Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-10
New National.

Chicagos prize package Of music and
fun. Louisiana Lou respondent with
youth a veritable kaleidoscope of color.
scored success at it's first performance
at the New National Theater last night.
1t is a clean, bright, enjoyable musical
comedy. not a Viennese opera. nor a
problem play set to music, nor yet a
perfunctory aggregation Of women ana
song that serve as a background to a
foreign celebrity. But it is just what it
purports to be. a breezy, western musical
comedy. with a few kinks in 1t to make
the "effete east sit up and take notice.
whether certain parts Of it want to or
not.
One Of the kinks is Alexander Carr,
whose character impersonation of Jacob
Lidoffski. successful and kind-hearted
Yiddish merchant, is bit OF genuine
artistry that promises much bigger
things in the near future. unless all signs
fall MIR. Carr is a delightful comedian.
and what many delightful comedians are
not, he is also a good singer, both in
voice and in knowing how to sing song.
Miss Sophie Tucker is what Maggie Cline
might have been if she had been
coon song singer instead of a Hi
beTn:an calliope: but Miss Sophie Tucker
is entitled to the credit of having first
really introduced the western company to
its audience last evening. And she never
failed to keep 1t laughing when she tried
thereafter.
Vote are also bright lights among the
principals Both have personal beauty.
Both are clever dancers, and Miss Henry.
at least, is sweet singer. Good voices
among the principals are few, the men
especially being deficient in this respect.
Yet none of them Is disagreeable. But
the chorus, male and female-there never
was better, either in looks or the ability
to sing. in youth or comedy appearance.
whether drafted singiy or in ensemble for
nations. The orchestra does not lend as
much encouragement as it should at all
times.
OF the songs. perhaps the most impress
sive are two that are sung well and yet
in keeping with his character impersona-
ton by Mr.. Carr. His topical song.
That's Not For Me- was encored re-
peatedly. and its melody. too. was pretty.
Miss Tucker also placed two In the far
thest corners of the theater, Now Am
DE Time and the Puritan France" with
chorus accompaniment and some of the
most fetching chorus formations ever pre-
sented in Washington. 1t was encOred
until the performers were tired out A
very effective number was Let Us Sing
Tnat Chorus All Over Again." by four
of the man principals. with male chorus
compartment. II Wish My Honeymoon
Would Shine by Miss Henry. Miss De
Vote, Burrell Barbarettc and Lester
Crawford was also a fine number. But
there were others. and the music of the
score as it was caught from the piano
ment disclosed q number of new and
pretty melodies. not Of the "yearny," SEN
timentaf kind. but bright, lively, spark
ling gems. There are seventeen musical
numbers in all. including the ensembles.
There isn't much Of a plot. Nor is there
any good reason shown why the Play
should be called Louisiana Lou except
out of compliment to Miss Tucker, who
doesn't pay the role. nor sing the song
but has the natural qualifications for al
most any kind of a Louisiana Lou song
IL is possible to gather. however. that
Lidoffsk is the partner of ROderick Kon-
karney. the political boss of New Or
leans; that he has found and reared as
his own daughter Louisa Lou Miss De
Noiel: that the two partners have al
ways planned that she and the son of
Konkarney should marry, and that she
finally marries Nixon HOlme, whom also
Lidoffski has helped to success in life.
There is a lot more. but it is just as well
TO leave ii to be discovered by those who
wish TO see the show