New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-07

THE CENTURY GIRL. a musical entertainment In
three acts aud nineteen scenes. Music by Nlcilt
Herhart and Irving Berlin: scenery hy Joseph
Urban. Presented By FlorenE Ziegield. Ir.. ar1
'hares Dillingham; a. the Century Theatre
PLAYERs: Hazel Dawn. Elsie Janis. Marie Dress
Ter Frank Timer. sam Bernard. Leon Errrl
Adelaide Bell James Doyle. Harlard Dixon. an
and Schenck. Harm Kelly. Billie Allen, Vera
Marseil; Arthur Cunninsham Jcn9 sla',,, M VI. ~.
rice and Walton. Barr Sisters, Myis mccarthy
and Dave Abrams
Florenz Ziegfeld. jr., and Charles
Dillingham;, famed entrepreneurs wher-
ever the drama penetrates. last night
exhibited their combined wares for the
first time at New York's great theatre
of fortune. the Century. AS their joint
Offering they have poured forth gor-
geous and gargantuan entertainment
an entertainment so huge and varied
as to defy appraisal in anything short
of volume. After witnessing but half
of it one feels convinced that Messrs.
Ziegfeld ana Dillingham; are the per-
sons 10 put the century Theatre on its
feet if the trick be at all possible,
and the statement is made without fear
OF successful contradiction or Win
throp Ames. As Frank Tinney conhded
to the orchestra leader, II they do the
business they ought TO they won't lose
over $1,000 week. -,
Everything Electrically possible
seems TO have been done for the Cen
fury this time, and If the theatre
perishes again il will be only because
too much has been done. On the vast
stage of this playhouse the imagina-
tive Urban has been permitted to roam
at will; a long list of principals is
headed by half dozen popular come,
dams and condolences; chorus OIL
great beauty has been strikingly cos
tumed-and the whole thing runs some
where from four to six hours. Wna'
more, pray, could the amusement
hungry ask for?
There is no disposition TO assert that
"The Century Girl" is the best OF al
shows of its kind. 1t is not, but It's
possibilities are infinite. or course IL
is too long. In fact. it is more tnah
too long-it is two shows. In It's pres
ent untrimmed condition it IS perhaps
not even so good as some OF the more
fortunate editions of Mr.. Ilegfeld ;
cwn "Follies," but it is safe TO add
that none knows this better than the
Messrs. Ziegfeld and Dillingham;. Iney
have provided themselves with the pa,
sis for an excellent show, however, ana
a liberal use of the pruning knite ana
lust a shade more cleverness VIII give
them an entertainment TO be proud or
Nearly all productions of this charac-
ter assume their permanent and best
shane several weeks after the opening
night, and in this respect THE Century
Girl" will be no exception.
One must write OF such productlon
with broad pen. What will you have
Foremost, perhaps, there is Mr.. Tinney
complaining querulously that ne mas
been outrageously sighted in the allot,
ment of scenes. He did what he could
about it, he did. He went to Elsie
Janis, and he said, Miss Bierbauer
:" And so on, and so on. Or do
YOU prefer the talented Miss Janis her
self? She is there, singing and dancing
and initiating with all her former skill
And you are certain 10 admire me
daintiness Of Hazel Dawn, who comes
back from the pictures TO be the Gen.
tury Girl herself, and even to play the
violin again.
II the more broad comedy is your
forte, you are certain TO De pleased ps
Marie Dressler, Harry Kelly and Leon
Enrol. These three have a burlesque
upon the Russian dances, which amused
last nights house hugely and probably
will amuse future houses just as hugely
They are also much in evidence IN the
other parts of the entertainment. VI
perhaps your taste is somewhere be-
tween Mr.. Tinney and Miss Dressler, in
which case you are quite certain to be
caught by the lingual pleasantries OF
Sam Bernard.
Neither will you be disappointed il II
pleases you to watch dancing-ali sorts
of dancing. There are Maurice and MISS
Walton TO take care of the ballroom
variety. the agile Doyle and Dixon to
dispense the eccentric kind, a young
woman named Adelaide Bell to wax
acrobatic, the aforementioned Mr.; r.
rol and his inebriate skip - o, all the
varieties of dances that you can men
tionl nj.
Victor Herbert and Irving Berlin