The Washington times., 1909-03-21
Light Entertainments Com
prise a Group of Unusual
Significance.
SPIRIT EXPRESSED
IN DE KOVEN WORK
The Beauty Spot Responds to
Demand for Sustained MuSi-
cal Theme.
By ]. R. HILDEBRAND.

leading theaters for the week just
= closed comprise a program of I'M
usual significance. While none is no
table in itself each marks a distinct
type or the 1909 taste in entertainment
At the Belasco a new De KOven
comic opera, 1.-THE Beauty Spot" gave
expression to the reaction against COM
binations of syncopated jangle and
whirlwind horseplay that have long
passed as musical plays.
A new edition of In Panama" at
the Columbia showed marked i'm
provement over its earlier appearance
here. New and tuneful songs had
been introduced. stage effects had been
more carefully worked out and genu-
inc fun was afforded by a group Of cap
able players. The result was a fair ap-
Proclamation of burlesque developed to a
i1igh standard at higher prices.
Love Watches end Miss Billie
Burke at the National catered to matt
nee girl audiences. These same matt
nee girls formerly patronized William
Faversham and John Drew. They only
follow in the wake OF wOman's awak-
ening to her own possibilities when they
show their preference Tor one of their
own sex to furnish their amusement
De Koven's Achievement
The disappointment in "The Beauty
Spot because it did not measure up
10 MT. DE KOvcn's standard should not
overshadow its superiority to the aver
age musical production Of the past few
seasons.
TunefuI operettas Of this caliber were
bound 70 come after the tremendous
success scored by THE Merry Widow
The public will probably realize within
the next few seasons that it owes this
widow something more than an allur-
ing waltz. She has left her impress on
many other things from hats TO weir6iy
cOncocted sundaes and her influence will
he felt last, but far from least on the
theater. Managers have awakened to
the fact that scenic effects and vaude-
Vile features may be valuable as ac-
cessorfes, but demand a groundwork Of
good music to make strong bid for
popular favor. One OF the most prom
Using of the newer output is this very
Beauty Spot" which combines the es-
sentials of a good musical show, music,
dancing, and fun-making, TO an ade-
Quate degree.
This plea for the musical element
does not mean that the recognized ac-
cessortes Of a modern comic opera are
omitted in THE Beauty Spot The
scenic investiture. A comely chorus and
novel stage effects have not been neg
lected. Indeed some OF these features
VIII probably be cUrtailed TO lend con-
sistency TO the piece before many
weeks But they only prove objection
able when they are exploited ar the
expense of the essential element, a sus-
tanned musical theme.
"In Panama" Revised.
An~ther very modern Standardization
of taste in which clap trap and vuI-
garity are eliminated is found in Max
Rogers In Panama" This Offering
clearly follows in the path blazed by
another pronounced success, The Red
Mill" Montgomery and Stone proved
that burleSque could be funny without
being suggestive. and could be uprOar-
tous without depending entirely upon
horseplay. The discovery has un-
leashed many lights of the burlesque
stage, but few have been more success
low" '''" -'-'N i'Oss'S Inc l-i''ie r e.
Even Miss Billie Burke must &C
knowledge a slight debt 10 Miss Doro.
who did not, perhaps. create. but GER
talnly developed a taste for the style Of
entertainment provided by this Wash
ington girl Far be IL from US 70 de-
tract from Miss Burke's credit beyond
pointing out that ii is not hard work
TO accomplish what she does.
II William Jennings Bryan returned TO
the stage he should not find il hard 10
present a little sketch entitled Running
for Office" This young woman seems to
fairly reyel in painting a charming pic
tuTe OF youthful whimsiCality and buoy
ancy- This furnished genuine enjoy
ment II il is not art
Food For Thought
What does this analysis pr0ve2
N all three fields there is nothing
new. There Is merely a DEVELOPMENT
with an inevitable appreciation Of popu-
lar taste. But here is the lesson: This
development is toward better things.
Even for these three types of light
entertainment which do not pretend TO
furnish more than an evenings amuse-
inent, claptrap has been eliminated and
q slight tinRe OF fndecency in one of
them will probably be pruned out be
fore the show opens next season
These facts furnish food for thought
20 those who pirate OF The downward
tendency Of recent seasons. They also
hold out considerable hope for better
things