The sun., 1916-04-09
y FRANK WARD o'MALLEY.

fR. AL REEVES. the John
MI Drew of burlesque. is sing
yo- ycale | played the banjo.
And I was champion of my time. bo.
And sill try TO please you. one and all,
And that. my friends, is no stall.
And now, friends, good and true.
You put me where I am to-day
md he credit tor what ] am to-day
Consequently belongs to you,
We'll. yes and no. Far be it from
ether the cartoonist or the volunteer
critic on this Lenten SUNDAY morning
t, PASS the short and uglier word to
the singer and his song. cspecially AT
The Ncry beginning of our weekly
critque-w which happens to-day to
have to do with Al Reevee's Big
Beauty Show" at the Columbia
Theatre, Nevertheless and with re-
luctancc exception must be taken some
tine to the protestations Of the noted
k.ng Of burlesquc when in the great
banquet scene Of the big Beauty
show he generously i'm the song Just
quoted gives entire credit to the
American people for putting him
where he is to-day. The only person
who put Al Reeves where he is to-day
the gentleman whose genius for
obstruction. grasp of dialogue and
L-amatic situation gave to Al Reeves
ihe general story and situations and
ines Of the Big Beauty show"
But" comes the interruption from
somebody who either saw the Big
Beauty SHOW" at the Columbia
Theatre last week or while il was
being whipped into shape for some
seasons past out on tho road. the
programme distinctly says that the
new three act musical burlettc' was
written staged and produced 10y Al
Reeves So where does anybody get
that stun that aHybodS but Al Reeves
made him what he is to-day"
oh. hush Despite the risk of start
ing Shakespeare Bacon controversy
all around the ocean To ocean bur-
esque wheel the fiat statement Is made
here that only one man writing now
81 the stage cou'd or would, eepe-
c.aliy would. turn out the book of Al
Recves's Big Beauty show"
Shavian parado% permeatps the BIZ :
Beauty show" from the moment carly
N the first scene whuN Miss Eleanor
Marshall. the Lddu Duchess OF the
uiay. cries haushtiiy 10 Charles
Eobles. the Count ne BumskB Of the
plot. Take that noise outside. you
,oor fish. or IL knock Jour block of
I, in, faAn'' i,a D
Inc there was no doubt in The m.nds
u, the sophisticated first night
audience. every one Of whom knew his
'Fanuy's First Play" CANDIDA" and
"Capt Erassbouri's Conversion" back
ards and forwards. about the identity
o. The author ~ the Big Beauty
Show"
In between chdrmin..y amusing
paradox after paradox along the lines
q ne one just quoted about throw
M "a de- aptsted gentleman's head in
t.s nwn features were lines which may
no, nave made for characterization Gin
l..t ,he only glar!ng f1u't OF the Big
e.Ity Show" was that COnW De
Eumskp. Lord NobodV and all the rest
u.rc too uncauni.y witty 10 he real
pc IL :. bub Ntlt 81 Ill'ilN VIII 80
'!ri al hrilllancy that the genius OF
She author OF Captain Brassbound :
convcr~ .on" simply hollered for reeoS-
s,Uon from the first line 20 the last.
Furthermore. even the persona.
Vl.ms and habits of the noted irish
master of paradox constantly were
tobh!ns up throug gnOut the scenes OF
the Big Beauty SHOW" Vegetarian
ism. to mention but one Of his aiflic-
tons would not stay out OF the text.
Not once but twice in the Chinatown
restaurant scene, 10 select al random
from the drama, vegetarianlsm was
thrust forward 50 pcrsistent.y that II
any last doubt remained regarding the
htwhiskered Irish playwrights part IN
cooking up the Big Beauty Show
that doubt was thoroughly anni-
fildted
For instance. Mr.. Joe simon, the
eminent pianoforte performer had
scarcely begun to rise from his in
s,rument after playing and singing u
temperamental ballad entitled Don't
Worry About the Wood. Mother