The Washington herald., 1907-12-03
AT LOCAL PLAYHOUSES

New NatiOnaI-Anna HeId's show.
The entertainment at the New National
Theater this week, which drew a crowded
house, the audience distinguished and typi-
cal OF Washington at its best. is called
on the programme THE Partisan Model"
but the name really doesn't matter
Everybody calls II the Anna Held
Show" and that is a much more distinc-
tive and apt title The book. such as it is,
is by Harry B. Smith; the music by Max
Hoffman, but the presiding genius Of the
whole affair the man behind the gun.
as il were. is Florenz ziegfeid. jr.. the
husband Of Anna Held. IT is he who is
responsible for much of the interpolated
music, for the costumes-than which
none more gorgeous or ornate have been
seen in musical comedy-and for those
tricks of stage-craft which make all Of
the shows which he produces Ike chain
ed lightning something doing from the
curtains rise 20 SIS fall
The story of The Partisan Model does
not matter at all. The only thing that
counts is that the curtain goes up at s:l5
on a stage brilliantly and artlstically
lighted. crowded from the back TO the
footlghts with nimble-footed. smiling. and
pretty girls; that tune succeeds tune.
dance succeeds dance, and laugh sue
eeeds laugh With a rapidity and dex-
terity that no one cares TO keep count OF
costumes are changed; the most gorgeous
hues. all the colors Of the rainbow, all the
beauty OF the peacock-a Kaleidoscope of
tints silks, satins. jewels. flowers-each
picture more striking than the last. There
are four scenes. and the show is a long
one; and yet, through it all there is
hardly moment when the stage Is not
filed with some new and startling num-
Der. There is never a pause in the fun;
il Is all one breathlesS dash of audacity
and beauty that ends with the unique
skating rink scene.
In the first act. which shows a dress
making establishment where Miss Held
is the model. great opportunity IS given
for the display Of Partisan gowns, and
the star herself changes no less than eight
times in the course OF one song. In the
second act the feature is Miss Held in
that song-which has been copied so ex-
tensively. but never before sung properly
in Washington Just Can't Make Ny
Eyes Behave" and another feature is
Won't You Be My Teddy Bear?'' Excel
lent. too, was Ma Cherie" and Wont
You Be Ny Honey?' sung in French by
NJ Leoni
But all the way through the show there
is surprise after surprise. There is a fine
number in the first act called "The
Whistling Yankee Girl" and a bully duet
by Miss Held and Otis Harlan called "A
Lesson in kissing" Then in the second
act there is the surprise Of the artists
models. a number that seems to promise
all sorts of things. but which ends in a
surprise that sends the audience into
roar of laughter Then Mr.. Harlan hasa
topical song. I'm Washington" a song
that hits pretty hard at some OF the fol-
blcs of Washington society. but which
was received with a storm OF applause
last night and got at least a dozen en-
cores. Another pretty song in this act is
San Francisco Bay" In the last act
there is a number that is unique, called
Bells" in which a large chorus Of pretty
girls comes with sleigh bells attached to
their costumes, and the tunes they play
and the way they play them makes de-
cided hit
Following this comes the best song in
the show. sung by Miss Held and Mr..
LeOni. IT'S Delightful TO Be Married.
tuneful dainty, and whistleaDle BY a
clever device the scene is shifted 10 the
skating rink and the large chorus of
girls has been taught TO skate gracefully,
so that the picture is both startling and
pretty. To help the act out, there is Miss
Bertha Mack, a champion feminine
skater, and Mr.. Earle Reynolds. another
champion skater, with some chaps who
do on skates comedy stunts" that are
unique.
The Partisan Model would seem to be
the last word in the way Of an Anna Held
show. Certainly here Manager Ziegfeld
has surpassed all his previous efforts: it
is a better observation-disclosures in a
different way-than his other success,
The Follies Of 1907.
Miss Held. who is the center OF at
traction In this show, shows decided i'm
provement in her art. She never looked
better than she did last night, In spite
Of her recent illness. and she plays with
verve and vivacity that is charming.
She is surrounded by a frst-class com
pany. Otis Harlan. 10 whose hands the
comedy is intrusted. is very funny; he
can both sing and dance. and his "In
I
evening In Mr.. Henri Leoni Mr.. Zieg-
field has secured ar actor who can really
sing He has voice of remarkably fine
quality and he uses il to great advantage
I Miss Edith Decker is another singer who
adds much to the entertainment Clever
work is done in a small part by Mr..
Eugene Redding, and F. Stanton Heck
was very funny as Hercule.
But back Of the principals, and con-
tributing much Of the gayety and Joyous
ness and laughter OF the show. is the big
chorus Of pretty girls-giris who dance
and sing as If they really liked it, so that
their merriment is contagious and car
ries over the footlights. That Maurice
Levi is the musical director also helps a
lot
That the show was heartily enjoyed
was evidenced by the frequency of the
encorcs, the fervency Of the applause.
1t showed that The Partisan Model Is a
sure cure for the blues; an enemy to dull
care. No wonder IL ran thirty-five weeks
~