The Washington herald., 1918-04-29
Sunday Theater
Openings
BeIascO-"It Pays to FIirt"

Once upon timc-and not so
many years ago at that-the Amer
lean musical comedy was merely
.. stenCil-stuf. compounded of fem
ihine anatomy. flOrid scenery,
sugary songs about the silver moon,
and a sprinkle of topical skits.
Those were the days when the
managements proudly boasted that
| their big girl shows were de
signed for folks who checked their
brains in the lobby. along with
their hats and coats. and when tho
more or less mythical "bald-head
row" was ALLEGED to be the final
court of criticism from whose judg-
ment there was no appeal.
OF course. times have changed.
For instance. take the new musi-
cal piece at the BeIasco this week
1T Pays to FHTt'-whiCh has a
phrase running through it that al
most amounts to A rcfrain-''in the
eyes of the thinking people" 1t
was very serious, satiriCal phrase
II was a weird and yet extremely
iunny line for a farce so deter
minedly risque as this new Shu-
bert offering is.
The test OF farce. either with
"r without music, is laughter that
springs from the diaphram. There
vas so much OF that at the pre-
mier at the Belasco last evening
that it surely deserved to rank as
one of the most hilarious first
nights of the season, The new
piece went over big"
Every since Margaret Mayo cx-
tracted fun out of a maternity ward
there have been numerous other over
lures IN the same general direction
1t Pays 10 Flirt" is written around
Il doctors office and a grotesque lay
heure OF farce called professor of
SexoloGy. Naturally. the complica-
uohS are not-well. not exactly
juvenile or Victorian. There are quite
sophisticated. When You come to
Iive-wire discussion Of eugenics, sex
philosophy, and clinical subjects sand
wiched in between lifting lyrics and
graceful melodies, you have. il re-
sort TO the vernacular is pardonable,
some combination"
1t is not the daring lines-of which
they are a considerable number-that
brings the fun to the surface in eft
rays TO Flrt.' 1t is not the sheerly
grotesque features of it that will spell
success from the box-office points of
view. The success of the piece. which
Is quite certain. if last nights re-
ception is to be accepted as a criterioa
viii be based upon the authentic fun
involved in the clever handling of
tne plot and certain patches of
dialogue so outrageously funny that
they deserve more extended comment
than 1t is possible to give them.
IF Pave n irt
word in musical plays Of its kind
to go further the librettists will
nave 10 seize upon Havelock FL
lis Eugene Brieux. or the birth
control advocates for material
The fun of the piece is in the
hands of a capable cast. of which
the dominating feature is the bevv
OF girls who romp and froIic their
way through its three acts. In
her new role of "Dovey." Prof. Car
rIson's wife. Peggy Hopkins, comes
INTO her own. Her saucy charm
and vivid blond pulchritude is sun
ported now by newly acquired
dcXterity and poise and there need
ne no hesitation in acclaiminr her
the leader of the feminine contin-
gent IN 1T Pays to FIirt."
victor Morley supplied the bulk
OF the comedy in his rich role of
Dr. Marvin May. whose life was
a perfect nightmare of amours,
and he was the pivot of all the
iun. Scott Welsh as the lawyer,
Max Small. was excellent in everv
way. Clifton Webb, who pIaved
the central role of Prof. Garrison.
social theorist." either was mis-
cast or was unable to give the
part any definite. rounded, recorniz-
able impersonation. He seemed to
have no aptitude for satire or
carfcature. All the remainder of the
cast were good. including Fay
Evelyn. Clara Palmer and Ann An
drews.
The piece is exceedingly well
mounted and staged by Edward p
temple. The books and lyrics by
Frances Nordstrom are decisivelv
unconventional from start to finish
The score by Joseph McManus has
a group of whistleable melodies.
1T Pays to F1irt." should live
long. ''