The Pensacola journal., 1912-09-29
WITH the PLAYS and PLAYERS
..Alma. Wh.r. do Won Llxe2

"Alma, Where do Yeu Liver
One sign Of the advance which has
been made by American managers and
ltbrettists may be found in Joe Weber's
production OF alma. Where Do You
Liver" which wiz be at the opera
house ON Sept. GOTH
Here is q farce originally done In
Pascis, then turned into a German ver
sscn fcr the Berlin audiences. and
cessv brought to the German theatre
II Nav York City. Here 1t proved
fhs .~sEleatfon Of two seasons ago. But
this was on account of the wond-
erfully pleaSing music OF Jean Bri-
quek. All went to hear It. Then 1t
became known that there was much
in the book to cause criticism. And
here's where the advance of the Amer
leans came In Mr.. Weber, took the
American rights of the piece and had
It rendered into q book with which
even the most capttous could not find
fault.
The FIRST thing chat Mr.. Weber did
was to order an OF the original num-
bers of Jean BxiQue& returned to the
score There is naught but purity In
music and this action helped the final
result. The play ran whole season
ut his theatre and that without the
slightest objection on the part Of any
one. The original and catchy songs.
the positive charm OF the music, all
have been retained. And the book Is
as dainty as the music.
George " Hobart. the prolific Amer
team comedy writer, was engaged by
Mr.. Weber to make the English ver-
sion. The success he made OF 1t was
phenomenal. He went back to the
original French story and paid little
attention to the German as an inter-
mediate hefpmate. It Is for this reason
that the sluggishness of the German
Alma" is entirely omitted. Hobart's
natural American wit combined with
the Frenchiness of the original proved
the most entertaining bit of work pre-
sented to New York theatre -goers in
some time.
The excellent company which will
make Mr.. Weber's presentation here is
headed by Grace Drew, a dainty prima
donna with a most irresistible per-
sonality and a voice Of extraordinary
sweetness. Last season Miss Drew
played the leading role in the No. /
Chocolate Soldier Others ON the
cast are Carlton King, Charles r. Orr,
John Mundenger. Henry Sherwood,
Herbert Haywood, Edward Nagfe, J.
Herbert Crowley, Bertha Whitney,
Dorothy Lewis, and Marie Annis
The farce begins in the morning. It
is the usual might before" which starts
the trouble. Theobald Martin and his
prospective son-in-law, Castor Duval,
arrive at home and find domestic
wrath awaiting them Their adven-
lures have included a meeting with
Mile. Alma, once the f1ancee of Gas
ton. Presently Alma appears and com
plicates things for the returned prodi-
gals. An unexpected happening, how
ever, reconciles her presence to the
women of the household.
An eccentric millionaire relative of
the Martins leaves his fortune to his
adopted son, Pierre le Peach, on con-
dition that he shall not fall in love with
or propose to any woman before ne
comes Of age, which event is to happen
on the morrow. In the event OF Pierre's
surrender to some siren, Theobald and
CASTOR are to divide the fortune be-
tween them. They immediately sug-
gest that Mile. Alma shall win a pro-
posal Of marriage from the young heir
presumptive. It is not an easy task
for the youth makes his appearance
singing melodious warnings against
woman kind. These his benefactor
has instilled IN him.
Moreover, Mile Alma is an idealist
as we'll as Parisian milliner. She
determines to save the lads fortune
for him despite the conspiring pair.
And then she falls IN love with this
farce comedy Parsffal, who is all In
nocence. And finally she wins the
fortune and its possessor for herself.