The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-10-12
NEW MUSICAL SHOW
IS A NEAR-SUCCESS
After Pruning Belle of Brit
tany' Will Be a Dis
tinct Hit.

The Belle of Brittany" seen at the
Belasco last evening, taken as a whole,
proved e success.
Considerable interest awaited the com
ing Of Frank Daniels after an extended
absence from the Capital. and the house
that greeted him came with the expec-
tation OF being pleased Il was a dis
eliminating crowd. however. and refus-
ed 10 give its approval 20 the production
in toto. applauding heartily the real
hits, laughing at Daniels own particular
brand of humor, but giving just bit
of q frost To several Of the musical
numbers
In this era Of musical shows, when a
song makes a hit, 1t is initiates until
We are almost ready to believe that
there is nothing new under thu sun
There IS a freedom from this Imitation
in the music Of The Belle of Brittany
that possibly makes us willing ia
overlook minor defects and eager
10 applaud the many tUneful airs. free
from any strains of THE Merry Widow
variety. True, not all of the numbers
are Musical or catchy, and more than
one voice was handicapped by cold
but a majority of the songs are
the Kind that one wants TO hear again
Three Song Hits.
In the melange of musical numbers
mere than a score of them. there were
three particularly bright spots. First
came '.DanOdu Time" sung by Babette
and the Danodn girls, then came tine
Best Brittany" by Toinette and the
chorus. and finally Babette again in
THE Dawn of Love SeTeral Of tho
others. with stepping stones leading,
came in for approval
Brittany. in dadOdu time, is the set
ting chosen for the production and the
American version Of the London sue
cess overloozs no details Of realism.
There is a plot woven IN, too. rather a
more extensive one than is usually con
sidered essential il the modern musical
comedy
oUis de St. Gautier, an impoverished
roue of the old school. and has excel
lent opportunities for ms mouoiogue
humorisms. He is the same F'ranh
Daniels of wore. with the tilted eye
brows, ard springs some brand new
ones As his son, RaFInCnd, FRANK
RushWOTth, another washington law
critic, is as dashing as ever, though
stouteT. and with a voice that was not
in the best of trim last night
Divide the HonoTs.
O'Connor divided hOnors fairly. and in
the roles Of Tolnette and Babette scored
a hit in almost ell Of their songs
like all of productions in which Dan
iels has starred. THE Girl From Brit
tanv" has an excellent cast. The Choir
us is large in numbers. and vel drilled
but minus any particularly good voices
In some Of the musical numbers the
chorus work was weak, but this doubt
less viii he overcome when the ia
edges are worn of after a few per
fornanceS. With q few changes here
and there. and the cutting out of one Oh
tvo OF the SONGS, there is no chance fOI
TIE play TO run aground II the pruning
ile judicious and tlfe spots where inter
est Lays be eliminated, the Diays vii
no doubt meet with the success th9t II
merits. Not the least noticeable feat ri
is the care and lavishness with wmcF
the production has been staged. Il i
just as pleasing to the eye as to tn
ear.
While the verdict Of the first night
ers was not unanimous. the consensus
Of opinion regarding this latest vehlci,
OF Frauk Daniels was favorable.