The Washington herald., 1910-09-20
THE COLUMBIA.
"The Deacon and the Lady"

There can be no possible c0ubt about
the sort of hit that The Deacon and
the Lady" made at the Columbia The
alter last night. Before an audience that
tested the capacity Of the theater the
merry iingles and the bright comedy of
this piece were given 10 an aecompani-
ment OF laughter and applause that
marked il for success. For IL is real
comedy, tuneful music. pretty girls. clev-
er actors. adequate and pretty stage set
tings. and. above all. II is clean and
wholesome. The clever music is the
work OF Alfred E. Aarons, and the book
is by George Totten Smith.
The music is wonderfully clever. Not
the less so because IL is, in places. so
strikingly reminiscent It is the sort Of
music. not only that will be hummed.
but has In some cases already been
hummed No matter: II will be hummed
again. One OF the prettiest and most
taking OF the musical numbers is a song
with a sextette. sung by Miss Mayme
Gehrue IL is the old "Floradora" sex
tette over again, so far as the tune is
concerned. and even the words are Flora
dorian, for the refrain Is II must love
someone, and It might as we'll be you"
II is all right. We guess for Kipling TO
sing:
When 'Omer smote is boomin' Tyre
He'd card men sing BY land an SEA;
An what e thought e might require.
T went an took-the same as mel
But we hardly think that that justihes
Mr. Aarons especially when in some OF
his numbers he shows that he is ca
pable-though we are told that no is not
a musieian-of really good and original
work Enough of this-even If one num-
Der does sound mighty like 'Floradora.
IT is mighty good number. and from
the way the audience encored ii. people
are evidently very glad TO hear 1t again.
Story? II I were asked to tell the
story of THE Deacon and the Lady"
should reply like the classic soldier;
story? God bless you. have none to
tell. sir" And what does the story OF
musical comedy amount 10 anyway. All
that Is necessary is that the author of
the book has created certain characters.
which are PLAYED by mighty clever CO.
opportunity TO come on, with Just suf-
ficient excuse. 10 keep the audience
amused
Every one knows Harry Kelly. and he.
as the Deacon is the bright particular
star. Never was he funnier than he is
in this piece His methods are inim-
liable, and his semi-serious aphorisms
which he carries through the play af-
ford fine contrast 10 hts funnier mo-
ments. II really seemed last night as II
Mr.. Kelly was not as funny as he could
have been, because he did not dare 10 be
any funnier than he was. Somebody
might have dropped dead with apoplexy
and stopped the show. His speciality in
the second act was a scream OF laugh
ter from beginning 20 end
Second to Kelly is Ed Wynn. long and
fsvorably known in vaudeville. who has
a part particularly suited 20 MS fine
style of comedy OF course, he is there
with that funny double Panama hat, and
his merry quips. 10 which his personality
and manner OF delivery add so much. II
they were set down in cold print no
doubt they would seem silly enough-but
tainly they set the audience roaring.
Then there is Fletcher Norton, as
graceful a dancer as there Is on the
American stage. and a chap who can
sing a song so as 10 get the best out of
il. One OF the big hits of the evening
was his In the French Fiip-Flop," with
an eccentric dance. and his II Love
Yankee Girl" was another delight.
Miss Clara Palmer as good looking as
she is clever. is the prima donna OF the
company, and she has a voice OF rare
charm added 10 a personality of Won
drous magnetism Her songs. Mr.. Tan
heuser" It's Queer What Just a Little
Love VIII Do" and Dreams" were all
wonderfully effective. but her biggest op-
portunity and her largest success was
made with Tiger Love-" a beautiful
melody, in which she was accompanied
by the entire chorus. Miss Palmer comes
into her own in this musical comedy, and
has never been seen 10 better advantage
Then there is Mayme Gehrue. who
sings il mighty we'll. The comedy IS
helped out az times by Madelyn Mar
shall, who plays the Deacon's daughter,
and by P. o. MaIley Jennings. who plays
the Hon. Charles Chetwynne, the Eng
lishman. who is always proposing. Both
are very good.
Last. bur by no means least. comes the
chorus, company OF pretty girls in
rich and tasteful gowns, as good sing
ms chorus as you will hear in many a
long day. There are short girls and tall
girls, ponies" and mediums" all OF
them good 10 look at, and all of them
with voices