New-York tribune., 1913-12-30
THE CAST

At the end OF the first act last night
Frank Lalor thanked the audience on
behalf OF Mr.. Chambers, Mr. Teal and
Mr.. Frazec. on Ills own behalf and that
Of all the members OF the company, but
evidently overcome by the applause, for
got to mention the composer altogether.
Yet what honors were going last night
and they were few. belonged TO MI. Pet
eCs. for he has written some really pret-
" music for "Iole." II was, moreover
brought out to the fun by the excellent
conducting of John McGhie and the cap
ital playing OF the orchestra
But the book. by Robert W. Chambers
and Ben Teal. based on the popular nov
elists very clever story. upon which such
high expectations had been built proved
TO be a sore appointment. 'lole The
story. not the li5retto-Was In its day n
thoroughly amusing and most clever sat
ire on current aesthetic atttudinizins
with an alert eye on the main chance.
II was a shrewd blow. for none failed TO
recognize the prototype OF this tale oi
Clarence Guilford. the poet-poseur. seek
ing 10 line his pockets and 70 marry OIL
his eight daughters brought up near TO
nature. her own children-sleeping under
her sky I'm pink pajamas, living all day
in the open. bewildared by their later
transportation 10 the centre cf our aru-
fetal civilization.
All that went to the making OF the
amusing merit OF this story has disap-
peared from the lbretto. or has become
Ineffective. Il wofully lacks humor, and
though il IL not without cleverness II is
the cleverness OF the printed page. not OF
the stage. least OF all the musical COMEDY
stare. The whole thing Is pontless, the
aesthetic nonsense OF Guilford becomes
,iresome and the cubist poets and painter
and SCULPTOR introduced 20 bring the thins
I'D 20 date might As well be early Dutch
or members OF the National Academy 80
far as any satiric significance is con-
cerned.
The pink pajamas tell, however. espe-
ciallv at the rise OF the first curtain al
sunrise. with the eight girls sleeping IN
neach and plum trees In full blossom IN
one OF the most artistic settings seen on
the New York stage in many season
II is a beautiful spectacle. artisticaily
Lighted. ne hfANllib VI ~
ia a conventional drawing room. AS FOR
the story. there hardly is any beyond the
poet's mistake OF four fellow impostors
FOR mIllionaircs. and OF four eligible young
men for paupcrs or course. the right
couples marry in the end.
Frank Ialor did his unctuous best with
the material given him. and won per-
sonal success The opportunities OF the
rest OF the cast were pitiably small and
were almost entirely confined 10 singing
Ferne Rogers as Iole, Hazel kirke as
as her sister. Vanessa. sang well az ala
the other six members OF the octet ana
they all looked charming all the time
Stewart Baird Carl Gantvoort and Leslie
Gaze were satisfactory vocally, and Lena
Robinson furnished a moments amuse-
meut in an eccentric part.
Among the pleasing musical numbers
mention must he made OF walt song
.Iole"; "Oh. Precious Thought really
clever lyric: Comes an Exquisite Sens'
ton" "Amo." why DO You Think }
1--we You So?' Take II from Me a
humorous dtty FOR Messrs. LAlor and
Frawley. and Nude Descending q
Staircase" which IS curiosity on ac-
count OF its cubist musical setting.