The evening world., 1912-04-24
'I1eMew Plays
''7Wo Little Brides
. Bright and LiveN:
Powers Funny.
~ CHARLES

~ 0ARNTON
THAT eight column smile Of James
T. Powers was fully justified In
spreading itself at the Casino last
ni1bt. for with Two Little Brides
pranclng to the altar to the prsttiest
music Gustaye Kerker has wuftten in
many a moon. and a chance TO be funny
almost every step If the way. the home
Hest mar In tho musical comedy world
had every reason to consider himself a
liroky star. While we must admire
Frank Daniels for his lack Of manly
beauty. there II something about Powers
that rises above the ''make-up' box.
His face IL oil his own-nothang could
alter II.
In approaching Two Little Brides'-
n for that matter the one who slum-
bered In the last act wasn't 20 ''ltt1e''-
Mr.. Powers evidently felt no fear. But
apparently he had his doubts about tho
German Book" so he Joined with
Arthur Anderson md Harold Attrddge
In the mighty task OF bringing It up to
the Broadway standard For years
we've been trying to discover what this
mems. and We shall probably die In the
attSmpt.
Anyway. Mr.. Powers vas funny last
ulght. quite aside from his earnest en-
dsevor to ngure upon the roll Of
authors. 1t may DO only Q coincidence
that he and tho hunor Of 1.-TWO Little
Brides" emerged at the sams moment.
IL never raAns but II pours. and go Mr..
Powev remained out In a thunderstorm
wQA1e . song-and-dance was going on
inside q Ladi.s' Institute HI promised
a good spr1ng crop II brides. rortu-
nsteIy the merry lady who was waiting
at the church for hin With a dagger
concealed IN her trousseau didn't arrive
On the scene until the second act. and
by this limo he was ~hopeessly attached
- one Of the prettlest brides the Insti-
tute had to offer. His friend, the Count,
got the other one.
One was fair, the other dark. Musi-
cal comedy, like life. has Its contrasts.
Miss Leila Hughes look tho blonde side
Of the argument. Her voice matched
her hair, and both scored. In a light
sort Of way. Miss Hughes was alto
gsther charming. Miss Frances CAM
NfSA hNS 0a1e bGo1ty ~ ~
way that suggested the Oriental type.
hut she could siny-and she did! Miss
Flavia Arcaro came later with the dag
ger and considerable gusto. Also. she
brought her voice with her. and Il
helped the singing average materially.
Walter Lawrence betrayed no sign
that he had been rushed into tho part
u the Count and came of with both
singing and acting honors. 1t also ~.
peared that at the eleventh our Arthur
Clough had carried the Southern States
and been elected King. a certain Col
onel who holds the fort at Oyster Bay
could give him lessons In acting. but
lis singing voice saved him.
The real leader. however. was the
man who conducted the orches,ra-.Mr.
Kerker. His music gave THE Two
Brides" distinction and charm. AL
though one number recalled 'Thc Choc-
olate Soldier and another suggested
The Spring Maid" IL wal the score
that really scored. The one fault to
IND Is tina there was a little too much
Of 1t toward the end. "The Waltz With
out n kiss struck the most original
note OF tho evening until II degenerated
into a burlesque Of the insunerab,e
turkey trot." Another mistake wa,
made when n bed was dragged In 10
Illustrate the old Joke OF the husband
who comes home 30 late that his wife
wakes w and imsgines that no Is
dressing to 20 out. Mr.. Powers In evil
IDENTIFY unable to discriminate between
. good memory and bad taste. At tho
same time ne may rest assured that
with 1.-TWO Little Brides he has a real
Casino success. At the fag-end of the
season q musical comedy that 10 bright
xnd lively has everything In Its favor.