The Washington herald., 1910-09-20
THE NATIONAL.
"Three Million DolIar..,
by HECTOR FULLER.

hECC
A large audience gathered at the Ma
tional Theater last night to see the first
If the musical comedies to visit this
theater this season. and ii showed by its
applause and laughter that its appetite
was thoroughly whetted for this form Of
entertainment Three Million Dollars"
proved to be a musical comedy of the
usual order-a pleasing medley OF dance
and song and Joke and merriment; a
huge vaudeville in a gorgeous setting
restless, a trifie noisy, but capital fun at
most times.
The book of Three Million Dollars"
is by Edgar Allan Woolf, the lyrics by
David Kempner, and the music by Anatol
Friedland. OF the book there is little 20
say The plot is so attenuated that II is
difficult TO find 1t. All there is of the
story lies in the fact that young man,
Reginald Ogden Bruce, is 10 lose a
legacy of 100000 II he does not marry
70 please his uncle. AS his uncle has
sent him a photograph OF the lady he Is
expected 10 marry, and as she has an
awful face. the young fellow seeks to
circumvent his evil fate by marrying
some one else before his uncle can pre-
vent him. Three acts are spent in his
trying TO get married, and just two min
utes before the final curtain falls he
manages 10 pull it OFF winning & bride
much too good for him.
The scene OF all this exciting plot is
nowhere IN particular, or anywhere you
like. They call II Oldport on the pro-
gramme, and wherever the management
gorgeous dream. for the three acts are
striking examples OF beauty and good
taste. II Is hard 10 say which is the
prettiest stage setting The first act
has some novel effects. especially one
showing scenes within scenes 10 Illus
trate the verses OF clever song: the
second act was notable for IT'S views
Of the Lakes of Killarney. which furnish
ed a beautiful background for one OF the
most taking musical numbers OF the
piece. and the last act. showing the ex
terror and interior OF a dancing pavilion,
was also lavish IN its effects. And right
here, II may be we'll 20 say that the man
agement has dressed this musical COM
edy In a handsome way The costumes
even OF the choristers were marvels OF
the dressmaker's art; the changes were
constant, and the array OF color was
magnificent
OF the women in Three Million Dol
lars the name Of Miss May Boley is
alone featured in large type, and she
was so funny in one song In the last act
she got a number of encores. The must
cal success of the play lies pretty nearly
entirely in tbs hands OF Miss Ada Meade,
an old Washington favorite, from her
connection with he Aborn Opera Com
pany. AS Jane. Miss Meade has plenty
TO do, and all OF il she did amazingly
we'll. She has 4 magnetic and pleasing
personality and a voice Of richness and
sweetness. On her first appearance she
was heartily welcomed with applause,
and this was often repeated most genu-
inely during the performance. Her song
in the first act-"Love Waves"-carries
pretty we'll through the entire evening.
and the melody and charm OF II are re-
markable She was heard sgain to ad-
, vantage in "P. S, Love You" In COM
pany with Grace Griswold and Dorothy
Bremen. She helped nightly in
'Leonora." with Johnny Ford and the
chorus. where she sang two of Tom
MOore's ballads with tender and touching
effect against a charming background OF
Irish colleens In the last act she had
the opening number, Swinging with
Some One" which vas another undoubted
success.
Miss May Boley. who with added ex-
perience is getting more and more after
the fashion-and one might also say fig
ure as she mentions il herself-of Marie
Dressler. adds good deal to the fun OF
the play. though her songs are not par
ticularly tuneful The only solo she has
is in the last act a talky sort OF song,
Girls. Girls. Keep Our Figure" which
seemed 10 please. For the rest. she
plays the part Of Mrs. Homer Van Pelt.
a lady who has evidently fiirted over two
continents and has had so many sweet
hearts that as she meets them again she
cannot remember where she met them
last The humor OF the part is rather
broad and depends on a certain coarse
ness in delivery which Miss Boley does
very well.
Johnny Ford as Reginald Ogden Bruce
has a rather difficult part. He is feed
ing the others rather than shining him
self, bat his songs and dances were very
we'll done. and we'll received and liked.
One of his best things was The Bill
OF Fare" done in conjunction with Miss
Frances Alain. who was srikingly clever
in whatever she did Much of the real
| comedy work fell into the hands OF
Louis A. Simon as Phil the valet. When.
ever anything had TO be done, ii was
Let Phil do It," from bringing golf
sticks for six miles to carrying a trunk
up from the depot. or being drowned, So
that his master could save him. Mr.
Slmons methods are quiet, but very ef-
fectfve as laugh-getters.
| Mr.. George Lydecker. as Dudley, made
a most favorable impression. He has q
sympathetic and resonant voice of good
quality and he knows how TO use it.
His song. Down at Nanny Jims." was
delightful. as was his part in the trio
"All Life Is Full of Pleasure" and his
my Havana Maid" was a gem
Much credit must be given. TOO, TO the
work of the large chorus. 1t is not only
good to look at-well and handsomely
| dressed-but It's members work as il
they like IT, and they seem so happy that
they make the audience happy, too. In
short. there is much to commend In
Three Million Dollars" II is bright
snappy, and entertaining, and should be
| a success.
CHASE'S.
| Polite Vaudeville.
| There is a rattline good bill a Chase's