topical song. 7
Don't Know, but I Guess" which was
done IN style that was simply inimit-
able Miss Janvieg has q comedy genius
all her own, and fully shared the honOrs
with Mr.. earle. Her work throughout re-
Feais the artist. In the most absurd of
the situations assigned her she succeeded
IN holding delightfully."- 10 character.
frightening In a way worthy Of the study
Of co-workers in this line the effective
ness OF her impersonation Hardly less
telling than her topical song was her lit
Tie tete-a-tete with the audience in the
second act. when the house again con
scented reluctantly 10 have the action
move on.
Mr.. earle as Girdie. the American
tather-in-law, is as entertaining as he
has ever been. His drol humor was
genuinely infectious, and he danced with
grace and abandon that more
( than made up for his vocal deficiencies.
Mr.. Morley as BabOri "the spring chick
en-, was a good second to Mr.. Carrie
among the male participants. Arthur
Conrad, as Stephen Henry. GirdIe's son.
did bizarre dance that won the house.
/ He IS a young actor Of real cIeverness.
As Resale. the maid. Bessie Mccoy was
capital. Avita Sanchez, as la Belle Sissi.
the Spanish dancer. was aHuringly grace
ful and coquettish. Sylvan LangI0is. in
Baron PapOuChe, presented q character
sketch Of real merit. In fact, there is not
stick or Unframed performer in the cast,
and as consequence the piece went with
a breeZiness, a dash, and an artistic
smoothness that made 10 thoroughly en-
joyable. Il is a little masterpiece in the
line Of musical comedy. The cOstuming
is exceptionally rich and fetching. and
the setting was in every way worthy.
/ The music Of the piece is very catchy
and the finale Of the first act is notably
me and effective, just before the final
curtain falls Mr.. earle sings with hilari-
Gus effect a Lemon in the Garden Of
Love-
The audience was large, and contained
many well-known people. There were
several box parties. One Of the largest
was that Of Mr.. Mansen Moore. or Los
Angeles. whose marriage TO Miss Lucia
| London takes place at Washington Bar
racks tomorrow. Mr. Moore and
| friends occupied two boxes. Commander
and Mrs Irwin also gave a box party
as did Mr.. and Mrs Shonts. Other we'll
known people in the audience were Sena.
| tor and Mrs. Scott. Maj and Mrs Rich.
ards. Mr.. and Mrs. Charles J. Bell. Mr.
and Mrs Julian Ripley. Mr.. and Mrs. Clio
/ yer. Mr.. and Mrs. John O. Evans. Mr.
and Mrs Perry Johnson and Mr.. and
/ Mrs. Davenport Brown. of Boston: DR.
and Mrs. Yarrow. Mrs. T. A NJ Hop
/ kins. Mr.. and Mrs n N. Hopkins. Mrs
! WOolsey Aspinwan. Mrs. Tucker. Mrs
/ Richard Hooker. Mr.. and Mrs. George
/ Mayre. Mr. and Mrs. a. B. Browne. Mrs
/ Martha Y. Hichborn-Blaine. Miss Denny
/ Miss Curtis, Miss Shepard, and Miss Adee