The Washington herald., 1910-12-27
THE NEW NATIONAL.


The perennially appearing collection of
song, spectacle. and travesty known as
The Follies." is with us again. and the
popularity of the Ziegfeld aggregation.
in conjunction with the amusement-seek-
ing propensities of the holiday crowd.
filled the National Theater with two
overlooking audiences yesterday. and
! those in search of amusement in keeping
with the day-the light and merry-were
amply recompensed.
This years aggregation of nonsense is
about the best that has yet been sent
forth under the title. The vaudeville
acts are extremely good, the travesties
hit as close to the mark as most humor-
GUS shots fired from this class of ord
nance, and the general color scheme is
so brilliant as TO dlspel any recollections
Of previous spectacular events, and that
is about the proper function OF the last
named attribute, anyway. There seems
TO have been disposition TO couple the
title of this particular form Of enter
tainment furnished by Mr. Ziegfeld with
the term ''risque." or some other word
conveying the same meaning, but this
seasons output. at least, shows no de-
cided tendency in that direction. unless
the usual aecompaniments OF the usual
musical show can be so considered. As a
matter of fact the ''FoIlies'' is simply
a musical comedy without a plot (and
who can say that the majority OF them
have any and consequently resolves it
self into a string Of specialties. most
OF them humorous, shown against an ex-
trayagentiy colored background.
interspersed between and interpolated
into the basic numbers are numerous
songs and speeialties, the most effective
probably being Swing Ne High, Swing
Me Low" rendered by Lillian Lorraine
with a beautiful setting, she being seated
in a forally decorated swing, which is
pushed out over the audience. dispensing
carnations 10 those below. and accom-
panied by half a dozen OF the chorus
sWaying in fiower-bedecked swings on the
stage. Other effective songs We're Good
by, Becky Cohen" and "Lovey joe" by
Fanny Brice; Nix on the Glow Worm.
Lens" by Shirley Kellogg. and My
Eiddish Colleen" by Bobby North and
Shirley Kellogg. 1t must be understood
that these mentioned are but samples.
for space viii not permit complete
N-+b+AAtT eatiNiir eAtt4 tlAtIC Is not one gwen
calculated 10 Impress the hearer with the
idea OF being bored. There is a notable
collection of rags" with the "Yanki-
ana, - rendered by Shirley Kellogg; THE
Temptation" by lillian Lorraine. '-The
Fandango." ny Vera Maxwell and Harry
Pilcer. and I Love It." by Bobby North,
all with lively aMiliaries and the Rus
sian dance by w. Wanna is a remark
able exhibition OF acrobatic skill.
A feature of the entertainment is the
appearance OF Bert Williams, who is un-
questionably one OF the best vaudeville
entertainers OF the period, in some Of his
inimitable songs. He contributed a new
list embracing Constantly" Believe
Me-" In the Evening" and in The
Watermelon Patch" interpolated several
others. lie is highly entertaining. and
scored with every one OF his songs, but
notably in Believe Me" and in his
pantomine descriptive OF a poker game.
Besides these. he figured prominently in
several of the traVesJies and. altogether
his efforts stand as one OF the best parts
OF the programme, although there viii
probably be a disposition in some quar-
ters 10 remark that he properly belongs
to vaudeville or in a show puryeyed by
members OF his own race