The Washington times., 1920-01-26
GARRICK
-Lsssie" IL Clean Comedy
OF Rare Excellence.

rick Theater last night Its notable
cast. sumptuous setting, gorgeous
oostuming. ambitious musical score,
and orchestral strength left II no
secret that Aessrs. Dodge and Pogany
have given full credence to the con,
slant pronouncements from press and
pulpit. street and home. that Amuse- :
ment seekers of these uplifted United
States are only waiting the opportun-
ity to rush to the support Of enter
tAinment. as pure and musical as the
mountain brook. and ts purge them
selves of the slander that their taste
10 all for jades and jazz. vamps and
vice. sheets and shimmies-
Lily. her zone Eve L.mb."
Sandy, her drunken husband. Ralph fsirn
Mscoressr, Jeans husband. .Psrc( sl Vivian
M.s sy paas.n. h kt,s. H 'IP fSi.a Molly % resf.sa arson
Winhis. = simple boy James h.trod ,,,s
Lieut.. III. Hon. David oer.h.m,
Philip orayson. D.vid.s cousin. Carl Hyson
Lady owsndolyn spsnosr- hiil Phillys
LAZY 0wsadoiyn's Cousins;
PPons~ PPososns~ ---.'---.-..'....; ;Ss ;oiSs saS,,v. nSSv.
aoSsrA ..-----------..';..ha .hatn holins
MA % 0rsy:on, Philip;: mother .xds sinci.ir
Lord Inslshsrt. Dsvtd's fsthsr:
Robbins. A,s Lordsh,p's .srv.nt.
Lasar Hsrmon
IF somebody would only bring out
decent, high-class. entertaining
show, absolutely free of suggestive
ness and smut what a hit II would
make! You couldn't keep the people
away"
You've heard II. dozens of times.
SOMEBODY has done II. and on q scale
indicative Of the faith to move noun
tains, with music thrown In for good
measure. Now for the proof:
''Lassie" 10 as clean and fragrant as
the heather. II is a made-over Gin
derella play with a Scotch setting.
The time Is the stiff SOS OF our
sQueamish and still sexed grand
mothers Of lavender memory. Cath
crime Chisholm Gushing, author of
the book and lyrics. has found her
plot in the same period and thus has
BADLY skirted the pitfalls OF an
achronism. The Bible was read In
those days. and she finds some of her
fun in it's pages.
In atmosphere, in situations, In
dialogue. and in song Iassie" trips
in the measure, the grace and mod
riches, from drudgery to splendid
ease. from low to high estate. and
from the first awakening of story
book love to the foot of the altar in
the good fashioned way. The
stage pictures are pretty and pleas
ing, the score sympathetic and tune
ful, and the final curtain last night
left everybody happy. behind and in
front Of the footlights.
cast of "I4assie." with as many more
in the carefully selected and effec-
lively costumed chorus. The frank
bare knees of the highland dress OF
the young women in one scene may
not have lived up to the self advertised
charms of Katisha's left elbow. and
sheer silk hose Is but recent dis
covery as protection against the rig
ors Of any cline, but the combination
had its modest spell and stands as
proof that there is delightful middle
ground between prudery and prud-
ence.
role of the Scotch Cinderella with the
ing Of unaffected girlhood. She IS
well cast for she has the precious
possessions of youth, beauty, and grace
and the gift of voice and stage gen
ius. Her present vehicle may prove
to be the fairy godmother of her own
career.
Dorothy Dickson, despite the handi-
cap Of a severe cold at a first per-
formance, achieved what has been
regarded as the impossible. She ap-
peared to advantage and danced
gracefully in the hoops and flounces
of the mij-Victorian period. Her cos
tunes revealed an intimate persona
touch at the sacrifice of historical
accuracy. but they were stunningly
gorgeous and most becoming.
Molly Pearson provoked many quiet
laughs in her role OF a prim Scotch
maid of uncertain orthodoxy and
years, while Roland Bottomley, James
Harrod and Carl Hyson acted. sang
and danced in good grace in the prin-
cipal male roles. So many were cast
and so intelligently cast in the rtr-
class drawn characters of the play
that there Is no occasion for ccp:-
ment other than that all contributed
to tho success OF the. performance.
Happily the dialogue was in good
American table d'hote or vaudeville
Scotch and could be followed wlth-
out the aid of a lightning transia-
tor or a through working knowledge
of the poetry of Bobby Burns.
DR.. Hugo Felix has provided a
score which keeps in harmonious
touch with the action OF the play
and does not invoke tries to gain ef-
fects. Several of his numbers. es-
pecially the dance music, won hearty
applause and his lively and charac-
teristic sonpa and marches held the