The Washington times., 1911-09-27
laia Mrdock Says the "Fohes Beyere" At the National
Fails IN It's Attempt to Be Naughty and Is Only Dard1g
Inferno, Allegory and French
Cabaret Give Variety
of Effort. |

him and offer themselves to him. Rene
Is about to succumb to the temptress.
but he hears a strain of music from
afar that awakens memories Of Lily,
and her pure love for him. He calls TO
her to save him as he kisses the flower
she gave him, and she appears in a
vision with outstretched arms Tho
vanquished passions disappear, and
Rene embraces his bride.
The allegory Is daringly carried out.
and girls with little on but two or three
carefully applied coets of grease paint,
simulate statuary all over the stage.
Part Is called "Gany" This is the
part We were tod was inst as ris1ue as
II possibly could be. and there was
u manifest air of attention in the audi
ence when the curtain went up on THIS
part OF the play. "Gaby.' the dance
hall girl who helped Portugal get rid
Of King Manuel wore some most as
tonishing clothes more notable for
their scantiaess than for anything else.
There was 4 Spanish dance, by Laura
Gucrite, who has been billed as tho
r'rr nch Eva Tanguay. and IL the Amcri-
an Eva ever sees her give an imita-
ton OF the American whirlwinds dauca,
there will be trouble right away.
Take Off of "Gaby" Not
Essentially Wicked.
The "Gaby" piece was not essentIaiYy
wicked--it was a wild. Intellectual at
tempt for naughty effects that fell short
Of the mark. \ Spanish dance Is given
with not half the verve and grace that
! have seen in an amateur production
Of Carmen" Girls wearing not much
more than a string of beads marched
on and on the stage for no apparent
reason except to be seen.
In the cabaret shcw the girls in the
chorus talk to the audience. which
Il ~ rgnN H. AI 1WI
MANY who share this objection. Faces
and arms Ind figures are constantly
and persistently revealed. and there Is
an exploitation Of thousands and thous-
ards nf dollars worth Of Iaces and high
ne"led shoes and siIken hoisery. anil
gowns. and sparkling iewclry. and half
nudeIgirls and irdelicate dramatic still
| ations aud suggestive episodes. all cal
culated to appeal to certain instinct.
The same kind Of persons do these
| same things In Paris for half the money
that Is charged at the National For
the reason that a nigh price was paid
for admittance, the Iiece bears the ear
| marks Of respectahility because II Is
offered in Il respectable theater and
tongprices are being paid fer it, For the
greater part, II is stuff that has vicious
influence. and those who have been its
patrons this week would not have been
witnessing 1t If it had heen offered
under cheaper auspices elsewhere.
No Lure to the "Tired
Business Man" Is Held.
Too many concessions have been made
! for the tired business man," to whom
all playwrights and theatrical producers
seem to be catering nowadays. But
there is a doubt If this sort of show ap-
peals to him as 1t might have done a
decade ago.
Time is past when the shoe-horn style
of gown and drop-stitch silken hosiery
can lure him from his hreside and his
evening paper. America has had too
much of this sort of revue, so why at
tempt to criticize 1t when theer Is really
nothing new to criticise2
The show IS neither vaudeville, NOV
ing pictures, burlesque. or musical
comedy. II Is a desperate attempt to
he naughty. an attempt that Is not
realizede JULIA MURDOCH.