Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-17
QEa THE THENTER IIl

the theater. and discussed its possibilities
| as social and moral influence with Keen
/ and scholarly discernnent.'
ART AND AVNRDUPOIS- Dav-
export of The Kiss Waltz" company de-
| clares that no theatrical producer of Sc
| rious plays loves a fat woman" Miss
Davenport should know. for she has cap
italized her obesity But where the shoe
/ pinches comes over the fact that fat
woman-and She shares the belief with
other stout members of the profession
is regarded as a comedy asset, and moth
ing more.
Il think many serious scenes could he
greatly improved declares Miss Daven-
port. If a stout woman were given the
female role Have you ever noticed one
OF those slim princeSSeS trying to por-
E. tray tragedy? They bounce all over the
stage. II there are five chairs the
stage they Will sit on six of them. The
audience becomes distracted No one but
q hunter can enjoy such acting.
But with ii fat wOman-why. she'd
simply sit in the most comfortable chair
and neve- move during the whole scene
the producing manager never thinks of
this. Fat women have never played
nous roles, and the managers dare not
make the change.
How different ii is in grand opera
There one sees stout ladies singing all
sorts of emotional roles. and they are
applauded. Why don't l go into gra-I
really, don't make me laugh"
CALLED THE DOG OFF-The Ushers
al Chase's this week, have dog and
they call him "Spareribs'' 1t was not
until they played recently in bill with
Willie Weston, the pianist. that they dis
covered q mn io fhpI
vocal accomplishments of their canine
comrade.
'Mees Usher said the foreign artist to
Miss Usher after concluding his perform
ance, throughout which "Spareribs" could
not be restrained from furnishing a dole
full accompaniment, heard plainly out
front. Noes Usher, eff thees happen the
once again ! drop the grand piano on the
dog.
"FLAPPERS. Every season develops
a new slang phrase from London descrip-
tive of the small. useful and interchangeable
type of dancer that seems to bloom per-
ennially in the British metropolis. Once
they We're ''ponies.'' again "rosebuds,'
then came 'broilers.' The last batch of
pretty, diminutive and apparently joint
less prieStesses at the shrine of the Brit
ish equivalent for Terpsichore are not
very euphOniously termed ''iappers." Six
'-fappers'' who can indicate five minutes
to II with the tips of their toes twenty
times a minute without losing a breath
are Incidental to the support of Elsie
Janis in The Slim Princess, the musical
comedy in which she comes to the Nation
al in January. The 'fappers" are the as
tonishing results of a wonderful appren-
tice system which begins when they are
six years OLD and turns them out finished
mistresseS of the photographic art when
they are sixteen.
AN IMPROMPTU EPISODE--During
the Spanish-American war Richard J.
Jose the star of Silver Threads was
singing in Denman Thompsons produc-
ton of The Old Homestead" One morn
ing when the soldier boys were marching
down Broadway on their way to the de-
pot from which they We're to depart for
San Francisco and sail from there TO the
Philippines Jose was in the throng on
Broadway who cheered the brave lads
on their way. He was recognized by
many people in the crowd and suddenly
some one mad an inspiration and sug-
gested 10 Jose that he sing Dolly Gray"
a parting song to the men VINO were
going TO the front.
Jose. quick 10 act jumped on top of a
convenient dry goods box and soon halted
the procession and hushed the noise,
cheering and excitement with MS rlcn,
sweet voice Is the words
Good bye, Dolly, L must leave you.
Though il breaks my heart to CO.,
sounded high above the street and were
carried along by the echOing walls of the
skyscrapers until the entire line heard
them. The words found response in
many tear-dinmed eyes and in many
mothers and Sweethearts sob. Mr..
Merle the author of Jose new play, has
50 arranged the stars first entrance that
he appears on the scene singing the
chorus OF the same famous song that
thrilled Broadway on that memorable oc-