Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-05
Columbia.

The recipe for that frivolous out enter
tanning connection. Over the River
which was designated on the menu as q
musical farce" and which Eddie Foy
and many assistants served goodly num-
Der OF expectant patrons of the Columbia
Theater last night, is easily indicated.
Take a basic plot of farce and extract the
juice OF wit and repartee to be stirred
in in small quantities but at frequent in
tervals. add most generously melody that
is catchy rather than classic. intruSt the
stirring to competent cooks and serve
with plenty of garnishng in the use OF
brilliant costumes handsome stage set
tingS and electrical effects. and with the
spice of vivacity and of novelties. And
those before whom the connection is served
will become-at least they did last night
moderniZed Oliver Twists in their appe-
tite for more. George V. Hobart and III.
n. Du SOuchet have eompetently prepared
the extracts of the original farce for
Over the River" John L. Golden fur
nished some rich and savery music: Eddie
Foy. aided and allotted by Managers
Charles Dillingham; and F. Ziegfeld, jr.,
and Stage Manager Frank Ranger, took
charge of the stirring and serving so eff
GENTLY that praise in the shape of either
laughter or applause was practically con-
tinuous last night. In fact, the applause
was SO insistent that it demanded
speech from Mr.. FOy.
many Neutrality-suspicious. have. hilariously
enjoyed annually for the last score OF
years or more. He is not as hilarious,
not as much the user OF antics that re-
fleet the spirit of the circus, as formerly,
perhaps, but his gifts as q comedian are
still subOrdinated to his pantomime droll-
cry. And he so dominates the scenes in
which he appears that he OverconeS some
of the shortcomings on the part of sew
eral other male members OF his company:
. The fact that every one of the musical
numbers was followed last night by de-
mands for encores-the plural Is used IT.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES to the melody of the
score, the richness and sweetness OF the
voices of the solosts and the excellence
of the vivacious and we'll drilled singing
and dancing chorus. Mere numbers were
rarely depended upon to make effective
the many song or dance specialties. And
it was refreshing to have each new re-
Spouse to the numerous demands for en-
cores not q mere repetition of the orig
inal.
More than one Of the airs OF "Over the
River We're Whistled on hummed as the
audience left the theater last night,
among those which seemed to be especial
ly popular being when There's No Light
at AL In Mexico and Lock Step,
Two Step Slide Beatrice Iiddell and
the chorus that assisted her injected so
much ginger and novelty into the singing
of "Raggety Man as to make 1t as great
hit as wanna Yama Man." of which
t Is reminiscent.
The whirlwind dancing and tumbling of
the Berlin Madcaps demonstrated the .ap-
propriateness of the appellation OF mad
caps" The dancing Of the Marvellous
Millers. while not as spectacular, was
marked by gracefuness and ease. Both
teams enriched the entertainment fur
nished by the chorus Maud Lamberts
voice, powerful and rich in natural mel
ody. was heard to advantage in the
,nelodious Bees Amt to Blame and
"By nv Irish Senorta, and largely
made up for her deficiencies III q dramatic
way William Sci cry. as the Wearer OF
a hat seemed fixed on .lis head. and
Harry Uermsen. as Bismark Herring,
gave Mr.. Foy some able assistance in pro
yoking laughs. Miss Jennetta Methven
high soprano. with which il is claimed she
-;ugS the highest note ever sung, has Il
,esnary-likc sweetness and clarity that Is
pleasing.