The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-18
Ry MYRTLE MILES

One of the clever entertainments given recently by the amateurs of New Hork society was presented for the benefit or sanitorium and had the curious name' sThe Cynic Get-a-Laph." There are some strikingly original librettos written ana presented by the people in set whose chief pleasure is the production of the drama. This particularly unique affair was yaudevillian in character, concluding with an imitation of moving pictures
 On the first page of the programme the cynic was pictured in his char Ill va rious stages from an attitude Of huddled LID ennui with his hands in his pockets to the climax, when with the chair over turned he sits on the floor convulsed wlth laughter. The first condition no more presented the truth than the last, Tor all the cynicg in the audience were seated beside attractive young girls quite con tent no matter what the programme on the stage might provide. The greatest laugh at this "Get-a-Laph" entertainment was created by MT. Norman Hallet and MT. Henry Smith. who played the piano, cornet and various instruments, stopping now and then in vaudeville fashion TOT humorous dialogs and jokes. They were in grotesque costumes. had false noses and wigs, the one young man wearing in halo fashion only the lid of an old straw hat They combined acrobatic stunts with their musical numbers. One for ex- ample, stood on his head with his feet on top of the piano and continued to play the mandolin. while the other. also on his head with his feet at the same height managed to reach the keyboard and play the accompaniment This stunt got a. laugh even from the professional musi- clans seated below the stage. Their jokes both old and new delighted the audience. a "ne you think that after you sat To dinner, then to the the ass M upper and then see her Yr.fa tt hld kiss her before you
 fNo," replied the other,
 bough for her" The rest
 r ment consisted chiefly of
 jk of moving pictures. A Grated reel to give the vi- ian /were thrown on the white s.fA.D Teach play and act and the eeaaaf $ music was all in moving In ar TT moving picture dramas young men sa tyomen of course were on the stage. Tft5fnal play, however, was unique in hat only men had part 1t was a clever burlesque of Paul Rainey's lec- lures. MT. Henry Stimson, wonderfully gotten up as Lord Wolterwopper, with wig and monocle, stood at the side of the stage with a prodigious amount of manu- script in his hand to describe thrilling experiences in China, illustrated by nov ing pictures in which MT. Russell Cheney was the lion (of the fool legged sorD, the coolies including MT. Philip Lyndon Dodge, MT. Hugh Greef and Mir Douglass Green. In addition to the picture plays there was a monologue by Miss Helen Mclaughlin, whose popularity was attest ed by the fact that Mrs c. B. Alexander and yher three daughters and other friends sn1the audience waited especially to hear her recitation. The audience was a lively one, including, as ft did, so many debutantes. There were many girls in costume, some going through the audi ence to sell flowers held aloft on trays It is a custom now at these charity enter tainments for young people to come in fancy dress even though only to have part as spectators It makes a lively social scene and the costumes worn are usually those that have been seen on the stage at previous entertainments. Miss Douglas Hosworth, for example, in Spanish dress, was seen with Mrs. George Lane Grace Ruggles), who was in Quaker garb with apron and cap.