Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-31
MARY IS A
LIVELY GIRL
MARIE cAHILL's COMEDY PROVES
A TREAT
STAR BY NO MEANS THE WHOLE
SHOW
"Long SkIrted Chorus" Doesn't Per-
nit Those Long Skirts to Inter-
fere in the Least with
High Kicking
By sIDLE LAWRENCE

Passing out of the Mason opera mouse
last night, with the orchestra playing
Marie Cahills Dummy Love Song" 1
overheard a charming Miss Malaprop
remark to a friend that she thought the
"epitaph was just fine" Now of course
the young woman didn't mean exactly
what she said, for Marrying Marry
is altogether too lively. an affair 20 come
to an untimely end However, l can
take hint as we'll as the next man, and
for the benefit of Miss Malaprop and
others who enjoyed that "epitaph,' here
1t is-Marrying Mary's epilogue, spoken
by Miss Cahill at the end of the comedy:
Dear friends. word, If you've moment
left to spare
They say that laughter is an enemy to care,
And so our aim was just to have laugh,
not cynical, but jolly
And crack a harmless Jest at human folly.
If you came here to solve some problem deep,
We trust you've had a pleasant sleep.
If there's a moral to the play
1t is: Extremes will meet
And Love will have its way
But If you choose to vary
This sage conclusion, say what you like.
Only be a kindly fairy
And when you go abroad just say a pleas
ant word for Marrying Mary"
Miss Cahill is a big woman. Avoir-
dupois apart, she is the, biggest woman
who has come to Los Angeles this sea-
son In musical comedy. She proves 1t
by showing that she has not feared to
surround herself with competent COM
pany. Thus it happens that Miss Cahill
herself is by no means the whole show
not even the better half of It, despite the
numerous occasions on which Marrying
Mary has been cast in that better half
role.
AS for the work of the three collab-
orators who are responsible for the
piece. Mr.. Boyle's comedy is sufficiently
funny, Mr.. Benjamin Hapgood Burt's
lyrics sufficiently clever, and Mr..
Silvio Helms music quite the catchiest,
most delightful melody we in Los An
geles have heard put to such uses.
Miss Cahill is at her best in bur-
lesaue. She would do well in comedy,
better in farce, but is best of all In the
broader, exaggerated foolery of gen
uine burlesque.
A Ribbon Counter Siren
That little bit at the ribbon counter
last night was a gem and the gem was
not paste. It came in the second act
and in the third the star sang her own
song: 'T Love You in My Dunn, Dunn,
Dummy Way" This is dainty, non
sensical affair, relating the love cpl
sode of two clothing dummies, one in
the gents furnishings" department
and the other across the aisle in the
department of robes ct manteaux.
The lyric is the best Of the comedy and
the melody has that elusive yet haunt
ing quality that is the ultimate goal of
all song writers. There is such q
thing as having a popular song too
popular This one Is not. 1t Is just
popular enough, and it is charmingly
sung into the bargain.
There are several good voices in the
company, among them the rousing
basso of Eugene Cowles. Cowles plays
a virginia colonel. He has a solo and
a duet with Miss Cahill. in both of
which he is heard to advantage. More
over he displays unexpected skill as
farceur.
Then there are Messrs. Clark, Smith
ana Clifton. whose trio Three Men in
a Boat, might we'll have won even the
critical opinion of Mr.. Jerome's Mont
moreDcy.
He Is a Veteran
Mark Smith has been in comic opera
so long that the memory of annalists
runs not to the contrary. You won 7
recognize him in his makeup, but l
presume he's the same old Mark. He
once sang in musical comedy with Mrs.
Leslie Carter, but he probably is no
prouder of it than she is. That l be-
Iieve was the year Cleveland was
nominated for the presidency the third
time. Likewise there is Nellie Lynch,
but where soubrettes are concerned 1T
is only fair to let bygones be by
cones.
There's young woman in the COM
pany, Miss Anna Belle Gordon, who
hasn't much to do but who does 1T in
way that suggests she probably has a
future in her chosen work. She looks
something like Edna Wallis Hopper
and she evidently strives to heighten
the resemblance. but it is to be hoped
she has something more than the Hop
per voice.
marrying Mary has many good"
lines and this, addressed to member
of the American house of lords: you're
disgrace even to the United States
senate"
It's pictures are pretty, made so by
pretty girls and attractive costuming--
the scenery doesn't amount to much.
AT its close If you're lucky and a good
catch. you may get blossom from
Marrying Mary's shower bouquet-her
fourth. AS for that much advertised,
Iong g-skirted chorus it is also long
silk stockinged chorus as you may
have ample opportunities for observing
If you are interested