The Washington herald., 1918-09-17
NstIosaI-aGIerianna..

'he pest Husical play IN years.
Inus, we unreservediy go, on record
regarding "Glorianna," produced at
the National last night through the
medium of John Cort. True there
has been more pretentious Offerings
like the "Follies" or the Winter Gar
den revues. but for sheer merit az
tistically. scenically. musically and
any other "Ly" that goes toward tie
making of a musical production, We
hand the palm, as before mentioned.
TO 'Glorianna-" That's our story ana
we will stick 10 it.
Just whom we should begin on in
this eulogy is problematical, but we
are inclined to follow the overture,
with the music of Rudolf Friml. OF
course you who have heard Katinka.
High Jinks,' FriTnl offerings, will
know that the music was good. But
you don't know the half of It We
were unable to whistle a single tune
upon leaving the thsster last night
! not because they were unwhistleabls.
but IL we had started. the sound would
have been a composite of fourteen
| tunes and the score contained just
fourteen. Every song a bullseye.
Some record. even for Friml. We
won't attempt 10 pick-we couldn't
The book and lyrics from the pen
or whatever Catherine Chisholm
Gushing writes with were both ade-
quate and interesting. Oft-times the
dialogue waxed very clever despite
the appearance OF a number of puns.
The story concerned the changing of
identities of two very personable
young women and as the plot un-
| folded 1t uncovered a number OF con-
tingencies not contemplated when the
young ladies started their deception.
Naturally all ended happily with one
girl embraced with a pair of blue
clad muscular arms dedicated TO our
navy, and the other mixed up some
where in a khaki blouse and a Sam
Browne belt
Eleanor Painter. whom we have oft
loved before. as the featured member
! of the cast romped away with most
of the honors and this young lady
also gives fair promise of developing
into one of our best little come
diennes. And her yoice-and in that
widows costume-well. Eleanor will
come near grabbing all the space in
the pictorial sections when she hits
Broadway. Just friendly tip
| though. Eleanor. Repress a bit in
NaAaN AAGN dNN- we hHoh you were a
bit nervous, but watch il next time.
Joseph Lertors, as the handsome
young ensign playing opposite and
singing with Miss Painter. was so
good that he made US forget the IA
vorable impression he created in
Going Up" Dorothy South. Jose
phine Whittell. Ursula Ellsworth,
Helen Marqua, Ralph Whitehead and
Curtis Karpe all contributed charac-
terizations that made the work stand
out even amid excellence.
Alexander Clark, as a woman hater
who could turn cave man on occa-
sion, handled comedy business in the
most approved style. We would ad-
wise. however, the elimination OF
| the Good God" method for getting
laughs.
There Were six dancers who romped
individually and collectively through
out the show and their work out
shadows anything we have seen re-
Gently. OF these Jessica Brown, of
the lengthy legs. looms brightest. al
though her shining by no means dims
Gilbert Wells. Balfour Lloyd, Marga-
ret St Clair, Polly Bowman and
James Dunn. Incidentally this latter
party contributed a ladylike putlcr
Characterization that added much to
the laugh-making.
The chorus was pretty TO a girl.
They could dance. They could sing.
A -ara Avis? No. Jahn Cort seems
to hc able TO pick 'em that wav
Two settings in excellent taste sans
Urban and Robert Edmond Jones &C
centricities added materially t. = per-
feet evening. Our hat is off " ,nf-
ford Brooke. who staged the p,Diuc-
! tion and to Bert French, VINO IL re-
Sronsible for the dances. Hope We
have overlooked no one-it was all
''fiTst cabin"
"Glorianna" has 4 future whose
brightness is matched only by its
Prospective length.