The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-10-04
THE NATIONAL.
"The Echo"


Dancing. dancing. dancing-classic and
grotesque. clog and eccentric. Hawaiian
and American, single. double and chorus
works. an epitome OF The Echo"
which Bessie Mccoy made use of to open
the National last night. Everyone dances,
from Miss Mccoy 10 the humblest of the
chorus men-and chorus men are hum
/ ble-and they ali dance well OF course
Miss Mccoy is the premier danseuse of
the production, and she we'll deserves the
position.
1t has been some time since the dainty
Bessie has been seen in Washington, but
those who saw The Spring Chicken"
some three years ago Will certainly re-
member Miss Mccoy and her dancing
only at that time she made a speciality
OF the toe work. In which she falls 10
return in this piece, It IS hard TO class
her dances-they are ell different and all
beautifully graceful. Indeed, when one
watches her Spanish fandango" dane
near the opening OF the first act one can
not but think OF the lines of old Sir John
Sucking:
Her little feet beneath her petticoat
Like tiny mice stole in and out
As IL they feared the light;
But, oh, she dances such a way
No upon Easter day
Is half 50 fine in sight"
In the course OF the evenings entertain
ment Miss Mccoy gives half a dozen
dances. In the first number, aided bv
Johnny Scannell, she allows him TO at
tract the greater part OF the attention OF
the audience with his eccentric work, but
she comes into her own with her beauti
full and weird Spanish fandango." and
ends the act with d grotesque "hobble-
skirt" dance. In the second act she con-
tributes a pretty number near the OPEN
ing 'Yoodle Doodle Guards" selection
Slightly reminiscent of her never-to-be-
forgotten Yama Yama mani, and con-
cludes with a comic number with bear
In all Of these Miss Mccoy is graceful
and in all of them she captivates the
audience.
But the leading lady is not the only one
who trips the fantastic" Johnny Scan
! NELL whom. we are told. has Just grad
uated from college, does a number of
eccentric steps, which, while palpably
limitations Of dancer seen at the same
theater two weeks ago, are every bit as
well done as the original II Mr.. ScannelI
is a sample of the product of the grad
yates Of New York University, we should
look forward with pleasure to next years
graduation class
John Z. Hazard, who Will be remem-
bered here for his work in The Girls OF
Gottenburg" and The Prima Donna"
has the leading male role, and, although
he does not do much dancing he has the
song hit OF the piece. ''Heigh-Ho,o and
also takes part In the only two really
funny bits in the play. the burlesque
newspaper interview and the dlctation TO
the stenographer, Mrs. Annie Yeamans
who seems TO be sixteen instead of sew
enty-six
The local enthusiasts had an oppor-
tunity TO encore when Miss Della Foster
made her first appearance as Molly
Brewster. With her only song, TITS
Never too Late to Learn" duet sung
with Douglas Stevenson, she made an
immediate and lasting hit and her encor4s
were numerous. Miss Foster is possessed
Of soprano voice Of excellent range and
clarity and her acting and charming per-
sonality made one Of the individual hits or
the evening. 1t is TO be hoped that she
will get part in the near future In
which she will have better opportunity
TO show her talents. Others in the large
cast who added to the general enjoyment
were Georgia Drew Mendum. as the
newspaper girl; Ryan and White, recent