The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-27
BY JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

( The twenty-seventh annual produc-
| ton of the Mask and Wig Club of
! the University of Pennsylvania met
| with an enthusiastic reception at the
| hands of a brilliant audience which
! taxed the capacity of the Belasco
! Theater last night to welcome the IA
| nous histrionic organization in what
| is termed An alleGorical musical
satire in two acts" entitled Paradise
Prison"
The vehicle for the exploitation Of
| the gifts of the Mask and Wiggers
| this season follows the usual line of
entertainment in which Washington
has rooted" for its favorites from
year to year, paradise Prison" being
a revue of generous proportion pre-
scented in a thoroughly happy vein.
! The program explains that each char
acter in the cast represents allegori-
cally, an entity. having a direct bear
| ing on present social and political con-
ditions." which is just another way of
describing clever burlesque for
which Darrell II. Smith has furnished
the book, and Charles Gilpin has pro-
: vided the lyrics together with numer-
Gus original melodies and arrange
ments of bits from familiar musical
comedies.
a tiny thread of romantic plot runs
an evasve course through the hodge
podge, presenting a fascinating hero
inc" in the person of 7. Il. Hill, who is
something of dimplcd darling in the
impersonation of Jane Grey, wearing
several fetching frocks enhance
ment to her peaches and cream COM
rleNion. and demure and modest manner.
|. laying opposite Mr.. Hill as Jimmy
DevereuX is o. c. Wagenknight. who
forms n plot to eXtricate his friend, Hen
ry Arcturus Peck, from his distastefu
position as Warden of Paradise Prism
which is run in accordance with the ideas
of reform entertained by Penelope. his
wife. Mr.. Wagenknisht extracted as
much fun as he gave his friends in the
audience last night from his role, and
c. S. Payne. jr, as the unhappy War
den, and Thomas Hart. as the flu
tile society reformer." were capital in
their respective characterizatio tons. Mr.
Hart making up excellentiy as a young
woman of progressive ideas.
Filling the remaining roles of import
ance K. V. Bol-cr was seen last night 5
the political boss who has used the in
mates of the rosoate prison for illegal
voting purposes during several cam
paisns: r. w. Bell, who displayed con-
siderable ability in his characterizati ton
of a student of sociology: W. VI. Wright,
jr., who furnished unlimited fun in the
vizualization of Polly AndruS an actress
performance the head guard of the
prison was the distinctive comedy delight
of the entertainment. Mr.. Merrell is an
.mitator of rare ability being most con-
NinCine in his inlperSonation of Charlie !
Chaplin in movie burlesque in which !
he was assisted by Mr.. Wright. who
gave a ludicrous Interpretation of how |
Mary PiCkford acts before the camera
The specialties. dances. and ensembles |
We're this year arranged by Charles Nor
gan. jr.. who also instructed the Mask |
ard WiSSerS in their production, !
and. who deserves commendation for !
the smoothness with which the per- |
Pierrette Silhouette dance is the
OF the specialties the Pierrot and |
Pierrette silhouette dance is the /
most unique, furnishing striking ,
study in black and white. the at
tractiveness of which was enhanced .
by the grace and agility with which |
the boys danced a comment which |
is applica BILE to all their terpsichorean |
feats.
There are numerous Hitting melodies !
in Paradise Prison." which are ef- /
fectively rendered by the principals :
OF the cast with the frequent assist
ance OF an excellently trained chorus.
The most appealing musical number
is the clee club feature. please Be
My Model" in which the leading :
lady" creates perfect illusion of
her feminine disguise.
This seasons spirited production
comes quite up 20 the high standard
set by the 'Pennsy" boys in all the
years they have been coming to US
with the regularity of the springtime
and the Mask and Wig Club has every l
reason to feel proud of its many his
trionically-ei gifted members as well as
the appreciation accorded their per-
formance last evening. |,