The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-04-08
AMERICAN GIRLS CHARM
SHAPELY ANKLES CATCH
THE LONDONERS
+ I
Our Stars Also Shine Brightly
In British Theatrical
Firmament

London, April 2.-Slender ankles
after all, are the best diplomacy. And
the American chorus girls. who have
been imported here, are 'cementine
Anglo American understanding in q
way undreamt of by ambassadors and
such.
In the League of Notions" G. B.
Cochran's latest theatrical produc-
ton, there are ten of them; and
Englishmen, who as rule are not
lavish in their use of superlatives,
describe them as the "willowiest, lis
soonest, and gracefIllest girls, who
ever glided across London's boards.
Not only English men, but English
women, too, are loud in their express
sions of admiration for the Ameri-
can type of womanhood, which diff
fers quite lot from the English pro-
duct Cochran has been particularly
happy in his selection, and his
American girls, conforming as they
do to the "Kirschner" type,-tall and
slender-make a striking contrast
to the petite" English girls who are
part and parcel Of the same show.
Not Punctuai At Rehearsais
While American chorus girls, with
out exception, are tremendously pop
ular with audiences-they cause the
management one or two extra grey
hairs on account of their unpunctual-
-ity during rehearsals. From inquiries
made of various theatrical managers
who have fair young Americans un-
der their wing, 1t would seem that
usually they come to England with a
glorious anticipation of being thor
oughly spoilt Hence, they begin by
turning up late for rehearsals and
then proceed to overstay their lunch
hour At the first managerial repri-
mand they raise supercilious eye
brows; at the second they are pref
tily penitent; but at the third they
begin to realize that the manager
means buiness, and reform accord
ingly.
However, the conquest of London
has not been left to American chorus
girls only. Those stars" which
America has spared from her own
great armament are shining brightly
over, here.
The Dolly Sisters and the Trix Sis
ters are making a hit, while the two
were paddy the Next Best Thing"
in which EDITH Day scored such a
prolonged triumph.
Won English Favor
There is some flavor about Ameri-
can talent which never fails to please
the English palate. The Prince Of
Wales is certainly not immune from
the American lure. At recent
dance of Lady Lavery the Trix Sis
tiers were sorted out by the Prince Of
Wales for special attention. He
danced with one of them and insist
ed on hearing excerpts from their
"act"-and went on applauding and
pleading for more until they had fin
isbed the third number
Another complete and individual
Mary Nash at the Oxford Theatre in
"The Man Who Came Back"
In London's smartest bathrooms
the American demonstrators is to the
fore. At the Savoy Hotel, Leonora
Hughes, with her partner Maurice.
held the huge ballroom. spellbound
each night-and many Londoners
went just to watch them dance. with
out any intention of joining in the
whirling throng themselves.
Elsie Janis makes a musical eom-
plaint. entitled Tt's All Wrong" at
the Queens Theatre-and while
this finds little favor with Americans
in the audience. Londoners clan and
encore and pronounce it "Fine!"
Managers are at loss to know
whether it's the American "ankles or
the accent" that so completely wins
Tlondon's favor. but the favor is won
beyond a doubt, and those programs
announcing an English and Amerir
can Company" are practically GER
tain to play to full house.