The Washington times., 1909-04-18
Mere Burlesque, But of a
Kind That Marks New
Departure.
"TRUANTS" BREAKS
THE TARIFF LAWS
Compelled to Pay Duty on Too
Heavy a Weight of
Ideas.
By I. R. HILpFBPAND.

American product
The passing of curiosity in the French
brand of entertainment, embodied in the
''Follies." also marked passing of con-
siderable patronage. Thinking theater-
goers were disposed to treat the English
course, found in THE Truants," with
more consideration, though it was label
ed a comedy. and gave it an indorse-
ment qualified by a few kindly sugges-
tions. Those who went to see an Amer
icanized product, THE Boys and Bet
ty," went to laugh-and they laughed.
True to its Yankee brand It's aim was
well defined, and it hit the bull's-eyes.
No cross fire there.
There IS danger of passing offerings
of the 'Follies' type lightly by and
overlooking their significance They
mean something. Mere burlesque? Yes,
but such burlesque as could hardly
have been presented ten years ago.
They do not class very high But in
their class they forge to the very front
pew of theatrical achievement. They
constitute one of the milestones set all
along the line to mark the progress the
stage of today has made within the
memory of the youngest theatergoer
who should be permitted to attend
shows" of their type. They are shows,
shows in the class with the circus. 1t
is only when they fail TO attain the
standard Of a weI-ordered circus that
the public is likely to register pro-
test
2It is not the comedian, called a
clown under a canvas, nor the acrobat
yclept the same in the saw-dust ring,
nor even the sensations and thrills that
are Objectionable, but the appeal to
pruriency. A comparison OF the new
edition Of the "Follies" with those of
lass year indicate that public opinion
has scored another victory. Perhaps
by the time the 1909 concoction Is ready
this same force shaw have pOlled a
clean slate and the lid be clamped
down on the least suggestion Of i'm
propriety. The "revue" viii be thor
oughly Americanized and some of our
burlesque managers will be forced 70
keep apace of the times.
Felt in Burlesque.
That this influence has already been
felt was shown in the burlesque offer
ing AT the Gayety last week The
Girls OF the Moulin Rouge compiled
by Willard Holcomb, marked a dis
tinct departure from the groove in
which burlesQue houses have chosen
10 slide aimlessly along. But two OBJ
jections could be registered against
this very unusual production, fits name
and a dance, both copied after a show
made notorious by the dance.
Those who went 70 the Belasco 10 see
a comedy felt they were in the right
church but the wrong pew. This Eng
lish importation should not be COM
PEELED to pay such heavy duty for a
surplus of ideas. II the author thinks
he can combine heavy drama and
% n
Is not for US TO discourage a new line
y OF endeavor. But in 1.-THE TruantS' he
has not succeeded in doing this with
out hopelessly dividing the thread OF
his story and the interest of his audi
tors. The repast Is exceedingly palat-
able but indigestible-it does not take
a dramatic physician to tell that. The
nore's the pity that any way you take
IL something worth seeing is bound 10
go. but the limitations OF three hours
Is almost as ronclad as printed
page. Modern society can't be reformed
within the space Of either
Leaving out Of consideration certain
demands OF dramatic unity-that re-
cuirement may be only academic-there
is still a lack of congruity between the
serious element and the comedy. The
fact that the situations are Of so much
genuine dramatic worth only serves to
make laughter more ill-timed.
An Americanized Show.
.'The Boys and Betty can trace the
but there is no more Of the Partisan
left in it's composition than in The
Old Homestead" or In Old Kentucky"
II owes its success TO the same element
that made these two plays enduring
Small wonder that managers who spend
thousands on elaborate sceinc devices
and costly wardrobes watch the crowds
flock 10 see such offerings as that Of
Miss Cahill and pull their hair in de-
&C. aFWna~ D I'LL
taste But simple. homelike themes,
when they are not spoiled in the telling.
seem sure Of a hearing as long as the
stage endures. The story of this play
hinges around the pretensions Of a
genius too super-sensitive TO give
thought TO the simple things Of life. The
theme has not been left untouched. but
Il Is certainly unhackneyed- The author
1 has taken advantage Of the fact that a
wife gets most OF the sympathy 20 por-
tray IN Betty, a character pretty sure
70 grip an American audience by the
heart strings, especially when Betty IS
played BY Miss Marie Cahill-
The play IS not all plot II is type
of melody-d rama. once common 10 the
American stage. but today seldom seen
except IN the popular priced houses. II
offers a maximum OF melody and
minimum Of melodrama- Not only did
the play serve 10 awaken tender mem
orieg Of a type Of entertainment almost
moss grown. hut served 10 introduce 20
a younger generation Eugene Cowles
and William O. Stewart operate stars
OF a generation ago The most de-
ucious and delicate piace Of fOOlery was
the "Tetra zini' number. ia which this
pair burlesQue their own work of years
past Cowles was recalled again and
again after his "bassO profundO" eX-
hibition from one Of the rarest mixtures
of lingering fondness and convulsed
laughter that the emotions OF a theater-
eoer ever fell heir 10.
The same hearkeninR back TO first
principles characterized THE Boys and
Petfyh and THE Truants" save that
the latter hearkened too far and too
oft.
HOUR FOR CONCERT