New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-07
"u|EBER AUGUSTINE GAY
Musical Play at Casino PIeaSes
by Its DaintinesS.
HARKS BACK TO WALTZ
De Wolf Hopper Does Well with
Material Not Overrich
in Humor.


firt with tango and turkey-trot. Vienna
remains true 10 its first and only love
the waltz of Johann Strauss At times
there seems. amid the fevered atmosphere
Of telephones automobiles and aeroplanes,
even a pathos in this constancy-yet per-
haps, after all. the city on the Danube
may be right. and Broadway will waltz
again when graybeards tell of the strange
gyrations Of the cabarets OF their youth.
At any rate. this was the way Il seemed
last night To many vino attended the frst
American presentation Of "Lieber Angus
tin" at the Casino Theatre. and " gra-
cious melodies and dainty costumes and
pretty girls can carry a light musical
work into favor, this latest opcretta Of
Leo Fall will surely have success. And,
besides there was De Wolf Hopper.
Mi Hopper IS synonymous with merrI-
ment. and despite n too frequent poverty
Of humor in bis lines ne won out AGAIN
lest night The FIRST act went q little
slowly. but with the rising of the seconI
curtain things began 10 move, and Mr.
Hopper's curtain speech quite ccnvuised
the house. II only the rest of the numor
had been equal to That "Liber AuGustln'
would have been quite the funniest thinG
heard on Broadway for many moons.
Let 10 be said once and for al that
Edgar Smith. who made the American
version. did not make the most Of his
opportunity IN supplying either witty
lines or humorous business. but for most
OF the rest ~ the production there should
be praise The music was light and
graceful ANA az times filled with the
poetry OF true romance. as in AusustIn's
love song just before the first curtain fell
and in his duet with Helen, III You
Were Mine"
There was. In addition. abundant spirit
and rhythm. notably in the "Coquetterie
Waltz" most charmngly danced by
Roszka Dolly and Fred Leslie, and in
the trio. Anna. WHAT'S Wrong Few
dancers as graceful as Miss Dolly have
appeared on Broadway Of recent years
and her self-possossion after stumbling
over bench 40 the beginning of her
waltz was remarkable. while, besides his
skill IN dancing Mr. Leslie furnished
bit OF eccentric character acting Tn the
part 81 the preposterous Pretender that
was original and most humorous.
Miss May dc Sousa. as the Princess
Helen. was admirable In her more dra-
matte moments. and George MacFarlane's
hne voice lifted Augustn above the level
Of the usual operetta hero. The chorus
WAS a pretty one and its gowning in ex-
quisitc taste
The Shuberts had furnished three un-
usually effective settings. which gave 10
the work an atmosphere quite OF the
Z,ndn order. an atmosphere which the
music admirably sustained. AS for the
story set forth, II concerned the Kingdom
~ Thessalia. under the regency Of Bo-
surnil. who had brought his realm into
bankruptcy, and 10 save IT attempted to
marry his niece, the Princess Helen. 70
the absurd Prince Nikola.
OF course he did not succeed. and 10 be
lust % him, he did not want 20. for who
can imagine bad hearted De Wolf Hop-
PER- The princess married the lover ~
b.. choice and all ended with happy we'd
dn ellis
Lea %. hope that "Liber AuGustin' IL
IN for "a long. long run. so Police Com
missioner will attempt 70 close II. and us
music and 10 costumns and Mr. Hopper
ought to please the most fastdious.
This was the cast