The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-01
Bernard Scores
In His New Play,
Nearly a Hero
By A. h. BALLARD.
New York. Feb. %.

New York. Feb. -.
y AM BERNARD nearly stirred up
New York TO the extra-enthusi-
ast-c point the other night with
] his starring effort in Nearly a
Hero, book by Harry B. Smith and
music ny everybody.
! The Casino rang with plaudits and
! laughter. Bernard, true artist that he
! is. genuine character actor, glistenine
humorist, temperamentally funny TO the
core, caught tie sympathetic strain OF
the big crowd present, and made good
again. with a pars that was less than
the late Piggy Hoggenheimer." but.
nevertheless, an agreeable role with
which 10 conjure. Under another name.
I understand. they tried out the piece m
Philadelphia, or somewhere in obscuritv.
and finally decided TO make IL as smart
as the law allows, and bring Il to New
York town for a hurrah on Broadway.
Well il Is fun OF beaming, glorious
girls t5eming with gorgeous costume
and scintillating scenery. il is swift "a
narroW-running rapids: il is fun of at
tractive novelties which are conven-
tioHally up-to-date; it Is not raw. II is
rather, tteshly, to be sure. and racy Ger
tainiyi there are many dabs of as
sumed rialtoisms. such as. for example.
Ethel Levey remarks, as she shows .
Jeweled bracelet which has been given
TO her by a wicked Old boy: BE good
and youl be Happy, but you won't help
Tiffany any"
Also, Just now there seems to be an
easily opened food OF acclaim when You
remark that the high rollers are "stingv
now since the panic" Again, the refer
eEce to the person who does not know
the difference between ChurcmlTs and
Sherry's. seems TO be enormously witty.
some way or another. to the average
audience. You should remember that
the majority Of the Broadway audi
eEceS are made up % visitors, and you
VIII readily understand that the prompt.
~ approving hilarity in response to local
gags Is largely in consequence of a dis
position 10 laugh at any and all tiuef
so that the laughter may not appear
green Tie regulars and the first night
eFs are stolid as r lc and the fun has
got TO demonstrate itself plainly before
Jhey VIII crack a smile.
Far Above the Medium.
But the general smoOthness and high
colored finish OF the performance az the
Casino were far above the medium.
Bernard and Miss Levev constituted /
the star and the featured principal
Miss Levey worked extrc-lely hard /
wore many clothes. and So with /
raucous voice. She is an artist in her i
way. but it is a sharp and metallic way
Il mean, that / cannot feel the slight /
est semblance Of feminine charm about !
her presence.
She repels me with her studied and /
overdCne officiousness, instead of draw 1
ing me with a perfect and nicely bal
anced performance Gaudy. even Pa
rlsian, clothes. DO not make I'D for that I
utter lack of sweetness. But she is ca
pable. and she pulls along the over
loaded burlesqueries, as much as any
one else. perhaps a little more than
anyone else, in the company. Her
shoes, her stockings, her gowns. her
hats, make a picture on which models
VIII be duplicated. It's a show in It.
self
Ada Lewis started in the first act to
do the Job of her Iife-she held her head
Ike NazimOVa. read her lines like Ethel |
Barrymore. included some of Maude
Adams in her mental impression. and ,
stirred lot Of Ada Lewis into the mix
lure-tO begin creating one OF n most