Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-16
New National.

Whether the entertainment offered by
THE Slim Princess company at the
New National last night is to be called
light OPERA" musical farce, "a ORA
matized fable in slang or simply e. Sic
Janis" matters not. Everybody appeared
to have a good time including the youth
full star, Joe Cawthorn and a numerous
cast of gentlemen with all kinds OF faces
and dialects and ladies with all sorts OF
voices and figures.
Ade Burbanked into lyrical effiorescence
by Henry Blossom and set to music IN
the most genial and condescending mood
of that 'Florodora'' &c ebrity. Leshe
stuart. There are moments when Mr..
Stuart appears to have abandoned his
own inspirations to study the musical
style of that most Industrious of COM
posers, Harry Won Tilzer. The music is
varied in style and quality. and one of its
most appreciated features was whimsl-
cal song-protest against ragtime written
by Miss Janis. The piece itself is not
or great importance, save as 1t gives OPP
portunity for Il young woman to romp
merrfly and without apparent restraint
through sort of wonderland, in which
the most extraordinary personages do
the most remarkable things, with a
hearty laugh as the chief object in life.
Joe Cawthasn. one of the most au-
dacious punsters that tread the stage,
manages by his personality to make
his attacks on the English language
enjoyable. He has abandoned a great
deal of his dialect and has entirely
severed relations with the concertina
that was always such a favorite with
his audiences. He makes a capital old
guard an to the Slim Princess. and
there is, with all the fun, a trace of
genuine sentiment In the devotion OF
the old chap to his little ward and in
her affection for him.
This wonderland reveals one droll
surprise after another; a Turkish pal
ace in which the ladies flirt in glee-
full unrestraint and into which enter
prising young Americans intrude with
out notice and with the utmost ease;
golf club where the caddieS put in
their time singing 'newsboy quartet
selections and the favorfte sport is
going fishing on the green Some of
the scenes are noted as laid in Wash
ington, D. c." This will surely be an
interesting community If they ever
hatch into actual existence.
One Of the principal charms of the
production is the dancing by Miss
Janis. Into this feature of the per-
Torrance she enters with the grace
laughing enthusiasm that is almost
child-like In it's apparent spontanetty.
In her limitations. which are introduced
naturally and inc'de- tally. she seems
wonderfully mature OF HilHu, since oHlS
remarkably developed intelligence
and imagination could so thoroughly
master such a variety of effects.
Miss Janis has succeeded In elevatine
the imitation of celebrities to veritable
art. The paradoxical situation Is threat
ened in which no imitation will be con-
sidered genuine unless it has the Elsie
Janis label.
Musically the presentation has some ad-
mirabIe features. It's chief object. how
ever, is comedy. and Mr.. Cawthorn comes
to the footlights time and again with a
comic verse that elicits roars of laughter.
The costume effects are so arranged
as to occasionally point picturesqueness
with humorous effect, the heavyweight
ponies-or should they be called Perche-
rons ?-being a novelty that arouses the
sense of the ridiculous without in any
way displeasing the eye. The scenery is
pretty. and The Slim Princess" will
doubtless be the recipient of much glee-
full homage during her sojourn.