The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-27

r.
Mrs Daphcna Dusseldorf. Tho Golden Widow
Louise Dresser
Nine. Wowsu Connie bdiSs
Nine. Snoupayitch Jobyua Rowland
Mrs kip Dorothy Webb
Mrs Doe, traveller Irene Dillon
Marsha Ida banhOpe
ACT L
Scene I-Railroad station in Berenna. (AfternOon-)
Scene II-EKterior OF Count volnais apartment.
Law. New York;
Scene III-Intcrior Of Count yolnhis apartment
law. New York;
ACT IT.
Exterior o. the Elysium Cafe Chantant Three
hours later. Noestiin. New York;
Time: Early autumn. Place: BerennA. the CAPT
tai Of Ncbula.
The launching Of a musical comedy is
an enterprise abounding In hazardous
possibilities. That "The Golden Widow"
got through this experience safely last
night is due in a measure to the patience
and good will OF the large audience that
had gathered at the Belasco-a gathering
which reflected the brilllancy Of a typical
Washington audience Of the kind. II was
the first representative frst-night audi
ence we have seen this season, and Il
was a gratifying and encouraging sight
and an inspiration and help 10 the play
ers.
The Golden Widow is the work OF so
many composers. Iyricists. and llbrettlsts
that there is almost a temptation 10
quote the adage about too many cooks"
but the word almost prevents the quo
tation from being applicable In the early
part Of the evening. however. the musical
comedy was perilously near the dead line
b. tween success and failure so slowly
~ thir IS move and so dun did the audi
ence az first find it. The matter seemed
to be that the best songs and the best fun
We're kept until later in the evening. a
condition which affords an excellent op-
portunlty for necessary pruning. a pro-
cess which will be regretted by no one
should II include at least two OF the
songs IN the first act. specifically Miss
Connie Ediss' one about "Tiddley PUN,
a CHASTITY instance Of an excellent come
dienne laboring with bad material. and a
song called Publicity" which the come
dian. Alexander Clark, vainly tried 70
force over the footlights.
As II Is best 90 get the unpleasant
things over with first. It might be we'll
TO point out. in passing the ancient and
dragged-in nature Of some Of the comedy.
but as some OF this was allowed 20 die
naturally by lack Of applause, it viii
probably also follow the songs named
into peaceful Oblivion before the cur
tain rises on tO-nights performance. The
usual first-night hesitatiOns and indeCi-
sion as 20 entrance, the pauses between
songs. and so forth, gave evidence Of
-He need Of vigorous whipping together.
After that Is accomplished there is no
reason why The Golden Widow" should
not take her place among the Broadway
shows, for there is a great deal about
her sure TO tickle New York fancy.
The last act is reviving, and has much
froth and sparkle Nothing but praise
can be given 20 the eXtravagant manner
in which the play Is mounted, both
scenery and costumes being elaborate.
and having a spick and span newness that
is thoroughly pleasing. II any one cares
90 hear about the plot OF "The Golden
WidoU.' it can be epitomized in a few
sentences.
The Golden widow is one Daphne
Dusseldorf, Of Gumopolis, Ill, whose hus-
band has died and left her the alter
y
a certain foreign nobleman. Count Ser
gius Volnai OF course. the widow. being
an American, is not going to let a little
| thing like a count stand between her
and her money. so she seeks him out with
! the intention Of marrying him. Unfor-
| tunately she falls in with the counts
valet who. during his masters absence
at sea on naval duty. is disappearing at
| Trouville as the count himself. The
complications consist mainly in the in
PRODUCTION of a detective and his fas-
cinating wife, and a fiery general. who
Is IN love with the widow Dusseldorf
through his having heard her sneeze in
the darkness OF a railway tunnel acct
dent. The scenes are laid In the mythical
metropolis Of Berenna, just midway, pre-
sumably. between Berlin and Vienna.
Miss Louise Dresser appeared as the
Golden Widow and made a complete sue
/ cess. She has seldom before been fitted
with so appropriate a role, and her songs
are rendered delcately and with a nice
discretion. She apparently studies the
mood Of her songs and thus brings out
their full artistic value. The one about
| Loving Ways" with a teasing melody
and seductive Tilt, helped her TO win over
a house that was growing slightly FESTIVE.
Her "Bo Peep" sung with a dozen john
MES, who baa-ed In turn in different
tones. caught on very well. Later. with
/ Don't Put Out the Light" Miss Dresser
managed to get great deal Of comedy
and evident personal enjoyment out of
| the song. She was stunning TO look at,
/ too.
Miss Connie Ediss would be justified in
refusing to appear until the second act,
so previously have the librettsts slight
/ ed her as 10 lines and business suited
/ to her peculiar comedy methods A rare
Coincidence. Miss Ediss was forced to
/ sing a song in which she had no interest.
/ a circumstance to her credit. considering
/ its vapidity. However, she came into
her own later in the evening. when she
( assumed slight tpsiness and sang OF
! Vicente and Widgie." in her nimtabe
cockney way. and aided and abetted Mr.
/ Clark in some very funny comedy stunts
! Alexander Clark was good a great deal
/ of the time. He won his laughs quietly
and without recourse to bOisterous meth
DDS His best song. THE Other Page Is
/ Missing" was a good one. but appealed
more through suggestiveness than
/ through actual humor He has a comedy
/ face. and got away with a good deal OF
stuff that he had no business 10 be in
/ ficted with. 1t was the case with him,
as with the other principals, OF the in
( dividual beating the author in the race
/ for the audiences good Will
Miss Jobyna Rowland did some really
/ fine acting as Nine Snoupavltch. and
wore some elegant clothes, which be-
came her we'll Walter Lawrence was
an acceptable Count Volnai, his song,
Have You Seen My Grip being one Of
the hits Of the piece. Harry Clark and
Dorothy Webb. in "Rag-time Land" put