The Washington herald., 1908-09-06
NEW YORK THEATERS
THE SUCCESS OF BILLY BURKE-VIRCINIA
HARMED IN VAUDEVILLE

SPECIAL Cozrsspoldencs The Washington Herald.
New York Sept 5-Untn something
ike year ago hardly any american
knew that such a girl as Billie Burke eX-
listed She was an American girl, how
ever. working in music halls and appear
ing in musical pieces in London Unless
this scribe is greatly mistaken. she halls
from Washington. D c, and has rela-
tives stin living in the Capital Charles
Frohmau brought her over a year ago to
assist John Drew in playing tnat inter
eslinE French farce. Ny Wife" Her
success was instantaneous. and for the
better para OF the season New Workers
went 10 see her al the Empire. praised
hey work. and went into mild raptures
over her personality Everybody liked
her. and il was the same on tour during
the short swing around the circle which
John Drew took before the season ended
Frohman was perhaps lucky that he Sc
cured Love Watches for her This
piece proved a great success in Paris and
has been rendered into English by Gladys
Unger- Il introduced the frisky Billie as
star and opened the season al the Ly-
ceslin- She did not disappoint the hiE au-
disnce. aad to-day she is one of the real
lucky girls whose professional interests
Charles Frohman so carefully looks after.
She scored a personal and artistic tri-
Umph in this farce Of Nh. de Flers and
Cailavet. though the success was helped
along materially by Ernest Lawford. the
terrible pirate Capt Hook. Of Peter
Pan fame. who played the principal
part opposite the star
There Is no telling what piCuancy has
been suppressed. what particularly sala-
ciCUs mOrsels have been thrown 70 the
pussy. OF what hilarious incident To cap
q mad climax has been omitted I'm the
adaptation but for a successful Partisan
piece II is sinEularly lacking in the e1-
pecJed thrill But il is not deficient in
any other element Of interest. and the
success which Miss Burke scored was
richly deserved
In this lively. weII-acted. and some
times brilliant farce the insouciaut Jac-
queline. lively. wiIfuL vfvacious. ardent. [
and honest. coufesses To the somewhat
fiirtatious Andre de Juvignv that she is /
IN love with him. becomes his wife. grows
jealous Of him. and in a momentary III Of
resentment flies 20 the bachelor apart /
ments Of a perfectly harmless and very
bashfuI bibliomaniac and poor scholar. {
Ernest Augarde. who has always adored /
her az distance and for a time hoped 4
10 become her husband
Jacqueline Is terribly IN love with Ar 4
dre, and all would have gone well but FOR /
d simple act OF unavoidable poIiteness TO 1
The designing widow, Lucie de Morton
taine. an old fame Of his. who turns up /
now that he and JaC1uelile have re-
turned from their honeymoon. and Of ]
course. knows how 10 make Andres sim
PIE act OF politeness take on a very sig
nldeanr appearance
Poor Finest. whose life has been sad
d=ued by disappointment in love and
VINO never INDUCED in an intrigue with a 4
woman. IS enchanted with the prospect
CT an adventure with Jacgueline when .
s1e comes % his room He gives her q
Champagne supper. but he Is SO timld and
she IS so fearful Of consequences that
nothing worse EOUpens than q frustrated /
attempt on Ernests part 10 steal a kiss
JacQueline flies 90 the top Of a stepladderl
and takes refuge al the mere approach
Of Ernest
In the end seeing he is made q mere
stalkIng horse for her. Ernest advises her
70 60 hack 10 her home. and promises 10
make Andre very much ashamed Of him
self. 50 she takes his advice and after
firing her husbands Jealousy and driving
-ial % the verge Of desperation. 10 the
peril of poor Ernest. every
thing is nicely adjusted. and everybody.
Andre. chuckies with deiirnr
when IL Is revealed that il was Ernest
who excited the alarm OF everybody Fr-
nest Of course. is an emblem Of fnnocu-
JUS desuetude- That is a little Partisan !
Oke.
Not only was Miss Burke enchanting I
p tie role Of JaclueIiue. bit M Froh- S
nan surrounded her with a company Of
-eInarkabie strength and capacity for
light comedy 1Iaude OdeU was a f-4- {
ure as the designing young widow who !
-auses all the mischief and Lawford G
sdded laurels 10 his chapIeI Of fame as
Ernest AuEarde- IN the role Of Andre Q I
lew English leading man. Cyril Height q
ay-~made his rrst appearance with only J
air success Others in the cast were W / :
T. CromPton- Kate Meek. Stanley Dark. D
md Louise Drew Love Watches is C
ne OF the hits Of the early season. and
10 doubt about IT,
On Monday night occurred the first per S
oTmance OF the new musical play. al &
-eria.' by Glen MscdOn0uEh and Victor y
teroert- which opened the season Of the
Broadway Theater- The piece met with
hearty reception from a typical first 81
light audience. II is a big production
With a sirOcco and a realistic ssn5sro--, !.
feet for the finale OF the second act and y
veryIhtnE done IL bright colors. The / b
Gene Is French Algiers. more. parrfrr.la--
2 tne walled oasis of Sadi Almond. in
ne sahara Desert peopled with French / ~
oldiers. bayaderes. EabyIe. female
urSes- and street vendors. forming a -
motley and extraordinary picture Of s.
Eastern street life The composer has v
one his share. musicaliy. Of adding In s.
ne barbarlc splendOr Of the mise en-
Gene. Tor one Of the most effective nun
ers IS the chorus expressive of the weird r
aythm and savage tempo OF a desert 3
lelocy musically developed. The brief s.,
venture and opening chorus are dist5n- "
uished by dignity and s1lem1ity. as v-eu
s beauty and volume
Virginia Harmed, who in private life is %
lrs- Z H SoJhern, from whom she is ior
skiing a divorce in one OF the Western Ia
tates, made her first appearance in
audeviile this week al a BROOKLYN re-
DIT where the men smoke. lust as they "
al HammerStein's at every. perform 7
nee But Miss Harmed viii probably not :
IND this token Of dislespecr in view Of
he fact that William Harris is paving L.
er $500 week And she pays no row b.
-ly TO On author. for the sketch is her Ia
WI handlwork Il is called The Idol Of
se Hour
From all accounts the niece was Svc- ..1
assfully launched amid the 71sue1 - -
tenent OF debut OF a popular actress.