The Washington herald., 1918-12-09
PoIi.-Leave II to Jane.


Last night at Polls a most appre-
Fciative audience gave a deservedly
enthusiastic welcome to a musical
comedy which fulfilled the large ex-
pectations based upon long runs in
other metropolitan towns. Leave
1t to Jane" is a musical verson of
George AIDES successful comedy Of
college life presented some dozen
years ago under the name of The
College Widow"
To Messrs. Bolton and Wode-
house goes the credit, not inconsid-
cradle. Of preparing the book and
lyrics. Indeed. we might say that
those who have the felicity of watch
ing them Leave 1t to Jane" will, to
psraphrase.
See Wodehouse-Bolton Georges
thoughts refine,
And call new beauties forth from
every line!
Nor does 1t call for wonderful
voices TO put over songs with the
agreeable lit possessed by those here
applied by Jerome Kern.
As many will recall, from the mem
ory of THE College Widow" there Is
tangible plot based upon the rivalry
OF two small colleges in athletics.
Atwater College is the Eitus OF the
entire comedy, and the young ideas
learning to shoot at that institution
are a live bunch who not only procure
the services of a piano-moving CEN
ter rusA by having him take a special
course In art, but secure the aid of
the college widow to ''vamp'' an all
American half back who is about
to join the forces of the deadly rival,
, Bingham College. TO the discontinue
of the rich father of the half back,
who owns Bingham, and thus hopes
! to have his son secure a degree. OF
course, Atwater wins the big football
game, and all the students and their
sisters, and. it might be added, the
audience, are content.
The cast is remarkably Yell-baI-
anoed. the parts of Bessie Tanner
athletic girl; Stub Talmage, the full
of-pep undergraduate; Flora Virgins
the comical waitress: "Bub" Hicks
he of the wonderful metamorphosis
played, respectively. by Elaine Arnt
Oscar Shaw, Rae Bowdin and Clif-
ford Heckinger, being particularly
we'll handled.
Juanita Fletcher. as the college
widow; Earle Foxe. as the football
star. and Thomas Delmar, as the
giant center rush. also make the bes,
I OF their opportunities. Nor is there
any room to cavil at the manner in
which the minor parts were. inter.
preted.
Misses Fletcher and Arnt gave a
! graceful and pleasing rendition in
/ The SIRENS Song" in the first two
acts. and Miss Bowdin contributed
materially to the success of the per-
! formance with<her "CIeopatteref" a
/ humorous song punctuated by bur-
lesque dancing of the type which
! the title indicates. She also shared
honors with Messrs Shaw and
/ Heckinger in "Sir Galahsd," a COM
mentary upon the change between
the days when knights were bold
and the present treat EN- rough
era. This number called for repeat
ed encores. the Douglas Fairbanks
antics of Stub" ably seconded by
"Bub.' and the ability of Flora
to assimilate punishment with
aplomb. meeting with deserved ap-
probation.
/ The male chorus with this COM
pany is more than we have beer
educated IN these war days to eN-
peCt. their voices blending in pleas
l ing harmony in several numbers.
I What the girls OF the chorus lack in
voice they. as an aggregate. more
than make up in grace and puIcharl-
tude.
We regret that. while unlimited
as regards space. that other more
or less important quantity. known
as time has rapderad IL i,rpossib1o .
to respect the poets injunction,
Be thou the first true merit to be-
friend:
His praise is lost. who stays till
all commend.
but are at any rate glad to predict
that those seeking entertainment
4 who Leave il to Jane" will not be
disappointed.