The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-24
lheaterS
MAN WHO OWNS BROADWAY"
SPLENDID FAREWELL. BILL

George Cohan's typical New York
style of musical comedy is found in
his The Man Who Owns Broadway"
and what is typical of New York sc
far as musical comedy of the Geo NJ
Conan tyee Is concerned is pretty
nearly typical of all the rest OF the
country for Georges comedies are typi-
cally American, thus pleasing all
sorts and ages OF Americans. so with
these few words it behooves US to say
what big night 1t was al the Acad-
envy last night when Il large and per-
fectly friendly gathering OF the friends
and admirers Of the cast and chorus
Of the. Comic Opera Players assem-
bled TO bid them good bye. and they
did so hilariously, not only because
they seemed really sorry to have them
60, but also because they seemed to
thoroughly enjoy the performance
Harry Short, az Sidney Lyons.
Broadway actor, who in the plot owns
that much maMgned' and at present
boardwalk street. was inimitable in his
irpersonatien. scoring his points with
ease and finish, and assisting the 9th
ers by at times trying 10 stick In
what seemed TO be a little lad lib
stuff. meaning TO the initiated lines
and business. what does not belong in
tue psSF- however t1at QiGH de-
tract and you surely want to see Harry
this week: he's immense. Edward
Basse and Alice HIS ran in double
harness as the villain and vlllainness
and right we'll did they accomplish
their nefarious work. for before the
PLAY had unwound it's plot. they Sue
eeeded in securing a check fer $1,000
900 Certified too} $50 worth II
bands. and swell pearl necklace f7otn
Anthony BridweN New Yorf million
aire. portrayed by Matt Hsnle~. Tia
best character actor we have ever seen
here. who before the final curtain lest
the worried lock he wore In the first
and second acts. because he got hack
thc loot with the aid Of sidnev Lyons
the aforesaid owner Of Broadway's
boardwalk, and st-aiehtwav offered the
hand of sylvia Brldwe11 his daugh-
ter, played by Florence Mackie. in de-
ughtful style to Lyons
MISS Naekie strengthened tn, splen-
did Impression made in other roles and
acted and sang charminEl~, while IN
the second act she was radiantly love
y IN a pink creation OF some sort We
don't know anything about RilN@
r,'sh, whose Nonu'aritv and hold with
and on the Richmond public Is IN
bounded. showed as Ethel Wilson that
ono womaa in TIE world can keep a
sec~et tnotl while she danced SAM
and acted With eharm ard ACCOMPLISH
r0erf Playing opnosjt@ her was Geo
Bogues. who. while healwavs acts We'll
seems 20 have forgotten how 20 sing
these last two weeks ROYAL Cutter was
his usual good Fnglishmen In the roe
Of butler. and Ernest Ceyer ~ A
theetr1cal manager did quite the best
7 ~
tie bit. II remained for Norma Brown
70 get thc biggest applause % the
evening bv her delightful singing Of
the pathetic Don't Forget Me" She
responded to several encores, She's
a fnished worker and we hate to see
her leave. Alice Hills scored haavtl~.
too, in her song. "1f You Were Only
Mine Dear" It Is pleasure 20 hear
her srecoth ana splendidly cultivated
cnnt~alto, The chorus worked W.T., A
vengeance. and Sienor Befunno had
tue y7Isic under perfect control
All Richmond can safely go and say
good bye to The Comic Opera Players,
he best little musical company we
have seen here in long time. May
all The cast and chorus get 9nc and
steady engagements the comi1c fall
and winter, keep In good health. re
ceise visit from Santa Clause At
Christmas and come back to Richmond
next spring and entertain us again,
ALVIN NJ SMITH