The Washington times., 1909-10-19
THE GAY HUSSARS"
IS MUSICAL HIT
Coherent Plot Adds to Value
of Latest Savage
Production.

Al its first production before
Washington audience, The Gay Hus-
ssrs' last night at the National Thester
found warm spot in the hearts of
Washington theatergoers. TunefUl and
dashing, the gay operetts received an
enthusiastic welcome which warmed up
as it ueared the end
Just for a while there was a lingering
doubt amonC the hrst-nighters as TO
the correctness Of the verdict of critics
elsewhere but this doubt was largely
dispelicd before the end of the first act
and the favorable verdict at the close
was almost unanimous. This doubt was
due 10 the fact that the first act while
IL does not exactly drag, lacks much
az the dash and vim Of its SUCCESSORS.
Then. too. the two songs that make
tho real hits are reserved for the last
The operetta is an adaptation of =
Hungarian success tthe English version
being by Maurice Brown Kirby, a
WashinEtoniau, who is also accredited
With the lyrics OF several songs. one
Of them, "Oh, You Bold, Bad Man,
sung by Hiss Reid, was pronounced
AS the name implies tIe operetta
deals with military life i'm continental
Europe, and the plot, for there Is q
WeU-detnCd one, deals with the love
affair of Captain Won Lurcnty. of an
sTlStroCrattc hungarian regiment. ana
the Baroness Risg Won Marbach. Based
upon the rather fiimsy foundation of "a
gentleman word being better than ms
bond, the plot involves the hero In
serious trouble with his commanding
officer during the military maneuverS-
Held TO q promise that he hardly re-
allzed he had made 10 the woman nc
first loved, then scOrned, then loved
again, the gallant young officer freely
imbiheS champagne and dances a wild
D. \ l.E
who loves him while the fight RACES
ont of doors and the brlde-to-be. just
then scorned, pleads with htm to forget
his promise. All Is rather complicated
and strained, but a plot nevertheless,
nd more of one than the average musi-
cal play boasts Of
As Won I.orentys Carl Gantvoort has
opportunities that he does not seem Ia
appreciate TO the fullest His voice n
-oOu- The role OF SuE-lleiteuaut " aller-
stein IS taken by Bobby North, we'll
known 10 vaudeville enthusiasts. This is
the FIRST role created BY this capable
mo humorous young man, but there Is
little probability of its being ms last
Wlth a character he seems 10 NJ IKE
- glove, ne made good with his debut
and when he wound UP with has My
Friend Lebel. he had matrlculated IN
The class OF Washington faVOrites-
AS the Baroness Eisg, Miss Anna Bus
sert has a part that calls Tor more YER
Estlltry than any other IN the cast, tleT
work Is especially telling when she seeks
forgiveness OF her sweetheart. Miss Bus
ssTts voice IS just as pleasing as when
she scored success with The Merry
Widow
Two OF the most decided favoHtes were
Miss Muriel Terry and Miss Florence
Reid. The former has the reputation
Of being the best Eirl-bOy on the stage
md after her presentation of the little
cadet last night. Washing touians are
willing 70 accord her the palm. Miss
Reid, who sprang into the limeliGht
with the coming across of The Gay
Tusssrs was accepted by Broadway
st par value. but her hit last night was
due solely 90 her good work and her
NtinsOne self.
Like all of the Savage productions.
The Cay HussaTS' is faultiesslv staged.
has an excellent cast stunning cos
TUNES aud a good chorus. The music Is
mostly IF the wild. haunting Hungarian
TYNE