The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-06
ADJUSTMENTS
Academy of 1Iusic-"NIntInmc sherry
DiJou--"AIn
Al Inst a N1uslcal SLOW

Al Inst n Musical show.
During this whole season We have
had only three musical shows at the
Academy of Music-two of them were
"repeaters" ("The Newlyweds" and the
Soul Kiss"D, and the third. was THE
Arcadians,' which hope will never re-
peat Under these circumstances. we
should have enjoyed almost anything
that had even drum and fife in il;
we filled the house last night; we We're
| In a kindly happy and receptive mood
and we had the happiest time in tho
world. But, even If We had been sur
| feited with comic opera, musical COM
edy, comedy with music, or anything
else musical. we could not have helped
| liking Madame sherry"
To begin with, 1t isn't fair 10 COM
pare last nights production with Tile
Merry Widow" Franz Lehar's stu
pendous success is more ambitious-re-
member that ii is called IAN opcretta,'
! almost an opera--whlc Madame
| Sherry is simply billed as a French
vaudeville. But, on the other hand,
don't believe those who saw it In New
York when they tell you that there
is nothing In 1t except the melody of
Every Little Movement" There may
be no other tune that they can whistle.
| but the chances are that few of them
can hum anything from the merriesL
| of widows. except the waltz and the
Villa" song.
The music is pretty and tuneful; the
| dances are exquisite: tho settings ara
| perfect, and the hook abounds in
clefcrness and clean fun. Besides tho
famous Every Little Movement"
| fvonne mas song, THE Birth of the
Butterfly" that is a little gem. and tho
Love Dance is song in itself. as
is the dance called The Birth OF pas
sion And it is all clcan--'refned'
TO use n ruined word.
| To have done with unfavorablc
criticism at oncc-I wonder why the
program we have had for the last
week has given the names of some
twenty four chorus girls when only
eight appeared last night
Still the chorus mattercd very little
and. besides, they augmented the or
chestra with eight or nine men whom
they had not advertised. The success
OF the performance rests upon the
shoulders of the principals, and OF
them there can hardly be any just
criticism. Lillian Tucker. rs Lulu. was
good in the little she had to do-shc
introduced the melody that runs
through the performance early in tho
hrst act and then virtually stepped
back. Alta Virginia Houston, who he
comes Madame sherry herself, made
one of the hits of the evening Not
only was she screamingly funny after
she had had drop too much, but she
was made to sing again and again IL
coon SONG" imploring somebody to
put his arms around her" which she
substituted for number on the pro-
gram Neal McCay. as Edward sherry.
had comparatively little to sing. which
i is a pity, because lie is not a grace
full dancer, and he has. or had, an unu-
sually fine voice.
Ben Grinncll made ridiculous
Frcnchman, and danced wonderfully
in the second act, and Estellc Thebaud
Il Pepita), who was apparently suffer
ing from bad cold. which affected
her singing. danced enough to show
that she also is very much Of dancer.
Their big dance together in the third
act had to he cut OH account OF the
latcness of the hour.
But Ada Meade (Yvonnc) and Dallas
Wexford (Theophilusl We're the two
brightly shining stars. Miss Meade
came on in quiet little gray cloak and
bonnet and sang a dcmurc little song
that gave the audience only an idea of
her pure, round, clear voice ana pretty
quality of tone In few minutes she
shed the Quakeress and became the
butterfly. And such a butterfly! Not
! only can she sing--really sing--but she
is one of the most graceful dancers
Wo have seen Tor n long time, ana ono
of tho most attractive women. She Is
simply infectious. Dallas Wexford, who
is Il famous comedian, made tho house
roar every time he opened his mouth
He had an absurd little gurgling kind
Of IA crow way down In his thront that
meant nothing. i'm tho world. but Ahat
couldn't. he resisted. Brit that was
merely n laugh getter pure and SIM
ple--the man Is Hhisheil "Rc.or. and
ono marvels why :>fie. fa In musical