The sun., 1916-09-01
big SHOW" OPENS
AT THE HIPPODROME
New Attraction With PavlOwa
and Other Stars Draws
Crowded House.
400 APPEAR IN ONE SCENE
Charlotte, Who Is in Ice Ballet,
PirOuettes i'm an Oriental
Dance.

The story Is that when Charles b..
Il. II. Burnside, OF all the good things
that had been collected to put into the
new spectacle at the Hippodrome he sud-
denly found himself unable to suggest
any title for the play.
His ina giration IN view OF the wealth
o. attractions that the producer had
gathered together refused to work and
he could not think OF anything worthy
OF the subject. And that was tho pur-
pose for which MIR. Burnside had sought
him out. Mr.. Dillingham; was speech
less That state is not natural to him.
80 after n while he was able TO say, "Oh.
Just call 1t The Big show"
So The Big Show" II was TO the
happy audience that filled every seat in
the Hippodrome last night. Mr.. Dill
Iingham's title had after all turned out
TO be a stroke Of genius. The audience
reechoed his sentiments in It's constant
laughter or applause or ad-
miratlon. The show was assuredly "A
big one. And II had some elements OF
charming novelty.
everything Tneatrlcou.
There was everything theatrical In the
show. moreover. Just as there had been
last year. Music and dancing. fun Of
many kinds and colors and. consecrating
the whole entertainment to the real do
main OF theatrical art. was the presence
OF Anna Pavlowa. The Incompatible
dancer with such of her associates AS
Alexander Volininc. Steffa Plasvovietzka
and Stasia HUM appeared In Tschai-
kowsky's famous ballet "The Sleeping
Beauty" Leon Bakst had designed the
scenery and costumes.
That formed the second act Of 1.-The
Big Show" There had been in the
opening a contribution from the foreign
vaudeville stage called The Revenge
OF the LIONS" which mingled the cinema
and actors thrillingly with the live ami
mails that gave the piece its novelty. and
from our own music halls there came
Volant, Frank F'ogarty. and after some
singing by liaru Onuki. "A Japanese So
prano, WHO was assisted by -four COM
patriots in characteristic dances. a min
strei first part to bring the act TO a
close.
The programme said that there were
400 persons in the scene and that did
not seem an exaggeration At all events
HAIRY Wai,ieii. Miller and Mach. Charles
Afearn. George Wilson. the Brothers
leighton and Matt Keefe were on the
sta sc.
Another P1ny IN Ice.
The third act was. as last year. played
on ice. The graceful and expert char
lotte was IA a new ice ballet" AZ The
Merry DolI' was called. The new piece
was SAID {, he straight from the Ad'
miralspalast IN Berlin. but John Colder
added some lyrics after II reached New
York ANA Raymond Nubbeil has supple,
some melodies, Katie schmidt. Ellei
Dallerup and iiilda Isuckeris. coryphee'
on Ice. We're again associated with char
lotte. who confined her own athletic ac
tivl.ics to an 'Oriental Dance on skate
OF course.
The spectacle differed from last year,
skating scene In that the action passe,
indoors. Il WAS indeed at IA fancy dress
party and there were the national type
usually seen a. well ~ dolls and butter
flies in unlimited numbers.
Nothing ia the performance last nich
was so appealing to the eye as tho bale
which occupied the second Fart, of tn
programme. Leon iiakst had never he
! fore been represented here by "A work de
signed especially for New York. Bot
in the scenery and the dresses there wer
n many signs 90 his genius. The ~,
scenes showing the gardens and then tn
hall of the kings palace were beautifu
and characteristic pictures.
In the dresses Of Anna I'avlowa hi
genius showed itself IN the fullest f;owe'
The three costumes were not only beauti
Q full. but even the gold wig which IN
sleeping beauty wore In the final tablea
could only have come from the brush u
Bakst. Throughout the costumes wcr
novel and dazzling in their boldncss q
color and design.
ma Pavlowa has never danced NOR
eAQu!sitely. Nor has her .nyeliness eve
been fresher and her abandonment I
the dictates OF her art was never NOR
spontaneous. The melting gesture. III
hesitating dart through the air-thes
peculiarities OF her dancing were as pc
tent as ever. Alexander Volinlnc Wa
again her graceful partner. and the YOU
women who have been associated wit
her In the past danced skilfully again.