The sun., 1908-09-01
aLLGHRIA" 4 TUNEFUL PIECE
A COMIC OPERA ABOVE THE
ORDINARY RUN.

It Il Musical Play with Real Music ip
II and Not an Attempt at Making Pop
uiar sengs-stsse Setting end the
hIesedy Much Better Than the Book.
algeria" the Victor Hsrbert-G Glen
MaeD Donoueh musical play which had its
opening ct the Broadway Theatre last
night. comes ~ Q relief TO theetregoers
who have endured so-oalled mu sical
comedy for the last few years. IL goes
back q few years and belongs TO tho
period when q musical play had music
In II. not o bunch Of so-called popular
songs fresh from the Twenty eighth
etreet factories.
In short the authors have tried to pro-
duce another comic opera. and although
the result 10 not all that could be hoped
for yet 1t will surely appeal to thoss
who appreciate music that 10 the work
OF composer who at his worst is a
better musician than any OF his oontern-
poraries on this side Of the water at their
best. &.
Whatever success the new piece at
tains will be due to Mr.. Herbert's appeal
to the ear and George Marion's appeal
to the eye rather than to any novelty
Of overpowering humor Of Mr.. MacDon-
ough's book. Tho soene. Algeria. gave
an opportunity for effects In oostuming
which made an exceedingly pretty pict-
urs and supplied the background for
some Characteristic music which was by
far the best in the score.
Some Of II. In fact, was bit too good
for last nights audiences bit over the
heads Of those who like what they oan
whistle. 30 q Moorish march. full of
weird melody and the unusual charming
orchestration which Mr.. Herbert 30 often
supplies was passed with perfunctory
manifestation Of appreciation, while the
one song In which the company lowered
his standard q bit was encored to the
point OF boredom. The title Of the latter
number, Ask Her While the Band Is
Playing,' gives an idea Of what the audi
ence liked best.
There's still time for 1t to reach the bali
rooms OF Luna and Dreamland and II
surely will. Folks will probably speak
Of 1t as the Algeria musio. but it's the
poorest music In the score.
None OF the other numbers had simple
melody that was easily carried away. but
mono Of them was absolutely common
place and almost all showed the Herbert
tricks of harmony and Instrumentation
which make his music 80 different and 90
charming. He has written better music.
but this latest work will not harm his
reputation. He was unfortunate. how
ever. In having 1t sung by principals who
could not do It justice.
Ida Brooks Hunt. the leading woman.
to whom two or three Of the most pre-
tsptious numbers fell. was unable to make
any OF her low notes heard beyond the
middle OF the orchestra seats and Harriet
Burt did little moro than talk to the 40
compartment Of the songs she was sup
posed to sing.
Even william Pruette fell short In one
OF his two numbers, and only George Leon
Moore made the most Of his opportunities,
His Love II Like Cigarette was the best
musical bit in the production. The
chorus, too. comes In for commendatiop,
It sang exceedingly we'll. -
. Tho story is q frankly impossible BIT Of
ina gination which tells Of the search by .
Suitana for the poet whose works have
made her love him. Three deserteFs
from the Foreign Legion supply tho fun
and the backbone Of the action. each in
his efforts to prove himseK the sought for
one, and that's about all there 10 to II. OF
these three. who relied as much upon
horseplay as anything else In their efforts
to draw forth laughs, George Marion was
the only one whose fun was at all spon-
taneous The play ID well mounted and
full Of beautifully costumed pretty girls.
There's also . simeon at the end Of the
first act that was voted success. although
few In the audience knew what they were
talking about when they declared II to be
the real thing. And the oamel-the best
two man camel that has been seen In