The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-11-30
Dancing Ar0und' With Jolson
Propes Diperting PaStime
Winter Garden Show, Which
Came to the Belasco Last
Night After a Trip Across
the Continent, Is a Maze Of
Syncopated Rag, Terpsi-
chorean Specialties, and
Brilliant Ensembles.
By JULIA CHANDLER NAME.

Dancing Around with Al Jolson" at
proved a dizzying occupation. for the
Winter Garden aggregation of enter
tainers who dispense the frivol and
frolic and fun make the big musical
spectacle move with a zip. keeping an
audience constantly on the qui vive to
catch each new tactic as II comes
across the footIights or flashes down
the runway that extends over the heads
Of the folk who sit "out front"
The revue adheres to the general
plan of entertainment which the
Messrs. Shubert have sent us from
the New York Winter Garden, being
a congIomeration of syncopated rag,
n maze of terpsichorean features,
snappy solo numbers, brilliant ensem-
bles, and spectacular settings. with Al
Jolsons spontaneous tomfoolery de-
lightfuIly interjected.
The traiI little plot has to do with
prima donna who has pawned her voice
and cannot sing until the lost pawn
ticket is found, which gives her under
study the hope of substituting in the
forthcoming musical comedy until Nile.
Mitzi resorts to strategy to prevent An
nette from filling the role. Lieut.. hart
lev discovers the trickery of the Frivohty
singer who has sent Annette telegram
stating that the latter's mother Is Ill.
Hartley sends a wire to the departed
understudy apprisIng her of the situation
and bidding her stand on the rear plat
nd him after
which he acquires an engine and makes
a spectacular transference Of Annette
from her car to the engine, after which
II is needless to say. the course OF his
true love runs with less difficulty.
The thread OF plot is merely an incl
dent however. In the gay medley or
rag harmony. and seldom ceasing demon
stration of clever dancing. II is only
when Mr.. Jolson appears in his Gus
tomary role of Gus that the more
strenuous fun backs of the boards. leav-
ing the [, median to tickle the risibilities
of his audience in his own inimita Bile
way.
And | never saw him more ridiculous;
more spontaneous. more completely at
ease than last evening when he poked fun
at the supporting members OF his COM
peny: INDUCED in confidential CONVERSE
tons with his auditors. or he'd silly little
pow-wows with the leader OF the aug
mented orchestra. To which may be
added his highly entertaining telephone
conversations: his Interpretation of a
ballad or two: his clever whistling, and
various other methods OF keeping the
house in a constant uproar Of laughter
and applause.
Surrounding the irrepressible Gus are
a group OF clever folk. Including Iaur-
ance O'Orsay. in his customary role or
the heavily mustached Englishman;
Frank Carter. who utilities the best OF
the vocal opportunities Of the revue to
excellent advantage; Kitty Doner. who
lmpersonates an impetuous chappie and
demonstrates her ability as a dancer with
exceptional grace; Mildred Elaine. who
exhibits a charming voice in her visuali-
cation OF the Frivolity prima donna;
Wanda Lyon. who wins her most signal
success in her Never Trust a Soldier
Man ditty; Ray Bowden. who burlesques
a telephone operator. and scores Of others
who sing and dance with so delightful
an abandon that everybody is happy from
curtain TO curtain.
OF the terpsichorean speciaIties The
Shepherd Gavotte' is a dainty bit Of
art. and the silhouette Ballet" an
impressionIstIc picture OF commend
able beauty. each rising in tone to
plane degree above the riot of
abandoned syncopation which wins for
Dancing Around" the entirely appro-
pirate title of the gayest and most
elaborate spectacle which the Winter
Garden management has ever sent out
of New York"
There are scores Of chorus girls
friskIng about the stage or up and
down the runway, wearing every con-
ceivable sartorial inspiration from
the genius of Melville Ellis; coolies
of chorus men who help make the
welkIn ring. and twelve elaborate
scenes.
The dialogue and lyrics of the big
spectacle are attributed to Harold At
teridge; the music to Sigmund Rom
berg and Harry Carroll: the staging
to ]. c. Huffman; the dance arrange
ments to Jack Mason. save in the
matter of the ballet numbers which
Mr.. Ellis arranged. and for which he
selected the music, while the aug
mented orchestra is directed by the
capable baton of Anton Heindl.