Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-04
sROLLICKMG
GIRL A HIT
PRODUCTION PROVES A BARGAIN
IN THEATRIcALs
HAS CAPABLE CAST AND A WELL
DRILLED CHORUS
snltz Edwards, Comedian Of the Conn.,
pany, Is Genuinely Funny, and
Miss Blow Becomes Prime
Favorte
By sIDLE LAWRENCE

hN 6lDAEf La w AeEfAt0AN
A clever cast of principals, a well
trained chorus that is good to look upon,
handsome costuming and skillful lignt-
ing effects-these things make THE Rol-
licking GIRL" who is at the Los Angeles
theater this week, one of the merriest
young women we have seen in a month of
Sundays. The program accuses Sydney
Rosenfeld of having written the book,
but even if this Is correct Rosenfeld
should not be blamed too severely. There
is so very little to his work that his
offense, at worst, is merely peccadillo.
The man who deserves credit for THE
RoIlicking Girl Is the individual who
staged it, who selected the costumes,
devised the stage pictures and attended
to all the hundred and one other details
OF the finished production.
w. T. Francis music Is not brilliant,
but much Of 1t has a pleasing tinkle, and
one of the airs, Friends caught the
house to such an extent that 1t was
whistled Justify. There are other good
numbers, too, notably "Lovey Dovey"
and the Swing Song" the latter some
what reminiscent of a similar air In
dolly Warden"
However, "The Rollicking Girr' is a
success and a good, big one; not because
of any inherent merit in the piece itself,
but because of the skill of the players
and the excellence of the production,
which puts to shame many attractions
that have played Los Angeles at a con-
siderably higher schedule of prices.
Chorus Is Kept Busy
with all due respect to Snitz Edwards
and Miss Lila Blow, first honors must be
awarded to the chorus. II is capable
chorus, well-rounded, symmetrical
chorus, and when it isn't busy rollicking
on the stage it Is down underneath,
changing it's clothes. 1t would require
census enumerator in the employ OF
promotion committee properly to count
those costume changes. The wardrobe
woman earns her salary.
Snitz Edwards, stage Choiman, Is the
comedian with the show. Paul Decker
isn't unfunny either, but Snitz, who Is
1ust about as big as his name, oversteps
his six-foot coworker. 1t isn't so mucn
what he says as the funny way he says It.
don't doubt that he could read a page
of Henry James and make 1t amusing, and
If you know James you know that IS
high praise.
Miss Lila Blow is a young woman of
charming personality, vivacious and mag
uetic. She was suffering from cold last
night and consequently was not at her best
vocally, but the audience didn't seem 20
mind and encored her repeatedly. Her
NONe@4
defect which may be merely temporary.
Miss Bessie Phillols confessedly can't
sing, and she doesn't have to. She can
talk song so that it is well worth the
hearing and especially worth the seeing;
and she can dance a song in way that
makes an encore or so an inevitable
carollary.
An Old Style Song
Seriatim: Miss Blows number
80 41,A co
MAR on the program. This is a topical
song of the old style, in which the singer
interrupts herself in each verse to Illus
trate the point made. How to compel a
man buried in his Newspaper to give a
lady a seat in a crowded car; how to in
duce backward young man to propose
these and other matters are clearly illus
trated while you wait
Miss Phillips "Old Time Songs and
Dances was another popular number.
1t has been popular in the east for sew
eral seasons but is new to Los Angeles.
1t would be ungallant, though, for me
to tell you just how long ago first saw
this charming young woman do this same
stunt.
Miss Blows 'eFriends'; Indians Along
Broadway" sung by Misses Blow and
Phillips and Messrs. Edwards and Deck
er; the "Swing Song by Miss Murray,
Mr. Mcintyre and chorus, and "Lovey
Dovey," by Edwards and Decker, were
other well liked numbers. In the swing
song a number Of pretty girls seated in
old fashioned swings are propelled out
over the front rows and at the finish the
swing ropes are lighted with colored in
candescents. making a very pretty effect.
'aThe Rollicking Girr' is in three acts
and seven scenes. AS presented at the
Los Angeles theater it is the best bar
gain in theatricals that house has yet
given us.