The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-24

zion round the pole by this amusing and novel extravaganza
 The general composition of the "Top O tn World recalls very clearly those two pleasing stage offerings, "The Wizard of Oz'' and Babes in Toyland," without suggesting that 1t has in any way been borrowed from them. Quite the contrary being the case, save when Bailey and Austin are on the stage, and then one can't help but remember Montgomery and Stone as the Scarecrow and the Tin Man. Though the real point of similarity be- tween the three extravaganzas is that the stage pictures are delightful to look upon, the comedy of that amusing sort free from any sort of vulgarity and the whole an entertainment especially appealing to children varying from the ages of six to three score years and ten.
 The book written by Mark E. Swann is built of the usual slight timber that is generally employed In the framework of musical comedies. It tells story which is dreadfully hard to keep up with. It winds itself in and out among the spec tacular features. 1t runs something like this: Jack Frost delights in turning mere mortals who come into the land of Illusia, into ice, for he resents their presence in the Kingdom. An inventor has can of tropical atmosphere and illustrates Jacks scheme by thawing Jacks victims as soon as he conquers them Rather brief but this is the sum and substance of the main plot There is fairy prince in love with a little girl hunting for the wishing pole, and another maiden called Stalacta in love with an Arctic explorer. A very friendly and domesticated Polar bear, Jack in the Box, the Candy Kid, @ charming and dainty little Eskimo, old Santa and Aurora Borealis, who queens 1t over the land of the north, make up the other characters incidental to the story, but all very necessary to the enter tainment
 The lyrics, by James O'Dea are anus ing when necessary and thoroughly ap- propriate. To Manuel Klein and Anna Caldwell the production is indebted for it's musical numbers. which, when taken altogether. are tuneful and pretty, though there is no song so easy to be remembered as to be especially popular.
 To Fred Bailey, as Jack-in-the-Box. and Ralph Austin, as the Candy Kid, go most of the laurels for ability to arnuse. They are particularly clever in their work as team and pull together with a nicety which is most agreeable to witness. Theirs is a humor born from long association with the burlesque and vaudeville stages. but they have eliminated all vugarity so often found there, and probably owe their success to that coupled with large per centage of hard work. As the friendly bear, Al Grady gave finished perform ance of a perfectly domesticated animal, while Florence Smith made Kokomo as bewitching and dainty as could be wished.
 "A Fool and His Money.v
 In "A Fool and His Money, which will be produced at the Jefferson theatre next Friday night, MT. George T. Broadhurst has aimed little higher than he has in the past. He calls 1t a farcical comedy and the title is not at all ill-fitting The first act is straight comedy of the Nat Goodwin order. In fact 1t IS only in the third act where he hides his people be- hind doors that he displays his old mstier of farce Percy Merrill is a golden fool who is discovered in the act of gambling by his practically self-made father. After the parental lecture he makes up his mind to earn his own living and asks his father to announce his dfsinheritance The social sharks who had lived on him now shun him, and there are left only an eccentric. poverty stricken artist friend