The Washington times., 1908-01-12

- success; and as a musical
comedy. flashed for the first
time at the Casino last Mon
day night, il viii do.
Irving Cobb, rather famous. quiet and
pungent humorist of the New York
World, is guilty Of the book. and the
lyrics are the joint mischievous effort
OF Stafford Waters. Carolyn Wells and
Paul West Cobb's work is a sort of
mixed essence of George AIDE, George
COhan and Jimmy Forbes; and. although
he is obviously a neophyte in stage
matters. his plot and its Incidents. his
fauCics and their sciutillatOns, his es-
sentiaI absurdiues that tickle you, and
his tin5.ing phraseology are all effective,
After a few evenings tinkering they
will brace up the weak places, add 10
the high lights. accent the possible big
peggiug points in a technical sense
and then the whole show will be bet.
ter than IL is at the outset. But even
now the scenic picture is superb
bungalO in Japan, its interior and sur
Touudings; the costuming is seductive,
and the frivOIs are speedy As such
things go, 1 should say that this is
above the average; and, barring the
TOO generous amount Of mush IL the
elongated love scenes. there Is little In
The three acts that violates good taste.
The best Of taste IS achieved when we
realized that they had again put before
or delighted eyes a galaxy OF chorus
girls that are the genuine article-the
real old Casino kiud-the kind that elicit
bundles OF flowers from the claw-ham-
uer contingent, the kind who step into
automobiles when they emerge from the
stage entrance after the performance.
In truth. there Is a beyy of human
charmers in that musical phantasy thay
makes me think Of the palmy days OF
youth when Pauline Hall made the vel
kin ring az this same. gilded Casino.
Maud Fulton Makes Hit.
We must MOI forget. while we are
speaking of the affair, the sETite, Maud
Fulton. who has . pyrotechnical tenn
permanent ana a soubrette quality, that
catches the house like a bear trap Her
singing of i've Been Discharged by !
Them Az" is on OF the best things We
have had this winter She worked at |
Nacy's and all the department stores /
IN town I'm sICcession-in the soug-and I
tells her hard-Iuck story in way TO /
make your heart Elad. Her dancing, !
ana that OF her husband, William Rock, !
is ths best of its kind in town. When /
tue regulators of the fates Of this en- /
tertainmcnt curtaiI Inc noise polish up /
the better points, let Maud bound /
around in more evidence, and keep the /
great chorus more constantly on parade, |
they will have something that might run /
ihcre for some months. and then gather /
enthusiastic plaudits on the road. Alice !
Fisher is given one speech in the JEird /
Of mere Man with those of the Tn |
trustworthy Sex. that makes hit. IL !
is in the compIetest CobLese, tautaIiZ- |
ingIy funny, and could be extended into |
the feature OF the performance. II is |
quite as good "a chance rs Raymond /
Hitchccck's stump speech in "A Yankee /
Tourist" and Alice Fisher is just the !
plump AMI winning person TO deliver il. /
The audience last Monday fairly ate 1t /
uD and was hungry for more. II is /
Mr.. Cobb.s best opportunity In the play. |
II there is a newspaper man In town |
who has no drama, no musical lyric, !
no complete or incomplete dramatic /
composition i'm his desk at the present |
time. ] have failed 10 find him. All the /
BOYS are at it, Where viii this erd? |
Hackett Scores Another Failure.
James X. Hackett has met another |
Waterloo You properly ''panned" his |
production of George AIiddleton's dram |
atiza;ion Of Meredith NiCholson's book. |
"The House OF a Thousand Candles" |
T.. NJ. Holland, a fine actor and a pains /
taking artist. stood alone IL the midst
of a mediocre company, and. Of course, /
was unable to make "A vital play out of /
a badIy-acted, supine apology for a
third-rate -nelodrama. Mr. Holland is |
worthy of better activities, and doubt /
less viii ind them in the near future. /
Mr. Hackett has displayed better judg-l
ment, both as an actor and as d di-ec- /
tor, Of theatrical amusements. than he /
las exhibited of late. He Is now at
the head of the list Of failures in every !
respect this season May his fortunes !
and the star of ms destiny, grow
brighter before many suns have set
At his Hackett theater runs the best
play of the year, "The Witching Hour" !
10 crowded houses. Down Broadway, /
around the corner, a few blocks, at !
Dalv's. 1.-The House of a Thousand Can
dies" is So gloomy that a million can
dies could not dispel its gloom.
Among the most pleasing, and lasting /
ly Notwithstanding, events of the year |
IS tire week revival of BaTTie'S Quail
itv Street" with MaUdc Adams. at the (
Empire We have not seen this tender, /
humsniziug, appealing little masterpiece /
OF blended pathOs and comedy, in five /
years. and ITS charm is wholly upon US [
again. Miss Adams carries us, with her /
WitcIeTy and tenderness and perfect Z
art, into a realm where tears and [
laughter intermingle. and we bless her /
There is no need To say that the thedter /
is full at each performance, 1t proves (
again, that we 80 10 the theater 10 have
our hearts touched. just as readily as
we DO to experience thrills Of excite
menr.
ny a ,,-,,1.,1sot~ Div