The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-19
THE BELASCO.
Marie Dressler I'm "TiIIie's Night
mare"

mare"
Last week the patrons OF the Belasco
had an opportunity to witness a Lew
Fields production that had had the stamp
OF approval Of Broadway on it for some
tiine' and they were liberal with their APP
probation of H. But last night they had
occasion to pass criticism on another pro-
duction from the same source. and the
applause with which the capacity audi
ence greeted Marie Dressler and her
latest hit proved beyond a doubt that
The Midnight Sons" has found a sue
cessor which does not need a long run
on the White Way 10 prove it a winner.
FROM the very rise of the curtain on
the Blobbs boarding house in Skanea-
teles-pronounce 1t II you can-to the fall
on the same setting. the play is one long
laugh-with one intermission supplied by
a generous management to let the audi
ence catch enough breath to continue
their laugh in the second act. But al
though there were but two acts there
were no less than eight scenes-in all OF
which Marie Dressler had scenes. each
one Of which seemed 10 be funnier than
the last
If Titles Nightmare" had nothing
! more than its originality Of plot to pre-
sent TO the public IL would stu be en-
titled to the grateful appreciation Of audi
ences stated with musical comedies which
are nothing more than the barest ex-
cuses for vaudeville turns and the wear
ing Of gowns by the stars and choruses.
But TITLES Nightmare" is original
! Strange as IL may seem. the authors have
hit upon an idea that has not been worn
threadbare through many landings. and
they have made the most Of il.
The plot Of the piece, and there IS a
large amount Of it, would read like a sort
Of modernized. up-to-the-mnute "Cinder-
ella" Tillie Blobbs is the younger daugh-
ten OF a boarding house keeper and like
wise the drudge Of the family on the
night when the play opens she is about 20
have her first night out in years. for two
vagdevilHans have presented all the board
ers with tickets for their performance
But at the last moment Titles mother
informs her that she will have 70 stay
home and help her make pickles. After
the rest OF the household have gone 20
the Sunday papers and finally falls
asleep. the remainder Of the performance
being the dream that she has IN which
all the characters OF the opening scene
appear in widely different roles than those
in which they were seen at the boarding
house.
or course, Miss Dressler is the main
feature Of the performance She has
three songs-aH Of them hits-but il is IN
her personality and manner that she
completely captivated the audience. Her
every move and action IS a laugh.
In Title the boarding house drudge.
with all her dreams come true. she has
a role that fits her Ike the proverbial
glove. In her scene with the Sunday
papers, in the first scene; in the depart
ment store scene in the third-the fun
niest thing Of its kind that has been seen
since Lew Fields soda water episode in
| The Girl Behind the Counter"-in the
seasick scene moment OF the opening
/ scene in the second act. and finally with
her screamingly funny burlesques Of
Bernhardt, Tetrazzini. and Maude Allen
in the cafe scene. she proved that she Is
!.
and that she is not forced 70 repeat The
same business or the same lines TO pro-
duce that hearty laugh which is the best
tribute to the ability 10 the genius OF a
professional funmaker.
81 In addition TO these moments OF mirth
She delivered three songs in her own inim-
liable Heaven VIII Protect the
Poor Working Girl" I'm Tight" and
What I Could Do on the Stage" At
the end OF the wedding rehearsal scene
in the first act she was forced 10 come
forward and make a short speech. thank
ing the audience for giving her such an
easy method Of making a living.
Although the star is really the whole
show" tho management has supplied a
supporting company all Of whom do ex-
celient work. Particularly Is this true Of
the delineation OF types done by the
characters in the opening scene Octavia
Broske as the sister Maude May Mont
ford and George German as the vaudeville
team Of Frost and Snow. J. Clarence Har-
vey as the inventor, Tinker. and Bur-
reIl Barbaretto as Bragg. Maude's beau,
all contributed clever work throughout the
Atl AOl llldl'e anu ul4-LtA 10 IIoQuCe an
exceptionally weu-balanced whole. Har-
vcy's work in the topical song. There
Goes Another one" and Barbaretto' S
singing and dancing Of Il Want 10 Bring
You n Ring" were the individual num-
bers that received the greatest amount
Of applause.
Horace Newman. in tho role OF Sim
Pettngill. Titles hance, has role from
which he succeeds in deriving a large
amount Of humor, and in his seasick
scene with the star shares the applause
with her, besides singing his one song in
a manner which seemed to please greatly.
As IS the case with all the productions
staged by Ned Wayburn. the chorus is
notable for their excellent training and
graceful dancing. as well as for their
novel groupings and costumes. Indeed.
If any criticisms are to be made on the
manner the production went last night
they would be merely TO request that
Miss Broske modulate her voice a bit
in her song at the beginning Of the sec
ond act, and that the orchestra be sub
dued a trile- With these very minor
faults. TITLES Nightmare" is the most
novel and enjoyable OF the many per
formances Of this kind that have favored
Us this season.
THE ACADEMY.