Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-24
New National.

"You may break. you may shatter"-
but what's the use? Frank Daniels Is
Frank Daniels, and will be to the end of
Frank Daniels. perhaps afterward. And
Frank Daniels is very much In evidence
in 1.-The Girl in the Train" musical
comedy production from the German of
Victor Leon. Amercanized and partly
Merry WIDOWED" by Harry B. Smith,
with music by Leo Fall, which was pre-
scented at the National Theater last even
ing for the first time in Washington.
1.-The Girl in the Train" Is filled with
pretty music. Some Of it is very catchy.
But some of 1t, one Of its most beautiful
the first act, was SO Wagnerianized by
the orchestra as to be almost lost. But
even had the ambition of the orchestra
scared farther than 1t did beyond the
during delicate interpretations. the show
would have been an unqualified success,
for Frank Daniels, with his grotesQue and
ludicrous sayings and doings, would have
redeemed it.
"The Girl in the Train" however. needs
no redemption. For in merry, sparkling
humor. delightful music. beautiful seen
cry enhanced by the exquisite color
last act, the comedy chorus and dancing
that is as delicate as it Is graceful and
pleasing. 1.-The Girl in the Train" to use
an effective If inelegant colloquialism, is
there with the goods"
Two songs that seemed to stand out
from the solo numbers were 'In My
Miss Fisher and Father" song. by
which Mr. Daniels sought to prove that
women Get the Best OF It."
The plot deals with conditions caused
by an eccentric If suspicious and suscep-
tible old Judge Van Tromp Drank
Daniels), who. after unique trial In
which the courtroom Is cleared num-
Der of times upon the slightest provoca-
ton by the judge, who fears that some
thing might be said, you know" awards
a divorce to a young wife who ''imagines
things" while at the same time he de-
crees that the young actress. who Is the
cause of 1t all. and who had made an
from blame of any kind. After the di-
vorce the judge divides his time between
making love to the young divorce and
the young actress. The young husband
seems forced to do likewise, until, in the
final act, the young couple Is remarked
and the judge triumphs with the young
actress
Three acts serve to present court
room at Amsterdam. the scene Of the
ludicrous divorce trial; the home of
Karel Van Myrtens. the young man who
would not stay divorced and the public
square at Makkum. Holland. The last
scene was a delightful picture in which
costumes and scenery blended in an ar
tistic riot of color.
Mr.. Daniels supporting company is ex-
cellent. In her singing and acting as
well as In her dainty and graceful dane
ing Sallie Fisher made an ideal Jana.
the young wife. Vera Michelena as the
| comedy Gonda Van der Loo, 1.-The cause
of it ALL fitted the role to a nicely. and
Edwin Wilson, as the young husband,
in singing and dancing as we'll as in the
| impersonation of his role. that SO easily
might have been abused, was artistic.
| manly and gentlemanly. The audience
| was an ideal one. both in its composition
and it's appreciation.
Mr.. Daniels was forced to make a
speech, OF course. But what he sought
| to say and what indeed he did say was
| so interminably intermingled with mex
haustible and incoherent photography
| that the verbs were omitted and Mr..
| Daniels himself was forced to retire with
the exclamation: Whats the use," while
| his audience fairly shook with laughter
Columbia.