Evening star., 1918-02-18
ADJUSTMENTS
ReIaSco.


BeIasco.
The show which opened last night
and made the Belasco Theater one of
the few blazing beacons of public
diversion might be entitled ITO be
continued" For it is another sec
tion of the enormous frivolity display
that New York puts out under various
more or less allied enterprises. like the
tickets reeled OF in the box office OF
g. movie theater or a soda water
fountain. Each section is positively
guaranteed by publicity to act as
laugh tonic, but no responsibility is
assumed as to resulting effects, morally
or ethically.
The Winter Garden show makes a
practice of devising some snappy and
unusual Introduction to intimate that
no serious or consistent display may be
expected. This time the performance
starts in midaudience in colioquy be-
tween a critic and his friend at the
show. The assumption that somebody
has been taking criticism seriously con-
veys a slight jolt of surprise. But 1t
soon becomes apparent that the speak
ers are regular actors, disguised.
Are you going SO early? inquiries
the friend.
Yes. my paper goes to press soon
after midnight and I've got to get TINS
copy in
No effort is made to preserve the
exact reproduction in phrase Of this
conversation. which proceeds to the ioi-
lowing purport:
How are you going to describe the
play if you do not see it?'
ton to the fact that it needs no de-
scription. There is no plot, but plenty
Of songs, scenery and girls.
They said it.
No review of what took place couio
be more explicitly satisfying.
The effort at smart audacity is usually
more or less difident at the outset Ex.
travaganZa in its earlier stages was re-
strained by a certain difference to CON
servative taste on the part of the public
theatrical artists Smart audacity is soor
replaced by blunt boldness which rapidly
establishes itself on terms of the sheer
est impudence.
assumes the utmost license that g
generous public, willing to pardon
much for the sake Of q laugh
could possibly extend. Its employ
ment OF human speech Is as reckless as it
employment Of human anatomy. Both an
exhibited in terms of the extravagantly
bizarre which sometimes emphasizes in
stead of concealing trace Of the pitt
fully crude. The double suggestion which
requires some effort of mind to discove,
a left-handed significance is discarded ir
favor OF the word play needing close
analysis to reveal an innocent signifi
cance. The motto "honi soft qui NAL y
pense" is pressed SO hard that an au.
ditor is sometimes forced to assume ar
air of complacent imbecility to avoid
the appearance Of collusion-
This line Of comment seems like sermon
izing 1t may be due to telepathy ol
some other form Of psychic force, for a
that hour real sermons were being voicet
in every corner Of the surrounding city
Reference to this fact Is made proper b,
the introduction into the bill. through on'
OF its cleverest specialists, of vfllag'
church, with it's modest stained glass win
of buriesque. The challenge to con
sentative sentiment by the players i'm
personation Of mincing, village clergy
man was rendered SO direct by the coinci
dence of day and hour that it cannot b
ignored.
AS a program of varied and irresisti.
BILE diversion the big show spare:
neither effort nor expense. The vet
eran, as represented by De Wolf Hop
per, joins hands with the neophyte il
variegated romp of color and song
Clever people are SO numerous that they
fall into the general picture in which
arms, legs and ideas tumble and toss il
profuse but picturesque bewilderment
A new war poem modelled on the line:
of that base ball classic, Casey at ths
Bat was introduced and assigned will
proper difference to tradition to tn,
resonant vocalization of Casey's owl
high priest. Mr.. Hopper. Chic Sale
Irene F'ranklyn, Johnny Dooley. Henr,
Bergman, Rosie Quinn, Emily Miles ant
others make up a jolly party that leave.
no possible opportunity for the intru
sion of dull care. AS a gloom chaser
the Winter Garden entertainment is ar
undeniable potency. II you don't like
some parts of it. there are sure to b<
others that make you forget the OBJ
lection, and no one can leave the thea.
ter without admitting that he has had
an evening of fun.