New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-01
By HAYWOOD BROUN.

The pen may he mightier than the
sword. but the baton beats it hollow,
I that is. If Victor Herbert Yields it,
There is ever so much more humor in
the music Of princess Pat" furnished
by Herbert, than in the libretto by
Henry Blossom. But even the lesser
contribution is pleasant enough 70
make the new musical comedy at the
Cort Theatre an eminently successful
production.
Yet with all due credit to Mr.. Herbert
and Mr.. Blossom il WAS Eleanor Painter
who put the high "Cs' into success
on Wednesday night. Miss Painter can
sing and she does. Whether or not she
is a dancer in the technical sense OF
the word we do not know, but she IS
a most graceful moving picture. The
four seasons or anything so dull prob
ably would be beyond her. with Miss
Painter on the stage II is always
spring.
II seems too much to expect, but the
fact remains that not only can Miss
Painter sing and dance, but she mas
pretty talent in acting. Not since Ann
Swinhurne played I'm THE Madcap
Duchess" has Broadway seen sueh
comic opera prima donna. Miss Painter
has number Of good songs, but the
best TO our mind was q ballad called
81 Need Affection" BE that as IL may,
the star of Princess Pat" lacks moth
ing else.
The choruses are written IN Victor
Hcrbert's best manner, and the music
ut the end Of Act ?, which accompanies
the love scene between the Princess ana
Schmalz is quite the wittiest thng
i'm the play. knowing that the play
has a Schmalz, it is rather easy 10
comprehend the nature Of the book. 10
the credit Of Mr.. Blossom 1t must be
said that Schmalz is not a dealer IN
glue, sausages or pickles. Even cheese
Is only mentioned once, and that is IN
the last act. But in the main the
hook although il has its humorous
spots. is quite conventional except Tor
"a rather novel comic part in when
Samuel Hardy is immensely amusing.
The plot begins with the cynical as
surrption that married men make the
worst husbands" The Princess Pat
i'm order 10 arouse her Indifferent
snou-e firts with an elderly German
named Schmalz. Not only does she
succeed in winning back the love OF
her husband, but she succeeds in break
ing the engagement between Schmalz
and her friend. Grace Holbrook, and
thereby makes clear road for young
Schmalz. a dashing young ale SUI
dent. Yale has furnished more dash-
ING college heroes for comic opera IMAM
any other institution OF learning IN
the country. Having done so much TOR
Yale, Mr.. Blossom also sought TO IN
terpret the spirit Of Harvard with
La11 with New
Uavenl" WAS what he wrote. We
4 +bouobt IL was the best bit in the show.
princess Pat" is unusually well cast.
Not only does the company contain
number Of excellent voices, but the
acting average is exceptionally hlgn'
Joseph r. Lertora, who played the
Prince Of Montaldo, husband Of the
Princess Pat. did Neapoitan love
cong with great skill, and then, IN
stead Of standing aside like the average
comic opera male singer, he pro-
coadcd TO portray jealous Italian IN
fbe most realistic manner. Albert
Cboau did well as the elder Schmaiz,
and Robert ODER, his son, was d eredlt
TO New Haven. u..i,.
as Bob barrow Six feet tail ana not
in the least graceful, Hardy MAKES
virtue of his vice. his expression
and antics in a dance quartet We're ue-
ciJediv amusing. Alexander Clark was a
countrv sheriff who had a good scene
in which he was introduced TO cham
nagne in the guise of cider. Such
tbings have been done before, but TINS
was done well enough to be amusingiy
reminiscent. To Mr.. Clark also fell
one Of Mr.. Blossoms best lyrics. The
lyrics, by the way, are first class
throughout. Eva Fallon was agreeable
as Grace Holbrook, and Katherine
Witchie and Ralph Riggs did dance
which was encored again and again.