The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-11-26

New York, Nov. 25-Interest in the re-
juvenation of the Winter Garden pro-
gramme easily overtops the premiere OF
Lady Gregory's band of Irish Players
who have Travelled all the way from the
Abbey Theater, Dublin, to exploit ma
tive plays and humor al Maxine Elliott s.
and holds first place in the dramatic
happenings of the week. One does not
have to travel far TO seek a reason for
the Winter Gardens supremacy In fact
any one familiar with the esthetic yearn-
ings of New York could have forecast
the result had they caught a glimpse of
the Gardens advance bill with the names
of Mile. Gaby Deslys the throne wreck
err and Miss Annette Kelerman, the
Diving Venus" both ably assisted by
a chorus neatly wrapped in tights, prom
inently in the forefront
The bill at the Winter Garden is triply
divided. Vera Violetta," introducing
Mile. GabrieIle-of-the-Li Harry Pill
Ger, and a husky chorus takes up the
first period. ''Undine." with Annette
kellerman in the role of a water nymph.
occupies the second portion, and a Sc
ries of specialties a la vaudeville holds
the audience till well after II by the
town clock.
OF the speciaIties. the less said the bet
ter. They are of the familiar vaudeville
brand, and. while clever. do not deserve
q waste u Valuable SpdCt II - dDOul
Mile. Gaby and her American contempt
rary that the interest revolves.
Miss kellerman makes her first appear
ance on the stage after an absence of
more than a year, during which she has
added the art Of terpsichore to her IA
miliar diving acts. The new role becomes
her amazingly, for she emerges from the
conventional and closely fitting black
tights that swathed, or rather cIUng to
her wonderfully developed figure, and ap-
pears with startling effect in a dainty set
of pink fieshings, so snugly fitted that a
well-worn dime would scarcely find a
hiding place between suit and skin. I'm
dine" is a pantomime, and of a truth no
words are needed.
Gaby Deslys, in Vera Violetta." ap-
pears to much better advantage than in
her sketch first imported from Paris. For
one thing, she shows an honest attempt
to please an American audience in an
American role that wins her instant
sympathy. The action Of Vera Nioletta"
revolves about two wives, one of whom
is tired OF her husband and one who IS
not. Through this COnfection of pretty
women, lively music, and amusing situa-
tons, Gaby dances and sings her way to
a pleasing, though somewhat familiar,
exhibit of cross-barred underwear that
wins her many whOle-hearted plaudits
from the audience.
Harry Pilcer, an American who has
displaced Mile. Deslys French dancing
partner, deserves a word OF commenda-
ton. He rumples his evening attire with
an abandon that bespeaks the hardships
of dancer and helps mademoiselle con-
siderably in getting her turn across"
The Irish Players.
From time to time much has been
heard Of Lady Gregory and her troupe
of Hibernian players, imported direct
from the Abbey Theater, Dublin. They
first made their appearance at Boston,
where the condemnation of the church
served as an advance agent for their
New York premiere at Maxine Elliott's.
Their metropolitan programme includes
three plays. "Birthright," by T. c. Muir
ray, and two plays by Lady Gregory
herself. Everything but the scenery is
direct from Ireland-costumes. actors,
and broEue The scenery, however, has
been sleuthed to creative East New
York But the acting is Intensely
Irish.
The dramatization leaves no doubt in
the minds OF the audience as to the YER
satility of the cast, but the programme
is not unlike the bishops famous egg
some Of It is quite good, and some of It
is-but everybody knows the story.
For the most part all three playlets
are genre pictures OF Hibernian life,
best appreciated by those whose late