The evening world., 1914-02-24
0uoeavO

Margaret Rename - Helen.
to settle down at tho Forty.fourth
Street Theatre and let musical com.
ody take its course.
A . matter of fact. "The Midnight
Girl" took time by tho forelock OF tho
lady who wore green hair yesterday
afternoon and started the more or
less French ball rolling. Just to show.
perhaps. that George Washington was
right In being the first to givs his
children . holiday.
There were some red.whits. and.
blue costumes taken from the French
that were really worth . Continental.
and with them came music by Jean
Briquet that kept 'The Midnight
Girl" on the double. quick and the au.
dience In step with . musical play Of
the hrst rank. Here you have the
keynote of the whole performance.
Managers may say what they like
about finding music around the nrst
corner they turn. but It's music that
makes the play 20 when the orches-
ira leader 10 on his feet the greater
part Of the time. And In this instance
good music and good voices make .
happy combination. Not ono OF the
enlivenins aira 10 laid in the dust Of
voice that has been tho long on the
road.
For one. Miss Margaret Romano
u AZ fresh a. . saiad In June. She
N o real IND" II 10 not too much
70. Say that The Midnight Girl" with
another Dawn. u q musical sunburst.
since It happens that the "gtrv' 10 q
sister Of Hasel. Dawn, whose rosy
glow made The Pink Lady some.
thing moro than . dreesmaker's crea.
ton. vocally. Mis- Romaine can both
speak and sing for hersolf. while per-
eonally ahe may never fear to md
herself very far removed from the
cover Of magazine that glorifies
beauty ~ II 10 photographed from
day to day. To be quite frank. this
newcomer. who recalls Nadse Leasing
one moment and leaves you guessing
the next, = moro than welcome. She
has . freah. clear voice that 10 not
without training. and Il 10 only when
she whoOp0 1t up that you tell your.
self there may b too much Of good
thing. Occasionally It betrayS
nasal quality; but this 10 % common
q fault In musical comedy that for
course. II only Miss Romano would
restrain herself when she feels the
power Of her lungs rising like . gale
that threatens the strongest ears, she
might DO hailed - . singer superior
to any ON tho musical comedy stage.
To me. shouting never means music,
though ] am fully aware that gem
orally II IL by main strength that tho
enthusiasm Of an audience 10 aroused
Both Miss Romaine and George Mac
Farlane appeared to be strenuously
day afternoon. Yet, aside from this
common failing. both sang splen.
dtdly. Their duets wore q delight to
the audience. Although Mr.. MacFhr-
lane did not shine a. q comedian In
his lighter moments, he scored a
. singer from nrpt to last. And after
all. perhaps he couldn't see any fun
In = role that gave him . black eye
at the start.
Eva Falion was pleasing except
when she set too high . mark for her.
named Harry Deli danced With S'S S.1
clsveriy. Funny a. he promised 70 b.
In the beginning. there was . bit Tor
much OF Paul Ksr ~ an operate
waiter. Edouard Durand displayed
real capability a. the proprietor OF !
restaurant. and Teddy Webb brough,
back curiously mixed recoilsctionS q
0am Bernard and Frank Daniels a.
strutting army onlcer. Clarenc,
Harvey's legs were ~ funny - the,
used to be at the Winter Garden. Thii
reminds me that ZoA Rarnatt mieh
have taken her cue from Broadws,
and Ftftteth street In . song after q.
heart OF vaudeville ladies who hnt