The Washington times., 1919-04-07
THE CAST.


Miss BuS6y. Florence Edney
And q large chorus.
Washington fell in love with "A
New Girl last night. when Charles
Dillingham's newest musical comedy
made its premiere at the National
Theater.
There is only one possible critI-
cism: II is Just a little too good; or,
more correctly, it has too much good
stuff. because, although it never
drags, IL does run over the conVen-
tional time limit, and some pleasing
numbers will have to be pruned sim
ply because there isn't room for them.
As for the show itself, it is one
of the freshest, most tuneful and
most delightfully."- cast that Washing
ton has seen In many seasons.
There is a plot. which combines
Conference with cleverness; the musi-
cal numbers, nearly all frankly rem
iniscent OF former hits, are easy TO
listen to: principals and chorus do
their work with a Vivacity that
can come only from their having a
good time at il, and the costumes
and settings show an AMOUNT of good
taste rarely to be met with In the
production OF a musical comedy.
The story relates the love affair
Of Jacqueline Fay, q school girl, with
Robert McLane, navy lieutenant.
Her guardian, Horatio Pollard, wants
her to marry his son, Chester, but she
goes ahead and weds McLane with
out the guardians consent. Then, in
order to keep Pollard from taking his
bride away from him, McLane as
sumes the costume he wore at ship
theatricals, and goes to Jacqueline's
boarding school Is q new pupil, Pep
ita Mosquito.
He tries to escape with Jacqueline,
but is caught and barely gets away
himself.
After numerous narrowing advsn-
lures, he is restored to his bride, just
in time to hear the glad news thai
the court has refused to anhul their
marriage, and that now they can live
happily ever Afterwafd.
There are numerous interpretations
that are only incidental to the story,
but which add greatly to the success
Of the show.
FIRST honors in the piece must 60
to Ann Orr, who will be remembered
for her work in Leave 1t to Jane"
Miss Orr has youthful beauty. real
grace as a dancer, a pleasing voice,
a high order Of histrionic ability
and, best OF all, unlimited quantities
Of that quality, variously described
as everything from magnetism to
pep" AS somebody put it, in the
parlance of the day, she shakes a
mean knee and throws a nasty eye"
Helen Shipman also made an eX-
tren1ely good impression in the other
leading feminine role. Her voice Is
good and she used it TO full ad-
vantage.
The Duncan Sisters, brought
straight from vaudeville, made one
Of the big hits of the evening with q
little collection OF songs that wers |
good to start with and a whole lot |
better when they sang them.
Douglas Stevenson. in the leading |
male part, was convincing a. an aG-
tor, and his songs and dances both |
met with approval.
Olin Howland, in the principal COM /
edy role. was decidedly popular, and |
Scott Welsh won applause, with one |
Of the best voices in the cast
Nellie Fillmore, as an old negro |
nanny, had exceptional comedy pos |
sibilities. Her ruminatiOns regarding |
the effect of a sojouTn in France on |
colored American soldiers brouSht |
out some of the best lines Of the year. |
However. IT is useless to go through |
the entire cast; it's all on a par with |
the standard set by the libretto ami |
music, which is extremely high.
It might be mentioned in passing. |
however, that the chorus il Of the |
kind that Washington rarely sees. !
The girls not only look like regular
girls, but wonder of wonders, they |
can sing! Also, they wear costumes |
that would pass muster on the street !
as well as on the staEe-and it's a |
relief to find a chorus that doesl't |
have to depend on a purely cutaneous
effect for its charm.
Undoubtedly, Mr.. Dillingham; has |
added q new success to his long Est. |
Lieut. Mark Reardon has returned |
from service in France and has be- |
gun writing q comedy.