The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-05-05
"PRINCESS VIRTUE" MUSICAL
PLAY, NEEDS A CONDENSER
Bright Material in Offering at
the Central With Miss Kosta
as Prima Donna.

A condenser improves a steam engine
and one might be devised for musical
comedies. Witness Princess Virtue"
which ran all over the stage of the
Central Theatre last night. 1t needs
shortening. except In the dresses, which
are OF the standard musical comedy
length.
Like them, 1t has plenty of good.
bright material, but II should have sew
eral tucks taken in it so 1t wouldn't
trip over itself as fundamentally as
one OF the feminine players did every
time she made an exit. AS 1t was, there
was smother Of songs and dances
during the first act, which settled moth
ing except that Miss Tessa Kosta is
more restful than ever to look at. and
that when she opens her mouth to sing
she stops the toothache. While she
rippled up to her high notes with bell
like ease one forgot that the orchestra
worked harder than the librettists. p.
c. lillian and Gitz Rice. who also
were the composers, to make the piece
a success.
II wasn't until the beginning Of the
second act that the production made by
Gerald Bacon ran into a good breeze OF
entertainment. and then 1t blew gale of
merriment That was when the five male
principals gave an imitation of a man
and his friends waiting for the wife to
dress, and also mimicked an agitated
aisle In movie house trying to see
past a womans hat--scenes which had
nothing to do with the actual story and
were therefore highly successful. While
the piece was without male chorus, it
leaned very heavily on the masculine
gender in its principals, following the
law OF compensation, and they made
these hilarious bits Of byplay, conven-
tional enough in conception, seem like a
whole show in themselves.
1t was then Hugh Cameron came for
ward to put the laughs In circulation.
Previous to that this comedian. who did
SO much with skinny material in "Ths
Meanest Man in the World" had striven
nobly, but had little opportunity except
to fill In the intervals while the orches-
ira rested. But good comedian dies
hard. and in these burlesque scenes he
made himself everybody's pet He has
the rough and ready sang-froid of
SIDE show barker, and after he had
once established himself as the comic
oenefaction OF the evening everything
he did held the royal key to laughter
There was some kind Of plot, in which
wealthy American girl who managed
TO Keep her skirts clear even II she did
take Paris frivolously and was called
Princess Virtue" presumably because
she was an American, was sought for
her money by a French tango dancer
and an Austrian baron, already popular
In Paris despite the recent war. But
whenever one seems about to be COM
PEELED to follow the vague wanderings
Of the plot Cameron bobs up, and a
merciful oblivion of chortlings ensues.
Frank Moulan was sometimes
sprightly and sometimes gay and some
times quite funny. Earl Foxe danced
easily. and so did ford Kirkbride
and Allen Pagan, while Miss Alice
Maison swung. into line gracefully when
ever the orchestra put the terpsichorean
urge on every one. Miss Sarah Edwards
and Anne Page also were among those
who really mattered
The music OF the composing duo car
rled itself along without any difficulty.
and the chorus. composed exclusively Of
representative Of the fair to middling
sex. seemed to enjoy romping. And
oh. yes. you'll notice that the two acts
take place. naturally enough. at a
Partisan costumers and a sunken gar
den at Deauville. done in the best
vaudeville revue style. You'll enjoy see
ing 1t this summer-when you can't get
away to the beach.