The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-10-18
THE BELASCO.
"The summer widowers.g


Without attempt at definition. Lew
Fields has a mighty lively show in
THE Summer Widowers" and the ca
pacity audience at the Belasco Theater
last night became infected with the con-
tagiOn at the very outset, and so the
thing was just one continuous storm It
merriment, both on and off the stage
There is not a single let-up in It. one
specially following another with amazing
rapidly, backed by spectacle after spec
tacle moving with the same rapidly,
The whole show is simply framed for
hilarious pastime. and there is no doubt
about the success Of It's mission, Any
one who could successfully maintain a
crouch throughout the performance must
certainly be dead to the 1eeting pleasures
OF this earth The mere question Of plot
has nothing 20 do with H. The string
is strong enough 10 hold the beads
The principal comedy stunt Is, OF
course, furnished by Fields himself, IN
the usual Teutonic development, this time
under the cognomen OF Otto OFT, a retired
German druggist. H gets of a lot Of
funny talk and participates I'm numerous
eccentric dOings; bat there is something
in the way he does these simple things
Somehow or other. the humor is ire
sistibe. and besides. he IS aided by such
a host OF accessories. There IS Irene
Franklin. in her inimitabls and character
istic songs; Willis Sweatnam. the most
acutely amusing OF all modern blackface
entertainers; Ada Lewis. Daisy Dumont
Miss Norton. and a host OF others No
one could examine the list and expect 20
DO otherwise than deeply moved In a
humorous way.
From the scenic standpoint the produc-
ton is immense. Everything pertaining
to successful spectacular effort seems 70
have been worked In. There Is the Board
walk at Atlantic City. scenes IN New
York. the surf At the Million Dollar Pier,
the ST. Vitus apartments. and Folderoi
Gardens. all good. with the surf scene
surprising anything Of the kind yet pur-
veyed.
Tho song elements OF the production are
particularly strong including The Cal
cium Moon by Alice Dewey and chorus,
which Immediately begot whistliug and
rAAl-4tAS OF IFvls / Knew Her Nlenr
by Irene Franklin, who augmented her
success in this by Red Head" Those
Were Happy Days by Fritz Williams.
and a long string OF others. and IN the
closing act there was some very clever
dancing. The Sahara Twins" by the
Hess sisters. 'Muscov!te." by the Hyde
troupe. and Dance Ecceutrique." by
Baxter and La Conda. A telling scene
accessory was the "Winking Moon"
which accomoanied Miss Dovey's song.
and the "Aer0plane Hats in which a
number of miniature aeroplanes were
made 10 float above the auditorium
These are but mentioned as samples. and
there were numerous others
Really the greatest proportion OF the
merriness was furnished boy the small talk
INDUCED IN by Mr.. Fields and Mr. Sweat
nam. although everybody contributed a
share. and as a vehicle Of light comedy
and spectacular surprises IL is fully on a
level with any previous vehicle in which
Mr.. Fields has appeared, which IS sufi-
Client and * VIII no doubt attract the
large patronage which has always at
tended his efforts. particularly If the at
tendance OF last night may bee regarded
as an omen. Tor the theate- was crowded.
and there was no visible sign OF dlscon-
tent or gloom