The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-04-26
NATIONAL.
Zisgfeld Follies As Usual
Delights Big Audience.

Mr.. ziegfeld's hired help stood out
on the stage at the National Theater
last night and gave q show. There
was Mister Williams. and Mister Lee
Marie and Master Cantor. and them
there now Dooieys. and a lot OF Mr.,
xiegfeld"s girl friends and Messrs.
Van and Schenck, and a lot OF others.
IL was q good show and forsooth, a
motley audience laughed itself silly
when II wasn't msTvelling.
Though many there were who opined
that Mr.. ziesfeld's this-year's show
wasn't as good as his last years,
nevertheless rest yourselves assured
that this here now Follies is a seemly
entertainment, and In quantity and
variety. fully worth the four dollars
per seat. not counting the recent
well-known wars tax.
or course. you wordly-wise ones
who know the Follies know all about
this show, because it's just like all
the other Follies-no plot. much
music, some dancing, liberal dashes
Of comedy OF more or less power. con-
siderable beauty OF setting and cos
tume-and girls. But Mr.. Zlegfeld
must have had astisnatism this time
he didn't pick quite as nifty a
chorus as we've been used to. To be
sure. there were some quite excep-
tions-quite! But they were only
some OF the chorus, not all. as they
should be. (You understand, we hope
that we've been discussing faces-as
for the rest Of the dear things. they
were ALL thereD
One misses Mr.. William Rogers. this
year. And also Mrs. Fields, whose
comedy was the brightest spot OF
last years show. But last night. Ed.
die Cantor and George LeMsire per-
formed antics In q scene In an osteo-
paths Office that was easily the COM
edy hit of the evening, For highly
distilled roughhouse, this scene fin
ishes easy winner.
The comedy henors are also highly
due to the duly-appreciated Dooieys
Johnnie and Ray. whose clumsy grace
and graceful clumsiness kept the
house In periodic roars OF laughter,
One chap across the aisle from US
laughed SO hard he sprung his collar
button. OF course, Eddie Cantor and
Bert williams, with their distinctive
brands of singing, were much Of the
show. although Bert could easily have
done better had he had q more, sort
of, well. kind o. better song or two.
Marilynn Miller's grace, youthful
ness and beauty were as usual out
standing features Of the performance
She's as lovely q sprite as ever. and
her dancing was just n warmly re-
ceived as in previous years.
Van and Schenck's singing was even
better than on the vaudeville stage
or the yictrola records. while John
Steele's lovely tenor voice was heard
to great advantage In some particu-
larly appealing numbers. OF which the
best was "a Pretty Girl Is Like q
Melody"
There were several tableaux by Ben
Haggin which were beautiful TO ar
extreme. Prohibition was vigorously
raped by the performers during the
entire second half Of the revue. which
included the funeral of Al Cohol. A
scene that came in for much applause
was the minstrel set which ended the
irst act, q truly elaborate scene.
Well, there you are. Only we
might mention for the benefit of those
who feel that way about IL, that the
girls wear considerably more than in
years gone by.
That's all there Is; there isn't any
more"