The Washington herald., 1914-12-08
COLUMBIA.

Rose StahI In "a Perfect Lady
No doubt there are at this very mo-
| ment, in weather just as dismal, many
| fy-by-night thespians wearily waiting on
| the station platform of tank towns for
| belated trains to take them to the next
stand, and II perchance Rose Stahrs
latest play. "A Perfect Lady" should be
viewed at the Columbia Theater this
week by any one who thinks stage life
all peaches and cream, the opening act
of the little comedy will disabuse the
mind of any such mistaken fancy
What happens to the Merry Models
when the troupe is on the road is the
subject Of this act, and Sycamore juno
ton, Kans., is typical, though mythical,
tank town OF the praries. Messrs
Charming Pollock and Rennold Wolf
have chosen to treat the adventures Of
the weary burlesQuers in amusing vein
foR laughing purposes only, and as a
vehicle for the display of Miss Stahl's in
comparable skill in singing slang, but
the subject matter could well be made
into an effective drama, as, every player
knows.
When Lucille Higgins, known as
Lucille LIE Jambon, the queen of the
burlesquers, learns that her next per-
formance in red tights is scheduled for
a neighboring town where her young
sister is in boarding school, she de-
serts the stage rather than play that
town, and decides to settle in Syca-
more and introduce the latest New
York dances. You see, little sister
Claire believes Lucille a Shakespearean
artistic only denied universal recognt-
tion because of her refusal to enact
Rosalind in "As You Like It." because
she would have to wear tights in the
forest of Arden.
Sycamore quickly fell for LuciIIe's ice
cream cabaret. the other three acts of
the comedy plainly show, and the lead
ing citizens spent most of their spare
time there learning to tango, with the
assistance of moving pictures of the
Castles and to the music of a graphic
phone and a one-man band. While the
richest mans son falls in love with
Claire, who has arrived in town, the ex-
burlesque queen marries the minister,
who decides that "dancin' amt wrong"
and the play ends with Lucille at last
getting the only thing she and many
another strolling player has ever
really wanted-the happiness of an
honest mans affection. and a home.
Miss Stahl was consistently unctuous
and diverting as Lucille LIE Jambon,
which stage name, she explained, was
selected from a "maynoo," she never
dreaming that it meant in English ''the
ham," The part is a palpable imitation
Of THE Chorus Lady" as Rose Stahrs
admirers will be pleased to learn. With
out Miss Stahl, it is difficult to see how
"A Perfect Lady, could live.
Her methods are ably seconded by the
rather large company in her support.
Frank Beamich made the minister as
convincing as possible, and Beatrice
Eoyes was amusing as a slangy ex-
chorus girl assistant in the tango parlor.
Cherrie Carlile gave the proper
amount of sweet girlishness to Claire,
and Raymond Van Sickle was the Ike
able young chap who adores her. Will
mer Bentley and G. Davidson Clark were
good, and Carl Harbough deserves note
tor his ''bit" as the lamplighter.
The settings OF the comedy are quite
good, and add very much to the appeal
of the play, particularly the first act at
the village railroad station and the last
scene In front of the parsonage In Syca-
more. where Lucille hooks the minister.