The Washington times., 1909-03-09
Operetta Enters Second
Week With Promise of
Continued Patronage.
Is Show Worth While With
out Waltz, Washing
ton Is Asking.

the Merry Widow waltz in it's original
! setting. This week they are coming
/ back in just as large numbers TO SEQ
and TO hear The Merry Widow"
Upon its arrival here the Capital
! viewed it as a theatrical curiosity or
looked 20 it to find an expression of
modern taste. Now - is time to take
the MEASURE Of the production in its
entirety.
Does The waltz make 1.-The Merry
/ Widow or does The Merry Widow
| merely include the waltz, or both?
! Does IT measure up to the highest re-
! quirements of comic opera?
/ Does it furnish an enjoyable evening 5
entertainment?
Upon the answer to these questions
viii its second weeks patronage de-
pend
Enough has been said about the music
of The Merry Widow" Very little
has been told Of the other component
parts of a standard comic opera-of the
plot, of the funmaking, of the dancing
Dashes of Plot.
1t would be too much to expect the
plot to be original; It is gratifying to
find a plot at all. The idea o. marrying
a prince to plebian millions TO save the
country is not new, that her sutton
proves to be a fiance who broke his en-
gagement with this young woman be-
fore the advent of the stakes is not
startling. and that this dashing widew
should capture first place in the game
Of love is not surprising. But for a
time this plot, admirably supported by
a fan Of mysterious identity, had us
guessing. and it served admirably
TO keep interest alive during intervals
in the second act when IL was absolute
" necessary to give the singers and
dancers a little breathing spell.
And this plot deserves speciCt credit
for being singularly unobtrusive. IT
did not crop out when it was not want
ed as some plots seem bound TO do.
Like sophomore's studies il was never
allowed to interfere with the course Of
the operetta. In the last act 1t very
properly faded away altogether before
the more serious business of depicting
Maxim's-
The very presence OF Bob Graham in
sures thick layers OF comedy. If there
was no fun on tap Robert could be re-
lied upon 10 pull In a few laughs by
the ears and that, by the way, is
what he did in this instance. He
was given the part OF Popoff with the
option OF doing what he pleased with
the lines, and his sure intuition OF what
will bring laugh is almost momentar-
ny IN evidence so much has been said
OF Graham that IL may be news 10 those
who have not yet bought tickets that
he is only one OF number OF laugh
producers Charles Edward Wright, as
CASCADE, and Fred Frear as Nish, are
two comedians whose style is as unc-
tious in their own ways as Graham's.
Cosmopolitan Comedy.
It is a little hard to dispose Of the
humor Of ''The Merry Widow" IN a few
paragraphs for the fun is as varied as
the styles of a Merry Widow hat and
generally as broad 1t confines itself 10
no distinctive method and is as cosmo-
politan as Prince Danilo's affections. II
ranges from Popoff's puns to Cascada's
boomers. But IL always produces re-
suits, and the echoes OF hearty laughter
from every corner of a theater crowded
10 the doors is almost worth the price
Of admission
The Merry Widow waltz is not all
That Is good in the music line nor is this
waltz all that is worth while in the
dancing. Each Of three acts includes
well-arranged dancing numbers and
these are uniformly well executed.
Comment on Miss Cameron's voeaI
attachments has TO some extent been at
the expense OF an appreciation of her
dancing. In The Cavalier" in her duet
with Danillo in the second act, and in
the finale of the third act she danced
into favor, and her numbers were en-
cored repeatedly. The chorus Is also
we'll trained in this art, as well as in
singing, and scored heavily In several
numbers, notably the Marsovian ma
tional dance. a whirl Of Russian and
COsSack movements
What Is tn Answer?
Does ''Tbe Merry Widow" produce the
goods2 Having seen It once would Won
see il again. not this year, perhaps, but
next? Is the interest bolstered bv an
ticipation of things you are expecting
viii happen. and heightened by the in
tuitiye knowledge that a packed house
is enjoying this, too2 I think not II
you sat alone in a darkened theater
and had never heard Of a Merry Widow
hat or a Merry Widow sundae il is
highly probable that you would ocme
out and say that here is something ont
Of the beaten track, much better than
the average
Does The Merry widow measure
up 10 The Mikado." Herbert's Ser
enade.' and other standard light
operas? It's wonderful vogue. almost
Is, the present genera
tons answer to that. but time must
render the final verdict Contrary to
Q popular impression, It does not mai,
a new departure in light opera. but II /
does rise 10 the best that has been ours
10 ct