The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-29
"OH WHAT A GIRL"
COMES TO SHUBERT
Musical Farce Has Tripping
Melodies and Falling
Comedians.
SHOW BUILT ON DEACON
Frank Fay and Harry Kelly
Contribute to Fun by Their
Merry Ways.
SHOW BUILT ON DEACON
ooh. What n Girir-At the shubert.

Whatever else happens to present day
civilization musical comedy will not die
so long as librettists suspect that some
where there are deacons who love
cabarets, wild women and wild liquor,
but never give testimony to that effect
in their churches. "Oh, What a Girl
musical farce presented by Lee and
J. ]. Shubert last night at the Shubert
Theatre, demonstrated this, for 1t has
all the eternal verities of operetta, which
of course includes tripping music, skip
ping girls and falling comedians.
According to the book by Edgar Smith
and Edward Clark, 1t is quite likely that
light opera may be backed by an angel
who is a rural pillar of the church gen.
orally associated with a different type of
angel. Perhaps that accounts for the
stodey, rustic flavor of some of the pro-
auctions Broadway has witnessed. More
over, this show would have one believe
that the leading prima donna of piece
may be picked because the hacker Is soft
on her, and not because she Is the dar-
ling of the public. Can this be true?
True or not, the farce Is woven about
Deacon Amos Titmouse, a beacon for
the younger generation in Cemetery
Corners, N. j., who, on coming to the
city, becomes more lit up than ever. AT
home he opposes the contemplated mar
rage of his nephew. Jack Rftshton, TO
Mdr0ot MerTiUdIe, n cabaret singer, but
in New York he falls under the spell of
this very girl-such is fate in a life with
musical numbers-without realizing that
he is trespassing on occupied territory
Deacon Makes Promise.
He promises to father her in an
opera, but his giddy antics with MGr0ot
and the other young women in the
company are discovered by nephew
Jack, who thus comes upon means OF
forcing the Dedcons consent to his mar
rage by threatening Uncle with the ex-
posture of his evil association with the
three scenes OF the piece pass with suf-
ficient variety in an apartment on River
side Drive, the Dedoon's home al
Cemetery Corners and the Century
Midnight Whirl-the latter locale
under another management rather as
itonishing one until one notices an adver-
tisement in the programme urging one
to patronize It after the show.
In order to humiliate the Deacon his
straitlaced wife is induced to visit the
Century Roof while he Is gambolling
there, though only after she has been
mildly intoxicated by the reliable device
comedian has just dropped several
bottles of corked lava. In this scene
Frank Fay. though working with Eliza
beth Moffat along conventional lines, in
GLIDING a plentiful seasoning of prohibit
ton jokes, was very amusing and manu-
featured laughs out of thin air. In faf,
he was the most diverting member of
the cast, particularly when he sang his
lively number, "Oh, That Shimmy," gave
a parody of Adam and Eve and gave
limitations OF classical dancing like a
faun with shell shock.
some of tho Funny Ones.
Harry Kelly, as the Deacon, who was
an echo of his part In His Honor. the
Mayor" displayed a humor that was as
deep as his voice, which frequently
seemed lost. Sam Ash sang very clear
ly and sgreeably and looked the hand
some hero without the least trouble
Hazel Kirke filed most of the require
ments as Margot, and Nancy Fair as
a buoolio cutie, had the standard
amount OF archness, including the trick
of wrinkling up her nose. Lew Cooper
perspired freely In the part of a colored
valet who was meant to be amusing.
Attractive dances were introduced by
Ma-Beile, Renee Adoree and Lewis
Sloden and Veronica Marquise, together
with a passage of Juvenile cuteness by
Clarioe Snyder and Ethel Mary Oakland
In one Of those ubiquitous Cinderella
plumbers. The costumes. settings and
chorus filled the GEOGRAPHICALLY. the
chorus-and Charles Jules and Jacques
Presburg have provided pleasing music
particularly with "Oh, What Girr' a%d
"a Travesty OPERA" in which I'VE
Won't Go Home Until Morning" serves
as the theme OF a classical masterpiece
SO the piece is likely to outlive the
rigors of summer. unless the heat melts
the performers makeup and ambitions.