New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-23
THE Girl Who Smiles" Is
Proof That Any Child
Can Do 1t.
THEATRICAL NEWS
AND RIALTO GOSSIP
Orrin Johnson In Mr.. Hackett's
Company-Odette Myrtil
Slips Away.


tainment. Trixie Friganza in Peer
Gynt" would have the elements Of nov
city, but it also would be bit per
picking. Such being the case, what is
there TO say about Eva Tanguay in
"The Girl Who Smiles?
Adolf Phillip, when he wrote this
piece, probably would have wagered a
huge sum that Eva Tanguay would
never play in it. Furthermore, he
would have won. Miss Tanguay is not
in "The Girl Who Smiles; she is
superimposed upon IT, Undoubtedly
the management debated long before
selecting this piece as her vehicle'
Probably their choice narrowed down
70 "The Girl Who Smiles" and King
Lear" and then some strange trick or
Fate prompted them to select the
former.
The truth is that this delicate and
frequently charming musical play is no
more suited to Eva Tanguay than the
lob of poet laureate to Jess Willard.
Miss Tanguay is cast as a cook, a role
originally played by a man. There
never was any reason for the presence
OF the cook in the cast and at present
there is less than none. Thrice the
story is halted while Miss Tanguay
prances about the stage IN kaleido-
scopic costumes, shrie.ing the same
songs that she has been using IN
vaudeville. Not even az Don't Care Is
omitted
Granting that there is public for
Miss TauRuay's style of noise grant
ine it, but not attempting TO account
for it,. it becomes even harder TO un-
derstand the selection of The Girl
Who Smiles" as her medium. Those
who worship at the feet Of Miss Tan
quay will derive no pleasure from the
plays finer moments. and those VINO
can appreciate delicacy Will want 10
throw bricks at Eva.
IL is thus easy to prove, by that
manner of reasoning, that there IL no
public for Eva Tanguay in "Ine Giri
Who Smiles" Thereupon ones case
collapses, for the piece has demon
strated exactly the opposite since us
premiere a week from Monday. At the
Bronx Opera House last week It played
to receipts rarely equalled in the ms
tory of the theatre, and at the stand
ard Theatre this week il IS duplicating
that record. -.
The only conclusion Is that writing
show for Eva Tanguay Is the easiest
task in the theatrical world. ANY child
can do it. and in the present instance
one has. All that is necessary IS 70
pick up any piece that happens TO ne
about. then TO pry 10 open at forty
minute intervals and insert Eva. ne
remainder Of the work is done IN the
box Office.
James X. Hackett continues TO
gather we'll known players for his pro-
duction Of "The Merry Wives OF
Windsor" The latest acquisition Is
Orrin johnson, last seen in New York
in "The Rule of Three" In recent
months Mr.. Johnson has been deyotng
himself 20 films.
Odette Myrtil has gone away. Those
few words mean nothing unless you are
Il devotee Of Mr.. Ziegfeld's midnight
entertainment on the roof Of the New
Amsterdam. Miss Myrtil is the Apache
violinist," and her success on the Roof
has been considerable. A few days ago
she sailed away to France. thereby, &C
| cording 10 John Henry Mears, break
/ ing a years contract. And this hap
pened only a day or two after she had
achieved undying fame by being bur.
lesqued IN George Cohan's musical
revue
Harold Atteridge, who wrote the book
of Robinson Crusoe, Jr.," is announced
I TO have sailed yesterday for Havana on
& vacation. A vacation from what?
The annual vaudeville benefit in be-
half of the Actors Fund will take place
at the Century Theatre on the evening
Of Sunday, March 10.
Laurence Housman, who, with Gran
Vile Barker, wrote "Prunella," Is about
TO make his first visit to the United
States. lie will arrive on the Califor-
MIA next week-mainly for the purpose
Of lecturing on subjects dramatic and
: otherwise.
The cast Of "The Road to Mandalay'
left yesterday for Atlantic City, where
the flying fishes play.
A special performance OF "Ihe
/ Viewers" will be given at the Garden
Theatre on Friday afternoon under the
auspices Of the Actors Equity Asso-
citation.
/ Triangle films desire to announce
/ that Herman lnnicken, chief usher at
/ the Knickerbocker Theatre, left for
Chicago yesterday to assume the same
position at the Colonial Theatre
there" The doormsn and the carriage
attendants at the Knickerbocker will
remain in the cast.
The Dolly Sisters, Will Rogers and
Gus Edwards are among those who
will participate in the next Sunday
concert at the Hippodrome.
Further word from the Hippodrome
/ has it that Charlotte yesterday out
| lined a perfect likeness Of George
Washington on the ice. She is now
practising on Charles f. Hughes.