The Washington herald., 1907-12-24
The CoIun,bIa-"Miss Hook of HoI-
Iand.v

=
land"
II Mr.. Charles Frohman has not sue
ceeded in building great big success out
OF HIS American version of the English
success, Miss Hook Of Holland" which
had its premiere on this side OF the At
lantic al the Columbia Theater last night,
ne has at least got together a picturesque,
dainty, tuneful, and pretty show; an en-
tertainment that pleases without arousing
a great amount Of enthusiasm; show Of
mild qualities, whether one considers II
musically. scenically or through its comic
aspect
But the performance last night was
enough TO convince any one that in Miss
Hook of Holland" the owners have piece
Of theatrical property which only needs
some quick and determined work of the
right sort 10 build il into a large success.
1t is generously staged it's company has
been generously engaged: those who have
been a bit stingy are MIR. Paul A. Reu-
bens and Austen Hurgon, who furnished
what is called on the programme the
chatter" and Mr.. Reubens again. whose
music, while II might aptly be described
as ''sweetly pretty" is nowhere startling
for it's ability 10 lift an audience out Of
itself and which. in only one or two in
stances outside of the ensemble numbers.
which are without exception goods
strong enough to make an audience. IN the
language of the man in the street, sit up
and take notice"
l rather hate that word pretty" and
yet it seems TO be the first one that
jumps TO the mind I'm connection with
Miss Hook OF Holland" and the reason
FOR this is, probably. that Mr. Frohman
has been so careful-he always !s-to
accomplish all that it is possible for a
manager and producer TO do. The two
scenes Of the play are marvels of artis-
tic beauty. the first one showing the
cheese market at Andyk, on the borders
Of the Zuyder Zee. and the second the
interior of a liquor distillery at Amster-
Gam.
The costumes. too. are. throughout the
piece, fne examples OF good taste and
judgment in selection. Correct in detail
without exaggeration. these costumes OF
the Hollanders lend themselves with fine
picturesqueness to the exigencies OF comic
opera. so that one wonders in this day
of searching for novelties in mythical
rrincipalitieS and the islands Of the South
| Seas why the Netherlands has never
| been thought OF before.
But II is unfortunately true that Mr.
| Frohman cannot make show by the ex-
/ penditure either OF money or artistic
taste-nor even by the engagement OF
/ high-priced principals; a skeleton on
which t. hang these things IS necessary.
and in the present case the skeleton is
pretty wabbly and attenuated
The story Of the piece contains nothing
startling-not that this is itself a fault.
/ for few musical comedies nowadays make
any pretense At plot. 1t concerns the
adventures OF one Hook. a distller, who
has a recipe for a liquor for which his
distilling house in Amsterdam has be-
come famous. and which falls into the
/ possession Of an army officer who thinks
| he is In love with Hooks daughter.
/ Sally. There are other lovers and other
complications sufficient 10 carry the story
| from Arndvk 10 Amsterdam, where al
the end all the lovers are united, as
usual. and everybody is happy.
Consequential as the plot is, it serves
as peg on which 10 hang wealth Of
musical numbers. In all there are twen-
/ ty-one. which keep something going most
/ Of the time Unfortunately. IN the first
/ act there IS hardly one number that may
] be said 10 be really taking Here again
I the word pretty comes in-how 7 hate
I that word, II seems 10. but does not
really. cover up such a multitude Of sins
/ The FIRST pretty number is called on
( the programme "a knitting seXtet. though
/ IL IS sung by eight girls; perhaps the two
I are added for good measure. However,
/ the song is dainty enough. but lacks dash
and 90. IL is followed by Lazy LOafers,