The Washington herald., 1911-04-30
By EMORY b. CALVERT.


nights. scan the papers with a microscope
for the scanty crop of new plays with
which the managers are celebrating the
close of the theatrical season, but he
must even be prepared to search afoot
for his chauffeur, whose erudition Is OF
SO low a grade that he invariably ad-
heres to the official closing time, never
thinking that his employer may become
SO bored with mediocre performances
that he may wish to leave beforehand.
This falls doubly hard upon the denizens
of Fifth avenue and the "bald-headed
row. and many complaints against the
poor theatrical service this week and
prayers for better fortune are to-day In
evidence.
The offering this week consists Of two
plays, "A Certain Party" at Wallack's.
which may run for a while, and the
other the much-heralded London Fol-
lies," at Weber's, which opened and
closed all in one short evening, greatly
to the disgust Of those who had been
inveigled into attending through a lib
eral distribution of passes and the regret
of those who, because of the transfer of
good United States currency, hoped to
again witness the spectacle and shy
little garden truck at the actors as a
token of their opinion.
"London Follies."
To London Follies," which played one
night at Weber's Music Hall, belongs the
distinction Of distancing all records dur
ing the past decade Of Thespian history
both in the matter of sheer puerility and
pure rankness. 1T was as funny as a
crutch," to quote the words Of Diamond
Jim Brady, New Yorks famous con-
noisseur dramatique. whose scintillating
ffrst-night shirt studs have never failed
to win a smile or two from members of
the chorus, whose ethics are as change
able as the color Of their hair.
The London Follies," or "Weber's
Folly" Is one reviewer put II, had az
their prototype a troupe Of performers
who have for years been entertaining
British theater patrons with a brand Of
humor which is considered as the best
example of mortuary mirth in the land
Of gloomy jokes. So great has been the
success of these English jokesmiths that
there is little cause for surprise in the
fact that some enterprising promoter
thought to duplicate them on this side.
The surprise is that any one could be
found to give house room to such an ag-
Gregation. At any rate, strange as 1t
may seeem, the astute Mr.. Weber or his
representative in a moment Of absent
mindedness agreed to father the perform
ance. The text of the original Fol
lies was closely followed and the set
ting duplicated. A troupe was booked,
evidently from a Park Row amateur
house, and after two or three weeks of
conscientious, though ill-spent, practice
the Weberian press agent loudly an
nounced that the famous old music hall
would again make a bid for public favor.
The tip had evidently gone forth, how
ever, that the American version of Eng
lish folly was a frost. for. contrary to
custom, the bidding for seats was any
thing but spirited, and it was only by
dtnt of generous distribution of passes
that the house was filled with that class
of patrons OF the drama professionally
known as glad hands,
The fatal night arrived. Scurrying
clouds hid from view the crescent moon.
while critic after critic sneaked through
the ancient portals of the Twenty ninth
street music hall. A long-haired musi-
clan led a weird overture from a posi-
ton of vantage near the musicians en-
trance, and as the curtain rose, amid an
atmosphere of suspense, tobacco smoke. |
and bald heads. was seen to duck below ,
Four rather sad young girls in
short white satin dresses trimmed with
black and four somewhat pathetic
young men similarly attred were dis
closed. They tried very. very hard to be
merry and bright. but failed dismally.
Here and there glad hand clutching
his seat coupons in a nervous grasp and
remembering that he was under obliga-
tions to the management. laughed nerv-
ously, but for the most part chilly silence
reigned. A Miss Telfray, said to be an
American girl warbled little some
thing about Bellies and Beaus' in gut
tural tones and pranced about. A Miss
Lalor, English asked the audience to
"pardonner' in brilliant French, but they |
mot tn
resent it. |
Then Mr.. Blume-he accents the "e"- /,
got away with merry little thing |
called 'Uz-guZ-goozle-um," which moved |
several of the assembled humor experts |
to tears. and four of the troupe told Of J
The Dear Little Girls of the U. S. A" /
Then came Miss Alt, a New York girl" |
with In Moonlight Land" sung with in |
tense pathos and one or two high notes. |
to be followed by Miss Archbutt in a |
very thick felt-fined voice, bleating |
Won't You Waltz With Me-" Miss |
Archbutt at the conclusion of her turn |
was carried off the stage with her legs |
IN the air by a thoughtful comedian"
The comedian at once became popular.
Mr.. Olcott, a gentleman with a nasal
accent that you could cut with a knife,
then perpetrated a cute little satire upon
modern musical comedy. He meant well,
no doubt This was followed by
'burlesque on national music" which |,
provoked slumbering infant to indig-
nation, and SO the curtain fell upon the
first act, while the aforementioned
orchestra leader, after taking an observa-
tion to ascertain IL the house rule anent
the search Of patrons for ancient fruit
had been strictly prosecuted. nervously
handled his baton.
The rest Of the performance included
/ canned comedy" entitled the "Balky
Princess" supposed to be modelled upon
he Balkan Princess a musical show
1t the Casino. liberal number Of meta
ohorical cans" Were tied to this in the
next mornings papers. l.
When Mr.. Weber, the famous comedian,
lwoke the next morning and glanced at
he morning papers. he Immediately
phoned to his playhouse and gave strict
order to have the doors locked, and, II
necessary. sealed. to keep out THE Fol-
les" He denied all knowledge OF the
production. Thus ended THE Follies"
"a Certain Party,
Mike Donlin and his wife. Mabel Hite,
,ame to bat this week at wallack's with
"A Certain Party show that originally
'tarted out as a play fathered by
'Chimmie Fadden' edward Townsend
md Frank o'Mally. but has been boiled
iown and blown UP under the expert
supervision of Liebler & Co. until all |,
emblance Of the original play is lost in
! cloud Of farcical nonenities which form
/ vehicle for Miss Hite to air her vaude-