Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-27
Columbia,

When Julian Eltinge, in the uncom-
promisingly mannish character of an
American YOUTH gave the Columbia's
audience a first glimpse of him last
night he had reason to know that he
was in the house of his friends. Later,
when transformed by jeweled tunic,
slit skirt, tango slippers and becurled
wig into the gorgeousness of an ultra
fashionable woman-a disguise which
he assumes for the very masculine pur-
pose of winning a bet and the girl
he loves-objects which he confides to
the audience-the cordiality of his
opening reception was emphasized by
renewed applause and every variety of
laughter from giggles to outlaws. The
same spontaneously laughing admira-
ton was accorded the star in each of his
swift-changing Creations" gorgeous
extremes that ranged from shape
clinging spangled crepes to the huge
filters of by-gone decades-each toilet
accented with the airs and graces that
stand for what the cynics call the
eternal feminine
The ''crinoline girl Is less sylph-
like than her predecessor. the "fasci-
mating widow because these be the
Eltinge still retains curves and
"strafghts,' which the average woman
would gladly acquire via the beauty
doctor, and dances with an almost girl
ish lightness and grace. And as to his
firtations with future father-in-law,
monocle-eyed detective. bogus lords
and such! 1t is really one of the things
that-to quote the classic ad-must
be seen to be appreciated,
THE Crinoline Girl" which Hauer-
bach, the author. calls "a farcical melo-
dramatic comedy with songs" concerns
rich American who occupies a suite
in a hotel at. Lausanne, and who is
being robbed by his butler and a couple
of crooks, who masquerade as lord
and his sister-the original crinoline
girl, well played by Lolita Linthicum,
formerly of the Poll Players, who was
accorded a reception by her many
friends in the house.
Tome Hale, wealthy American, and
Ainsleys at their hotel, and when the
ro5beries have reached a terroriZing
scale that makes Ainsley eKclalm that
he will give $4,000 to unravel the mys-
tinge. accepts the wager. coupled with
the promise that if he catches the
thieves he can marry Ainsley's daugh-
ter With this excuse for his basis,
his pretty sister, archly interpreted by
Jane Marbury, and aided and abetted
by his fiance, Dorothy Ainsiey who,
as personated by Jeanne Eagles, is an
ethereally lovely girl.
Added to the lure of the money and
the girl is an ambition to show the
English detective what an American
amateur can do in the way of sleuth-
ing, and this zest makes the hilarious
fun of complications that kept the
audience in laughing sympathy with
the hero from the beginning of his
man hunt until the bet was won. The
entire cast was OF an unusual excel |
lence that obviously was in close and
sympathetic touch with the star. Ed
ward CARVE, as Jerry Ainsley, nephew
of Richard, was humorously grotesque
and scored equally with Mr.. Eltinge in
a dance which, to quote another classic,
was never seen on land or sea before.
James c. Spottswood was as cleverly
alert as all newspaper correspondents
should be. Walter Horton burlesqued
the English type that minces with such
realism that his vigorous unwilling of
his real character came as surprise,
and Herbert Mckenzie and Joseph S.
Marba were equally good as Lord
Bromleigh and the butler. Mamie
Palmer pictured a cute little maid.
The Julian Eltinge type of dramatic
art involves no problem. Either you
like it or you don't The Columbia
last night was crowded with people
who evidently do.