Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-02-06
Wars Alarms Staged
Amid Fun and PathOS
chocolate Soldier ELECTS Ga les of Laughter at ~Shuberts,
While at the Newark "The LittIest Rebel Car
rns Every Heart by Storm.
rHE usual packed house greeted

4 uSud1 pdChtQ HOuSG kT6eIeO
i the opening performance of THE
Chocolate Soldier at the Shu-
bert Theatre last night and applauded
With much enthusiasm as 'he''
marched through three acts into the
hearts of the theatre-going public and
encamped for a weeks stay.
While 1t Is true that the beginning
OF the first act seems a little tame,
when one considers the satirical deriva-
ton of the play and it's supposedly
humorous story, it rapidly increases in
fervor and fun until the finale at the
end of the second act presents a eli
max seldom equalled in comic opera.
The play abounds in wholesome humor,
and the audience was in a continuous
gale of laughter over the witticisms Of
Colonel Popoff, the arrogant egotism
of Major Spiridoff and the satirical
expose of heroes and hero-worshipers
by the Chocolate Soldier.
The plot Of the play, which will
show at once its possibilities, is as
follows: Lieutenant Bumeril, the
Chocolate Soldier. of the Servian army,
fees from the victorious B%ulgarians
and takes refuge in the boudoir of
Nadina, the daughter of a colonel in
Ao obl6d1idtl al my L CLlASbo tAlb
sympathy of first the girl and then
her mother and her pretty cousin,
Marcia, who Joined in hiding him and
in aiding him to escape. Each lady
when the soldier leaves bestows pom
him her photograph, with an inscrip-
ton upon it, tucking them into the
pockets of Colonel Popoff's smoking
jacket, which the Chocolate Soldier
wears when he escapes.
These pictures and the Jacket cause
much trouble for the three and much
fun for the audience when the colonel
returns from the wars and asks for his
smoking Jacket. In the denouement
which follows Nadina is openly Tilted
by Major Spiridoff, to whom she Is
engaged, and the chorus is given one
of it's few chances to show it's ability.
The actors who are playing he lead
ing parts are the same who originated
them in this country-and that is as 1t
should be, for the play could not be
bettered by a change. Miss Alice Yorke
sang the part of "Nadina" in a way
which won for her a fair share of the
numerous encores given the many hits.
Miss Yorke a an extremely clear So
prano, and her singing of the really
difficult scales in the famous song hit,
MY Hero" was superb. Marcia, her
cousin, combined a pleasing voice,
with even more pleasing acting, which
tool the house by storm and made her
easily the hit of the cast. Miss Juan
ita Fletcher is a most s%prightly, be-
witching, human little creature and
while capturing for keeps the heart of
Major S%piridoff" last night, she tripped
her way into those of the theatre
going public of Newark.
In Francis Boyle the part of Cap
tain Massakroff" has an exponent
whose work cannot be too highly
praised. Clad in his %uproarious colored
uniform and mustache, the captain
the reason for many a gale of
laughter. The gyrations of his hirsute
ornament and the admirable uncontrol
he maintained over his features COM
bined with his frog-in-the-throat voice,
the risibilities of all, while his
makeup threatened the high-water
mark of grotesqueness set by the late
Dick Deadeye."
While 1t must be admitted that
Charles Bowers took advantage of but
few of the opportunities afforded him
by his leading part as the Chocolate
Soldier" the ones he missed were not
in range of his superb baritone. the
equal of which has not been heard here
perhaps for some time.
Others worthy of commentator are
Mildred Rodgers, who played Mrs. Au-
relia Popoff, and George O'Donnel, as
Colonel Kasimir Popeff.