The Washington times., 1907-01-01
Carries Spring Chicken"
A Really Funny Show


well. did you like IL? Did it make
you Iaugh?" Thus Manager Rapley TO
the scribe egressing from the first Wash
ington performance OF THE Spring
Chicken" az the National last night.
Il did. indeed. II would make anyone
laugh.
There is nothing startling new Ia the
plot. nor yet in The music. but there is
plenty Of both, and from start TO nnisn
there is not duh moment. And tnat
in a musical comedy is Il virtue 10 cover
a multitude or sins.
IL anyone takes 10 1.-The Spring Chick
en- = lingering belief in the ancient
adage concerning a multiplicity OF cooks.
he will leave II behind him. For never
was a play produced with sucn a Fegi-
ment OF authors. Il Is some years since
Messrs. Jaime and Duval. the latter one
or the authors or "Neronique. wrote
a liyeiy French farce which they called
lie Soquin de Printsnps," or The
Spring Chicken" George GrOssmith, IT,,
adapted the work Tor George EdWardes.
OF London, Ivan Caryn being commis-
stoned TO furnish the score. Before
GrOssmitn ana Caryu We're through with
their British version, 40 ian Ross and
Percy Greenback supple some lyrics,
and some new songs wee written BY
Lionel Monckton. Ine res lit was de
cided. though very British, success.
The Spring Chicken ran through
two seasons IN L0adon, and naturally
American managers looked al IL with
longing eyes. Ii was suggested for botn
Frank Daniels ana Jen de Angels. Dut
n,It.4er OF them would nave any lnlng 70
DO with II. Then earle took II up. lie
kept all that was good IN II, dropped
OUT several very British topical songs.
substituting some excellent new ones OF
his own, and toned down some OF the
too risque situations-(oh, just the least
little bit The piece is sun rather hignly
spiced though not OuenslFej-and II
6naIly emerged from the hands OF It's
many cooks. down 10 turn, a welcome
addition 10 the season = theatrical least.
Richard earle, himself lean, Ike all
funny men OF the stage suggesting IN
appearance an elongated. and very ors'
splinter, bears the brunt Of the Iuh-
making lie squeezes every drop OF
comedy from his part, and uere are
a good many drops IN ~, one OF TIE
funniest scenes Is that OF lh5 h5ghly
amusing diners a GeuE" at the Grim
son Butterfly" which IS said 20 be
original IN Mr.. Carries version. But
the show Is not all Carrie oy any
means He has surrounded himself WIKI
a gen rally excellent company. IN iacI
Emma Janvier as his wife the lemon
IN the garden Of love- whereof he sings
in the last act-runs him a close second
ana comes near to dividing hoaors Win
the star. Bessie Mccoy, one OF the Des1
dancers on the stage, looks thoroughly
charming as Resale, the county 4i4a-o
and dances and sings with her usual
ease and grace. Victor Morley play
Bahori win considerable snap, while
May Bouton as Nine. Baborl, ana Ade4s
Rowland as Baroness Papouche are
me chorus is large, pretty-lf you
don't scrutnize II with TOO strong Z
glass-Weu drilled, and II Works haFd
II surrounds earle most OF me TINE
singing and dancing with him, an,
helping out the song Aits OK ans
niece. which are, as a matter OF fact
mostly dance hits" For, sad 20 re-
late the only one OF the principals wac
can sing and he only by comparison u
I Victor Morley. But as most q the otil'
ers are obviously suffering from colds
il is. perhaps, scarcely Tair 70 Juas,
them. And, whether they could sins
I or not. earle certainly made Mts OF ma
.Au the Girls Love Me- ana lh'
Lemon IN the Garden OF Love sonsS
/ Emma Janvier brought down the house
| and II was packed-with her or course
l Don't Know: But I Guess bessl'
Mccoy won encores with y ufsle dHl
Baby" and Rotterdam and Morley
+ sang with intelligence IL not Win YeEA
I big voice a swinging march song, Go
| quin de PriRtemps' IN The frst act ah1
[ .;Vaiting for a Certain Girl" IN the sec
ouG This last was really the pes
song Of the evening. ana, when one o
I I'd WATERS tOoh II up uS'~+NFS@ -
I On4y real voice.
/ though II is largely a matter OF girl
/ ana gags, has considerable real fun Il
| ii. and while SIS music is not origlna
/ n Is tuneful and easily remembered. 1
/ is a good. lively. amusing show WIZ
| some particularly clever choruses an'
/ a great deal OF good cancing-to which
/ bv the way. Arthur Conrad makes on
! notable contribution. u j. an ideal New
/ Year Eve show and oUslt 10 carry &ei
/ an fba week Nj. Med.