Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-15
A N U S E N E N T S.
New National.

Another comedy: another musical COM
edy: another Ziegfeld musical COMEDY! 1t
works up to a climax like the comparison
Of an adjective The Soul Kiss" Is one
Of the adjective's especial friends. All
kinds of epithets for extravagant consure
to incoherent praise have been inspired by
It's rollicking audacities. Its scenes OF
lingering OSCILLATION call for protests. even
for yawns, but the costuming and the
dancing, especially as Genee figures in the
performance. are both beautiful and cleV-
err. Some excellent work is done by the
comedians. Ralph Herr as Mephisto is
to be welcomed funmaker who with
out becoming an Impractical idealist In
matters of stage humor keeps we'll to this
side of mere buffOonery. John Parks. as
a rollicking New York spendthrift, works
much and we'll. With winning smile.
a voice better than the ordinary in his
fine OF protraiture and a general air of
youthful buoyancy he made friends
promptly. Barney Bernard contributed
character delineation on well-worn but
always amusing lines. Not only were the
gowns and other habilaments creations IN
which fancy elaborated even the cunning
of the modiste. but their tenants for the
evening were young women of far more
than ordinary charms. 1t Is one OF the
few choruseS now eXtant that appear 10
be composed Of professional performers.
Bright patter songs are sprlnkied
through the performance and when the
vocalist feels disposed to moderate his
efforts he drops into colloquial tones
and lets the orchestra take entire charge
of the melody. Some Of the feminine
members of the company sing we'll and 10
some do not. But it doesn't matter. IL
is entertainment. not art. that is aimed at:
If you resent this irresponsible style OF
entertainment and long for the paimy
days of the drama you need not take the
trouble to express yourself about the
matter. 1t is all done for you In song
in which Mr.. Herr ventures just tlnge
of pathos, with excellent effect.
But with all the gilded gorgeousness or
the scenery, the splendors of costume. the
sparkle of wit ut really did sparkle every
now and them and the allurements OF
song (Maury Levy wrote the music, but
was not on hand to lead the boys In the
gallery, the one supreme influence was
the silent little woman who f1uttered
through 1t all like butterfly In garden
The season of 1908 finds the public dane
ing mad. not only ready to encourage
dancing in It's overrefined forms, but pa
tent with manifestations Of crude audac-
fact that she offends In no direction. With
complete physical control she combines
the art of Interpretation. and her perform
ance while pleasing to the eye is as ful
of subtle meaning as one or lVette Gull-
bert's songs. She affects no oddities OF
costume nor morbid themes to attract the
.ye or compel interest. She is as whole
some as she is fascinating. Her eques-
TRAN dance in the last act is histrionic
effort which though in pantomime Is
enough to discourage any actress VINO
ever played Lady Gay Spanker. Genee's
dancing is a creation OF delcate grace.
untarnished by a shadow of voluptuous
suggestion. She is the one conspicuous
dancer of the season who has offended In
no particular.