The Washington herald., 1913-02-04
THE BELASCO.
Gertrude Hoffman, in "Broadway
to Parfs.v

to Pnrfs.'
Standing room was at a premium In
the Belasco Theater last night, where
the sensationally advertised musical
causerle, broadway to Paris" was
presented before a Washington audi
ence for the first time by the New York
Winter Garden Company, of which Ger
trude Hoffman, is the star.
The book and lyrics of this melange
of song and dance are by George Bron-
son-Howard and Harold Atteridge. au-
thors of the entertainment at the Win
ter Garden last summer. The music
is by Max Hoffman,, with supplemental
numbers by Anatol Friedland.
Leon Bakst, the noted Russian paint
er made the sketches from which the
production was built and painted by
John Young. while the entire hodge
podge Is staged by Ned Wayburn under
the direction of Morris Gest.
The story of broadway to Paris is
but a slender thread, which offers eN-
cuse for the shifting of the twelve scenes
covered by the two acts, which was ac-
complished last night, by the way, with
a crudity which does small credit to
the producer.
Gertrude Hoffmann's presence upon the
stage is infrequent and of short dura-
ton, but dominating withal, for her VaIn-
pirish Dance Dracula, in which she Is
ably assisted by Lee Chaplin, and her
spectacular terpsichorean accomplish
rnents at the beginning of the second act
in 1.-The Garden of Girls" where she Is
assisted by Macon Nymphs OF the Royal
Ballet, are easily the features OF an even
ing of entertainment. which is rousing In
its swift action and rollickinC music
Miss Hotfman'S art is subtle and or
exquisite grace. There can be imagined
10 more beautiful scene than that upon
which the second act opens, when the
dancer is seen snugly asleep on the
limb of one of many apple trees IN the
glory of bloom. She drifts down to the
ground with the grace of windblown
blossom, and there continues TO delight
the audience with marvellous terpslcho-
rean entertainment.
In her Dance Dracula, the Hohmanesque
Erotesuueness has broader scope. but II
does not appeal so strongly TO one ;
sense of beauty as the delicate aban-
donment of her more poetic number IN
the apple orchard, where nymphs JOIN III
Ter mad May-day reveL
When Miss Hoffman is absent from
the boards in the Broadway to Parls
revue the audience is not allowed 10
suffer boredom, for the Winter Garden
Company is a most capable aggregation
Of entertainers and keeps the ball roll
ing every minute of the time.
There Is, Tor instance, tUdI LlluS dlu
demure little Marion Sunshine, tiancee
of the rich young Stuyvesant van Cort-
landt. whom she follows from Broadway
to Paris to save from his infatuation
with Anne Trewlawncy tG"rtrude Hon-
mani, star artistic Of the ThCatCr Olym-
pin.
Miss Sunshine is all of that. She can
dance with astounding grace and agility.
and received several encores in her rem
ditiou Of her send Me a Fellow song.
more because of her magnetic person
atty and clever dancing than because
Of her voice. which is just Girlish
gurEIe after all.
To Ralph Austin. Dave Jones, and
Barney Bernard fell the comedy re-
sponsibilities of tho production. which
their respective abilities proved adequate
10 meet.
As LcOnora LOnEaCre. a New York ad-
ventures. Louise Dresser gave a clever
characterization, and won notable ap-
probation. particularly in her absurd
scene with Barney Bernard. who played
the role of AIr COhan. from Newark. in
which She distracted much-cherished
money from him. after which she in
iected a song which was not on the
programme, and which had been better
left unsunC. for Miss Dresser's vocal
ability is conspicuous for iIs absence.
The Winter Garden Company, in sup
port of Miss Hoffman. is large and ca
Table. As an ensemble the agGTe Tegation
is excellent. while the music is of that
rousing. rolliCking type which never lags. |
and which sets the audience involun- |
tariIy foot-tapping. J. G. MANI.