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

In a beautiful setting Of color ''The Pink
Lady danced and sang and skipped her
way into the hearts of an appreciative
audience at the New National Ifeutcr
last night, receiving genuine welcome
on arriving for two-week sojourn IN
Washington. All the nice things that
have been said about this imported musi-
cal comedy are true. When they said 1t
sparkled they did not overdraw the eff
feet which Ivan CarylTs music produces,
and when they said it was witty they
| did only faint justice to the book and
lyrics created by G. NJ. =. Mcclellan.
After one has seen it the reason for the
colorful name is apparent-'The Pink
Lady is lyric pink Of perfection.
To the eye alone 1.-The Pink Lady" Is Il
treat. Scenes of unusual artistic clever
ness are the background against which
nimbly through the intricacies of the
plot. The pink roses Of LIE Joli Coucou
IN act ] but a forerunner for the
splendid interior scene of the antique
shop in act >. and the curtain was not
fully raised upon the Cafe les SatyreS in
act :; before a burst of applause drowned
the music OF Pans dance. 1t Is III this
last act THE Pink Lady Waltz Is intro
duced, and the Partisan cafe affords
gentle. relief from the accepted stage type
of this genus, for IN this cafe there is
naught but good taste in design ana
conduct. However, the good taste is not
the entertainment Of the average auditor.
Washington had heard that here at last
was a musical comedy with Il plot which
would stand alone. but there We're some
Who stuck their tongues in their cheeks
and doubted. All doubt on that score was
removed last night The Ara bian Nights
has no tale more clever than the auda-
cious story of the shopkeeper turned
satyr, and plunged into q half dozen
kinds of mistaken identity and blinded by
cross purposes. There is no denying it
The Pink Lady can live without music.
but as long as she IS blessed with an
danger that she will. The Pink Lady's'
story is a funny one. Garidel in his ire
inendous yet unsuccessful efforts to have
lunch with the Pink Lady, while his
fiancee, Angelo. pursueS him half trusting.
half SuSpecting. make excitement and
lead the principals TO many cli,naxcs, all
of which are set to music. The idea of
forcing the old antiquarian Dondidier to
become a rascally satyr who kisses all
the girls, when he really thinks more Of
Il snuff box than a kiss. makes the fun Of
the story. There Is none of the common
place about the fun either, for the au
dience kept its smiles agloW constantly,
except when smiles gave way to uncontrol-
able laughter.
\ company remarka BILE in man, ways
presents the piece. Each member seems
to have nothing in mind except the sue
cess of the evenings entertainment. 1t is
Il well CHOSEN ana We'll DdlGICeti
each member being especially fitted for
the role, whether 1t be a matter of sing
ing or Of dancing or OF fun making, and
of this last sort there are several who
have learned the comedians art in mas
terful fashion.
OF the latter no one who sees Tom Wa
1ers playing Philippe Dondidier will forget
him. He seems d model for musical COME
dians 1t is in the great song 'Donny
Did, Donny Didn't" that he rises to eX-
;rhf nh witt inn, in
number are Georgia Harvey. Jane Grover
and Wallace McCutcheon. jr., hacked UP
by the fine chorus. OF Miss Harvey as
Nine Dondidier too much can hardly
be said. The role reminds one forcibly OF
that comic Galula of Sultan of Sulu
memory. and Mss Harvey has found
way to make 1t too funny for expression.
Another comedian who compels attention
and draws laughter in big sweeps Is Jed
Prouty. He has one grand chance in the
now famous song, THE Girl by the Sas-
IA i.te t'nn Lady tiers II,
Miss Cecil Cunningham, is Ito mean fun
maker. though her talents are scattered
over the broad range usually assigned to
the central figure n MS seal Story. she
sings acts and dances we'll.
"1'he Pink Lady" has brought chorus
of good looking people, all hard workers
and good dancers and enthusiastic sing
crs. Pans dance and the Partisan Two
STEP" the Introduction to the third act, Is
made beautiful -oy clever cleo neal e.
fects. For once the heralds have fallen
short in their praises. The Pink Lady
Is better than her best friends have an
uOunced her