New-York tribune., 1912-03-06
WINTER GARDEN SHOW
New Entertainment First Seen
Here Last Night.

A new note is sounded in the Winter
Gardens latest assemblage of dramatic
ldeas-that of burlesque. And 1t Is well
come. From the minute that Ernest Hare
| came out and delivered a prologue In near
dreamy poetic style, followed by the en-
trance of the company along 'fowery
way from the rear of the auditorium over
the heads OF the audience. in the manner
Of japan and of Professor Reinhardts
"Sumurun." at The same time singing a
sumurun Rag. the burlesque was on.
"A Night with the Pierrots," which was
the first section of the programme, was a
coming to life of minstrels, with pierrots
and pierrettes substituted for 'niggahs.'
AL Jolson and Barney Bernard were end
men, while Billie Taylor was interlocutor.
There were any number Of speed songs
and novelties. .Iclson, with his own variety
Of foolery, won his audience from the start,
although there was some anxiety fOr
time over clever stage row, during which
Jolson threatened To leave the company.
He was "Shubert's little pet" he said, and
could get JOB from Marcus IOew any
way If he wanted TO leave. The stage
manager showed him back over the towcry
way and the audience. who began TO see
through the quarrel. applauded the real
ism of ii.
Blossom Seelcy proved herself whrl-
wind in her "Toddling the Todolo' song, IN
which the big company Joined at the end
in a furious musical crash, which actually
led a New York first night audience up to
a sembance of excitement.
The "Whirl Of Society followed. This
is a musical satire of up-to-date society.
which is made along the lines of good
humored. broad buresque. In this Stella
Mayhem. who is a first class comedian. had
the best part of her now varied Winter
Garden career. AS Mrs. Dean, a financial
queen striving to lead society. she is cap
ital. Harrison Rhodes wrote the book Of
the piece, Louis Hirsch the music and
Harold Ottridee the song words.
Lawrence DOrsay comes into the "whlrl"
as the Archduke Frederick. royal guest
OF Mrs Dean at her simple at home
party" for whose entertainment she had
provided novelties none of which cost
less than 5000" one Of these was Mile.
Clara Faurens. who when she swayed
down to the footlights in her curry. blue
gown, waving her large feather fan and
singing Amour" thereby also made her
debut in this country. Mile. Faurens WHO
has just arrived from the Paris varieties,
made good impression and was warmly
encored. She can sing
Jose Collins and Martin Brown in pict-
uresque costumes designed on Colonial
lines but not with Colonial intent danced
a weird Barbary Coast sort of variation.
which was lighted only by white spot
lipb u.bf Ia.
The last section of the programme was
formed Of an operate mimodrama, "Sesos-
ira, played by Nine Lima Imperia. OF the
Royal opera. Budapest, and the olympia,
Paris. assisted by the pantomimist Farina
and Lucy Gerard. "Sesostra" is bit Of
Egyptian imagining which shows the En-
press ScsostTa in the camp of the bar
barian conqueror whose army Is besieg-
ing her city. Failing to get the barbarian
completely enough under her power by her
art Of Turing. she finally kills him with
her diamond ponard Mime Impera is a
woman OF magnificent physique and an
artist in plastic poses. Her assistants
were both good pantomimsts. especially
Mile Gerard, whose very small part Of
the slave she made a great deal Of The
scene itself, however, and the costuming
were the points Of main interest in "Ses
ostra." The subdued colorings and the
fantastic designs showed more knowledge
Of genuine Egyptian antiquities than is
usually seen on the stage.
Something will have to be done about the
length OF the new programme. Last night
the final curtain came down at y o'clock /
1t seems as though the "Whirl Of Society |
could well be cut In both its scenes without
losing value. When this, or whatever else. !
IS done To shorten II, the new programme.
with its high spirits and original. even
local. flavor. will probably be- considered
the best one yet.
CAST OF THE WTTTRT. pT- cnrTf-.ry