New-York tribune., 1917-12-23
by Salita Solano

Well-wishers are the cause Oh Hldhl-
fold misfortunes. Several of them
nearly succeeded in running "The Land
of JOY" the Spanish musical piece at
the Park Theatre. They told Quinito
Valyerde that his zarzuela needed some
thing American" to lure the coy pub
lie to the box Office. And they meant
the word in its worst sense, We take it,
judging by what happened.
Valyerde listened and was lost. He
permitted the insertion of a weak
kneed American libretto and several
American players with a similar dis
qualification. Only the fact that moth
ing can destroy the pieces vitalizing
| charm while there remains a Spaniard
of the original cast prevented an early
closing and the transformation Of JOY
into lamentation.
What a pity New York doesn't re-
alize what a delightfully."- invigorating
tonic is to be had at the Park Theatre!
How sad the lack of discrimination
shown by theatregoers who neglect this
piece and pack theatres where the usual
musical comedy is to be had! Yet Of
what use are exclamation points to a
public which doesn't know that cayiare
is more intriguing to the palate than
bread and molasses?
The accented rhythm of Vslverde's
music is warm and hypnotic. 1t beats
into your consciousness and calls the
stavistic to come forth. Beneath it lies
the spirit of the barbaric Moors and
the sensuousness that is heritage from
them to the music of Spain. Eager
young dancers further emphasize the
rhythm by the use of castanets, or
sometimes tiny cymbals that ring and
sing. When dancing without castanets
or cymbals they snap their fingers; they
click and pound their heels; they clap
their hands together with the abandon
that is in their blood.
The Spanish women in the cast of "A
Land Of Joy" are magnetic beyond An
glo-Saxon experience. They have not
yet lost the habit of hips, and these,
sccentuated like their rhythms. they
bind tightly. When walking or dane
ing they sway from side to side, for
their carriage is as much a method of
coquetry as their use of the fan, man
tilla, tall comb or roses in the hair.
While the notion prevails in-Schenec-
tady and Syracuse that a Spanish cos
tune includes q rose held between the
teeth (or so one judges from pictures
of native young ladies displayed in the
photographer window this dental
fancy is seldom shared by a Spanish
woman. 1t is an effect difficult 10
achieve, and one must have an air to
be successful. 1t is something more
than mere clenching of the teeth.
Else one is no nearer Spain than the
Cocosnut Grove supper show.
The supply of Spaniards in New York
for audiences began to give out after
the first week of "The Land of JOY"
Then 1t was that the visiting players
discovered the difference between a
volatile Latin audience and a semi
Saxon one. In Spain when audiences
like what is put before them they do
not mind going quite mad in a public
place. They leap on the benches and
short "Brsys!" and the Spanish for
"'Ataboy!" They toss hats into the
air, on the stage and on the floor, with
out once considering the date of pur-
chase. II in a music hall they are not
merely apt to throw money on the
stage--they throw IL. And they pound
the floor with their canes.
The other evening at the Park three
spsnisrds in the balcony were carried
away by the speed OF Antonio Bilbao's
dancing. "Hola, Bilbaol" they shouted
at the speediest moment. Immediately
an usher raced down the aisle with a
pocket hsshlight to search out the Of
tenders. "Hols" is the interjection
used at such moments, despite the man
who declared 1t was sole" after his
ship had touched at a Spanish port one
day and he had collected in an hour
material for . chapter on Spanish au-
diencss to put in his book OF music
and miscellany.
After Luisita Puchoi had sung "Ay.
Que Rico" which il is just as we'll
East Orange and far Bronx do not un-
to count dialects. Amparo Saus,
dancer with the most appealing brown
eyes in the world, declared that most
Of the girls came from Valencia