The Washington times., 1917-04-24
CHRISTIE MCDONALD
DELIGHTS EN- ALL
"The Little Missus" at National
Provides Large Store of
Contentment. ,.|

There are a whole lot OF ycontented
people in Washington this morning.
They are the folks who went to the
National Theater last night to sec
and hear Christie Macdonald in her
nice new Al Thomas-Paul Eisler mus
ical show, called "The Little Missus."
A great part of them are debs, and
Eub-debs and flappers. The rest are
what is known under the general and
Commemorative head as "musica1 COM
edy Washington" They are wise,
cold-blooded set. And when they lift
up their hands and clap them To-
gether at the close of the first act IN
a new musical offering, the weak
kneed principals up on the stage
send up paeans OF thanksgiving.
When the Syoung ladies with Golf
fed hair and clear eyes and bare
shoulders, with filmy stun hang
ing around, go up to New York In
the near future they will have the
best of those conceited New York
ers. When He asks Her very cas-
uaIly to go to see THE Little mis-
sus." 'Christie's MacDonald's new
show that's all the rage-that Is
If you care for that sort, she
will smile languidly, and like the
vampire woman who pats her hair
and powders her nose after n~Elng
killed three men in cold blood she
will say, "oh dear. yesi Dear yes!
Is that here? Unbelievable! Un-
believable! saw 1t in Washing
tons cons, perfectly cons. ago.
Glove Leads Ont"
Then. while he turns red, ana
nurses the first, real .wallop that has
ever been administered to his New
York pride, she goes 10 the piano ana
gently LAYS out "Bubbling, Bubbling
and stockings" and Love LEADS
On" and Its Way the Old Thihs
Has" and all OF the rest OF them
She plays and sings them not with
the strong, clear, high soprano OF
Miss Macdonald, OF course, but with
a sweet little tuneful voice that Is
Infinitely CALLING in its careless exact
ness to text and tune. She finishes
the music with ''Sleep, Baby. sleep,
ending the cruel and inhuman treat
ment at the end by initiating Roy AT
yell and Alice Hills, taking Tor
granted that he knows what she Is
talking about. He admits that he
hasn't seen the show at all. whlcn
she knew all of the time. and which
gives her the opening to say: on
well. should perfectly like to go
again"
All Of the time he couldn't have got
out Of taking her II she had been
forced to resort to chlorofopming
him.
so, naturally, in view Of the fore
going little prophecy, Miss Washing
ton. jr., is fairly contented today.
The story Of the plot is interesting
enough. Just enough. A tempera-
mental tenor, rebelIing gently at do
nestic ties, is handed the reins oy
his pretty little wife-fve years his
wife. She poses as his sweetheart TO
Count Toro, who puts her in the good
graces OF the princess, who thinks
she is the tenor's sister, all of which
allows for the infusion of the court
atmosphere so necessary to- musical
comedy.
Baby on the Job.
Just as the tortured tenor, who
wants his own wife and not his free
dom, is about to obtain a five years
contract at the opera, in Gushes the
four-year-old baby.
However, the third act, very short
and very satisfying, makes an emo
for the betterment OF the principals.
Miss Macdonald Is as fortunate to
be associated with Mr.. Eisler. the
composer, as is Mr. Eisler- fortunate
TO have been associated with her.
The only criticism OF an adverse
nature was made in the ear of the
writer toward the end OF the second
act, when Alice Hill-long, pale, and
orpse-Iike-had finished a scream
fnEIy funny love scene with Roy At
wen OF the twig-like calves. Said
the thin man:
ats all right all right all right,
but they oughta give that skinny
. dame a fatter part"
We second the motion.