The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-13
Laugh, Laugh and Laugh.

II the people oil iS!cnmOno may sec
such performances as that presented
ut the Bijou Theatre last night. when
The Girl in the Taxi" began a week.;
enga cement, for 30 centa. then those
producers who attach So box office
tax TO their offerings must delve into
the unknown in order to ind some
thing worth the price.
This ism. the FIRST tine The Girl
in the TAXI" has visited Richmond. Il
played here last year at the Academy.
and 1t got top prices then. that IS. $l.50
a seat. It happened TO be the privi-
lego OF this chroncler to witness that
performance. He agreed then. with
other writer's. that some very rough
edges might be worn down. both for
the betterment OF the play and for the
enjoyment OF the audience. All OF this
has been done, and more
The cas-; which presented the play
ct the Academy last season. while
very nearly the same that which
Interpreted It last night at the Bitou,
did not give nearly so good n pre-
sentation. Whether 1; was because OF
the rough edges referred to or be-
cause they were not quite easy In
their parts. Is not known. but II was
not as good q performance. The play
as the audience at the Bijou saw Z
last night. Is Just one continuous
laugh, produced by fifteen actors-get
that last. actors.
Not n single thing presented Itself
which might be Justly criticized. May
be the moro captious may find some
thing which would give them a chance
10 enter the lists of CENSORSHIP general
for the public, but since the Chief
OF Police was present and the chief
of the detective department. with a
number OF his subord!natcs. not 70
mention at least two Police Commis-
sioners and one justice of the peace.
each of whom was Intercepted as to
his opinion OF the performance. with
unanimous verdict that 1t was
great" capt!ousness can hardly be
justified.
The story Is that of a father, a son
and q nephew, all three more or less
tied to apron strings. who. withClt the
knowledge OF the women members 81
their families. desire 10 have night
of and a little fun under the white
lights along Broadway. In the good
city which Father Knickerbocker is
accused OF having founded. Each Of
the male trio thinks the other not
quite "wiscd up to the situation. The
nephew manages TO acquire a serious
illness just about the time his sport
ing proclivit!cs assert themselves.
which is his sesame" to New York.
When the moon Is dark and the night
is still. separately and secretly the
three leave the house. finally rounding
UP at restaurant with three indi
viduals of the opposite sex, also on
mere pleasure bent
The restaurant scene Is superlatively
funny. It simply laughs and laughs
and laughs without being at all VIII
famous. The following act during
which explanations come and happi-
ness reigns In forgiveness for all IS
nearly as funny. Altogether the three
acts Will cure anything from insomnia
TO chronic govt
or the actors. Ward ED Wolf, as
BERTHE Stewart, son OF his father and
n worthy scion of the great man. de-
serves a lot more words of praise than
can be written in n short notice. He
is the best juvenile lead playing m
Richmond for q long time. Next TO
him comes Lucille Gardner. as Mignon,
wife of a perfume manufacturer, that
Is. she Is his wife after having had six
previous experiences. Either sho
knows the art OF makeup from be-
ginning to end or she Is, well, she's
pretty In dollng out the praise, which
can honesty and iegitimatcly be given
to each member of the cast, Frank 7.
Kirk. father OF the younger Stewart,
should not he forgotten. He is an
actor, so is May Gerald. as the wife