Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-24
- OMETIMES 1.-The Gay Hussars
had the joyful spirit that its title
implies. At other times 1t was as

waltz rhythms which have permeated the
habitable globe. has given the American
stage much that should move 1t TO CRATE
full acknowledgements. 'Niennese IS an
adjective of mystic and gladstone symooi-
ism. But it is not at all the same th1ns
when you say Hungarian That sus
Sests 'goulash" and paprika and the at
rnosphere of eccentric New York res
taurants People who like strange v1ands
like them very much: but the process OF
accustoming the palate is not always
rapid The music of The Gay Hussars
is an experience. 1t shocks the conVen-
tional ear and then soothes it. Its ENJOY
nent is n reactionary process like the
co,d bath in the morning. That it is of
great artistic benefit there is no doubt,
hut there must be a certain foundation Of
inurement before its charms can be fully
appreciated. The composer of The Gay
Hussars'' has not hesitated. 1t takes Its
decisive plunge in the big chorus of the
first act. which ends in a yell such as no
system of notation could reproduce. and
thea abandons itself through the rest OF
the evening to warm, comforting glow
of originality. AS American musical
production it is an admirable example of
courage. 1t makes absolutely no appeal
to the popular taste. but presents itself
uncompromisingly as creation unto
itself.
mt I'm plot it wholly capitulates. 1t
has heart interest in such amazing
superabundance that the old-timy stage
manager whose idea of proper dialogue
is a perpetual conjugation Of the verb
''amo' should hail it as the supreme
and incontestable triumph of the mod
ern theater Alas. Auditors are not
stage managers. and the spectacle Of a
bereaved tenor gazing forlornly into
space like Il man who has missed the
last car is not Of itself enough to Sc
cure sympathy. Neither is the idea or
expressing rage. grief and other emo
tions by executing an eccentric dance
in front of a punch bowl wholly con-
vincing This form of temperamental
extravaganza may be Hungarian, but it
is not L. S. A. In its meloGrama the
piece is more Hungarianly gloomy than
anything that has been seen here since
Mrs Leslie Carter's production of
.Kassa.'
Excepting for the overwhelming and
irresistible appeal of the music and
the opera would be impOssibly ponder
Gus If the adapters had gone further
in disregarding the original libretto the
result would probably have been more
generally acceptable. for. viewed by the
standards of 1.-The Merry Widow" the
success of The Gay Hussars" is but
moderate The presence Of Bobby North
in the cast is a saving grace. When
To ha
to the front like a response to a c. Q. D..
His comedy is broad and emphatic, with
out being unrefined. He has been no.
tably successful in effacing the marks
of variety training. which SO often cling
to the comedian who is transplanted
from burlesque to the legitimate stage
II must be admitted that there is one
verse in Mr.. Norths topical comic song
which cannot be classified as refined. 1t
is a somewhat drolatique treatment OF
matters which normally pertain to the
problem play. But the Monday night au-
dience was representative of eminent con-
servatism In any row of seats the eye
could pick out irreproachable types of do
mesticity; father. mother, aunt, uncle and
even grandfather When this stanZa was
sung father grinned, mother smiled, uncle
chuckled. aunt Uttered and grandfather
he simply guffawed. In the face Of such
approval. how should the raucous cry of
critical dscord avail?
Like the heroine of popular melodrama.
Lillian Russell is entitled to the wall. me
beauty has been me undoing." Only it is
impossible to think of Lillian Russell!
wailing about anything The embodiment
of frank good nature she is the para
gon of comeinesS, Miss Russell with
apologies to the real authOr) laughs and
the world laughs with her. When Miss
Russell sang in opera she had to face
certain underlined but formidable impress
sion that stage beauty cannot have tai
ents There was the classic tradition
borne out 1t must be confessed, in the
cases of many stalwart prima donnas-
that music. being sacred to Apollo, should
come forth like Delphic utterances from
rugged and cavernous surroundings
When il was admitted that Miss Russell
could sing the even greater difficulty
arose of convincing the public that a
woman both beautiful and unsteady
gifted could act. Even the exquisite per-
Torrance she gave of the part of Lady
Teazle in a musical version Of The School
10. ScaflQdl ulu not SulIIce 10 remove
doubt. Her present play, though a great
Improvement its predecessor, wild
fire. is not rich in acting opportunities.
for the interest in her is still largely ad-
dressed TO her own personality, her
ability TO wear splendid gowns and still
more splendid jewels and to surpass them
by her own gifts and graces.
The Motor Girl is likely 10 write
Washington down in her road book as
rather bad going. The company suffered
an attack Of acute spotlightis on Monday
night because OF two comedians who, in
the bracing atmosphere of Washington
autumn, mistook themselves for Mont
Somery and Stone and grew indignant
when they missed their names from the
electric sign Messrs. Cook and I1orenz
are not TO be scorned and derided for
their entirely worthy ambition to get on
In their profession-beg pardon the pro
fesh but they made a mistake in wait
ing TIL fifteen minutes before curtain
time to confide it to the management.
Even when back in the cast they seemed
somewhat uneasy and out of place But
there is no certainty that they will not
land as stars in the future There
was time when Montgomery and Stone
nhScI hey