Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-19
MUS E N e NTS.
BelaMo.

Underlying fun that Is always emphat-
ic and sometimes boisterous is a note OF
genuine originality that makes "Tillie' S
Nightmare" one of the most refreshing
shows Of the season. Edgar Smith, who
wrote the material for the Weber &
Fields buriesques. has struck . particu.
larry happy vein in this bit Of imagina-
tive joility: this story of a Sl<ineateies
(as the program spells IT., Cinderella,
who falls asleep over her work and
dreams OF visit to New York. Marie
Dressler is Tillie, uncorseted, enormous
and with ideas of the English language
all her own. Miss Dressler is our one
strone-arm comedian. frankly unrefined
laugh she affects no diffident coyness.
She goes after 1t with uncompromising
determtnation-as one who claims a
tribute that Is her natural right Only
man with a crouch could resist the
elephantine drolleries she practices with
such seeming seriousness. And a crouch
that could survive an evening in dream
land with Tillie Is imperishable.
1t would be a simpering affectation to
refer to Miss Dressler as a coincidence.
She depends upon no ruffled or pleated
Establishments to win such epithets as
"chic" or "vivacious.' She seeks the sort
of laugh that comes straight from the
diaphragm, long and hearty, and permits
no mental reservations. What cares she
for charm of face or grace of figure? The
audience In front has paid for fun, and
Miss Dressler Is the responsible person.
True there are earnest and efficient eff
forts to help. An evident fear on the
part Of the management that Mr.. Ned
Wayburn might be overlooked prompts, a
punctual reference to his portion of the
entertainment. note in the program
explains his relation to the enterprise SO
explicitly and comprehensively that It
may as well be repeated verbatim:
Note.-All Of the effects" gotten in
'maneuvering." "by-play." etc. during
the dialogue and incidental to the musical
NUMBERS In this performance were invent
ed and personally rehearsed by Mr.. Ned
Wayburn.
There is an important duty attended
to. If Mr.. Shakespeare had taken some
such precautions as these there could
have been none Of these annoying efforts
on the part of Baconians to cloud the
situation. Mr.. Wayburn's effects. stage
play are of the hurry-up-or-y u'll-miss-
a-train order. They are lively and ex-
hilarating, but do not, as a rule, attempt
to illustrate or interpret the exceedingly
clever lyrics of Mr.. Smith. The music
provided by Mr.. Sloan is of the approved
up-to-date sort. simple, but with here
and there touch Of original quality
that does no harm, even in a musical
comedy. Numerous changes of locale
enable the scenic artists to display abun-
dant skill. While there Is little attempt
at color harmOnies. the eye is we'll pleas
ed must of the time and never seriously
offended.
There Is long list Of people connected
with the production. Horace Newman
gives a good character representation of
the neglected inventor. and Mrs. German
and Miss May Montford cleverly satirize
the od-time song and dance team. There
are others too numerous to mention, and
all doing the much or little allotted to
them with a vim and enthusiasm that
reflect the true Dfesslerian spirit.
Tillie is not altogether grotesque car
feature There is a current of human
sympathy In the part that brings it into
an affectionate acquaintance. Title is
funny. but big-hearted and kind and
lovabie. 1t was too bad that the author
insisted on having her wake UP i'm the
last act to the same old grind from which
he rescued her In the first. There should
not be the same prejudice against happy
endings for musical comedies. az pre-
walls with reference to emotional dramas
and problem plays. But there is at least
the satisfaction of knowing that Tillie
will probably be permitted to repeat her
wonderful dream for a great many nights
to come.