The Washington herald., 1911-07-02
By EMORY b. CALVERT.

By EMORY b. CALNEhTs
New York. July food, opera, Bert
Williams, taxicabs, and chorus girls are
fitting in roseate procession through the
dreams of thousands of New Yorkers
who attended this week the ''Follies Of
1911" and THE East Side Follies Bergere," I"
the latest efforts of theatrical managers
to lure warm-weather theater patrons to
their houses.
To choose between the two ''Follies'' IS
impossible. They are both good, each in
a different way. To the "Follies Of 1e11, 3"
for instance, belongs Bert Williams, while
The East Side" aggregation must be
credited with the opera-food-tad combi-
nation. Now. both shows have pretty
chorus girls in profusion, so a decision
as TO which is the better must rest solely
upon the visitors esthetic tastes. II he
prefers Bert plus pretty women. he had
better go to the "Follies of 1s11;" II he
leans toward the food-opera-tsxi lineup.
the East Side Folies." II he takes the
advice of many critics. however, he will
see both shows with all possible speed.
The East Side FoIies BerEere.
The East Sides Terrace Garden, where
William Jennings Bryan, the friend OF
the ''peepul," holds forth when he comes
to town, is the place: the Van den Berg
Opera Company, host Of pretty girls,
charming singers, clever comedians, good
musicians. and an excellent chef nre the
entertainers, while two-doIlar note buys
FIVE hours entertainment. You get a lot
for your money at the Terrace Garden
more, in fact, than any other theatrical
house in the metropolis has ever before
offered.
The entertainment starts at $50 p. m.
with a dinner under the sky.
A little after 8 o'clock the diners COM
mence to file into the theater, and
promptly at Sis, in emulation of Bal
reuth, a bugie blows and the perform
ance begins. The theater part Of Ter
race Garden is known as the Lexington
Opera House. 1t has served many pur-
poses, but as a theater its aspect is far
different than when Mr.. Bryan holds
his friends and countrymen" enthraIled.
The floor is platformed over and chairs
cover the platform, with the boxes fes-
tooned in white and gold and the foot
lights outlined with roses.
serve, was Carmen" this week, with
Miss Edith Bradford in the role of hero
ine. She kicks good deal and sings oc-
casionally. A milder tenor than Alfred
Shaw has seldom been seen or heard in
these parts. Edward A Clark is Esca-
milo. Miss Hortense Listen, Nine.
Marie Layelle, William Blaisdell. and
Charles Holly appear as the celebrated
gypsy quartet. Nile. Reiva La Ear Is the
Mieaela.
Jose Van den Berg, whose name the
opera company bears, conducts valiantly
and passes flowers over the footlights to
Miss Bradford after every act Then
the outside doors are opened and the
audience passes out in body for more
drinks and to hear the orchestra in the
garden play selections from '~The Spring
Maid" and Mendelssohn's Spring Song"
But this Is mot all. When the curtain
falls On carmen's death the audience in
tho garden are entertained with cabaret
show. which is informel-very informal
Il consists Of walters who juggie plates
while serving the tables and ladies who
dance among the piatters with abandon
ana grace. There is also music. much
Of II, and reward the end OF the evening
the dsncing ladies' are usually augmented
By several enthusiastic sisters not on the
pay roll Of the management.
The performances de cabaret usually
breaks up about p. 4. when . long line
Of saxis rapidly whirl away the guests to
their several destinations. without any
other charge than the original two-spot.
lli,1e cleeIno oua AZ fho most &,rfrarrdl.
nary snserseinnsnss New York hss seen