New-York tribune., 1910-02-20
London. February 3

ATl--'s Yreserce IN Downing Street as
Mrs. asouf.h's guest al luncheon. which
mentioned the other day, would nave
.eened an Innovation upon social life
So-- -.e customs Of society consist so
largely Of innovations that novelties have
ceased 70 be surprises The surprise IN
Ntss AIlan's case was of another kind.
T-res rot her appearance in society but
he- appearance on the stage Of the PAL
are Theatre that gave London new
sensation Nr. Alfred Butt. the man
are- Of that theatr=-which Is not =
.re=--e hut 2 music halls q man OF
-s-v 3nventions and of 2 courage that
amounts TO auds city.
50 81 any rate. thought many sup
-cse -,7ost-of that company OF critics
end patrons whom hs assembled at the
palace on the Friday afternoon before
,-sss AIIar's first public appearance. 10
4f-rzes her dress rehearsal. Nothing
r.l.s her performance. or like her, had
.--A- hee- seen in London / believe Miss
.fie7 < -ov- in the United States and
~-a American public NAV see her end
<o--- frs own opinion. We had in New
vo-L 81 Is true. at Roster E Balls. some
-
-,.e-S ago. : Young lady from Chicago
,--o.7 - f~ha--7io-. v-fc, carried the art
o< undressing 70 z point never before
.ee7 O. the stage. She gave US proc
eseex ve-z detailed and suggestive, but
even - the end of her disrobing was
ricrhed in tights Like Miss Allan. ana
ione before her. she became the fashion
~ Roster & BiaTs Il might have been
szfd as n the Palace, There vas no
x-7u floor which could show Drawer
e--sv Of we'll dressed folk''-only the wei
dressed folk a. Roster & Balls preferred
.ha horez For the time being Ne"
--o-k sorie+7-. or one important section o.
- held its Puritan p-ejudices in aoey-
znce. and looked on TRANQUILITY at g spec
-acle which vas suppressed OF modlned
n London.
Miss Allan gave Us results ano no
tights. When she first glided into We"
between the curtains a. the back OF the
~-aze the spectators did not perceive
the tr,Ie nature Of her costume II came
as z revelation and as shock Never
before had such an area OF bare hesh
been presented 10 tle gaze Of LONDON
audience. There were those who SAID Ii
vs. fupossfble Miss Allan should dance
- this uearness 70 q state Of nature be
fore z paying public. The police would
step in. But dance she did. without an
extra bead OF another inch Of chiffon, for
ne next TWO years and during the first
weeks or months Of this exhibition
The stalls and boxes at the Palace The
atrs looked like E smart party in May
~ai-. The police were never seen The
press poured out euIogies. The pulpit
vas silent Il was reserved for the
Watch Committee Of Manchester 70 pre-
scut itself as the guardian OF public
morals { year Or so later.
50 far as London was concerned. Miss
AIlzn's dslicecy and grace carried all be-
f5re her The public, never critical in
This matter. seemed willing 70 accept
roetic intention II place Of technique. If
~ had never given the Salorle not e
--uice would have been heard in her
dispraise. An English girl told me she
nd been 10 see Miss Allan, and thought
frr Iittle lawless or wild, but with q
strange charm.
Did YOU see her IN 'Saiome
-oh. Yes. and ! didn't mind: but I
saould not take my mother to see it
4 remark which shows how far the
'Arue-icanizat ton Of the English girl has
gone
There vas long ago in London a lady
renowned for the beauty Of her figure
and for her smiable willingness TO let it
be seen. Al = ball one night occurred
this dialogue between TWO men:
Have Eou seen Mrs. As gown"
No. but have seen Mrs A"
That. however. vas only an instance Of
: general fashion carried TO an extreme
r particular person. Miss Allan set
IT ABSOLUTELY new fashion. II has been
<clc7-ed 20 an extent which is perhaps a
ft-le disquietirg- 7 believe Miss Allan
-as not in truth the originator. She
MS only the first Who brought it 10
London and also made it popular. Miss
-=adora Duncan claims priority. and she,
'co. passed in az the door which Miss
Allan had opened. and her dancing had
ar intellectual quality which perhaps
Mis- Allzn's had not. and which perhaps
made Up for her maturity OF years and
HFIre. -iiss Duncan appeared at the
Duke of York s Theatre and again the
house zzs filed with fashiona Bile people,
HON she reused 70 enthusiasrn-not IN
easy thing 70 DO Miss Ruth St Denis
vas another q the same school and
mere we're three or four more not worth
rren1iorirg because they had no art
one experiment after another followed
here ~-as one even al His Majesty's
Theatre in Z revival Of the Dancing Cir,
roy z successful experiment. When The
s-cadtan-- vas produced at the Shaftes-
g-.--. The volng ladies' Of the chorus In
th= %-s- act were barefcoted and be
meath their long skirts, bare Lmbed-
md 50 CT
There FOLLOWED also, an enthusiasm for
dancing Of all kinds. The waltz in II ne
Hfer--- Vf5e7r--' drew the town. Miss
Lily EIsie's dancing vas pretty thlng
- SEE bur not 10 compare with her
zi-zufarI- finished and effective acting
,Tiss Gabrielle Rays dancing IN the
same Piece vas not less remarkable than
Kate Taughsn's AZ the Gaiety thirty
Years ago. and for much the same guam
f'es-grsce flowing movement, litheness
Fud some rather subtle suggestions But
tfies Gabrielle Rav has more technique
ian Miss Kate Vaughan had and more
ia--qouv Of line. and not her au6acity-