The New York herald., 1922-09-04
ny LAWRENCE REAMER.

1t became evident early in the per-
formance Of Better Times" which
opened the present season at the Hippo
drome on Saturday night, that Charles
B. Dillingham; and R. H. Burnside had
set out to establish some records in the
beauty and grandeur of the spectacles
at what has been justly called The
Peoples Theatre" When the final tab
leau was hidden behind the rising cur
tain--a new and beautifully embroid-
cred one, by the way--it was plain that
they had triumphantly succeeded. Bet
ter Times" easily overtops it's predeces-
sors in all the qualities that make q
great Hippodrome spectacle.
Mr.. Burnside under Mr.. Dillingham's
direction has deftly combined ballet,
circus and musical comedy. There are
In the circus divisions of Better Times
although they are not separated sharply
but agreeably alternated, those prime
Hippodrome favorites, Powers Ele-
plants, which have lost no trace of their
gracefulness in the dance and their gen.
eral skill as entertainers. Spurred on
by Marcelline they are at their best.N
The wise old crow "Jacko" is as
expert as ever in catching balls and
dumbbels He Is one OF the favorites
kept from last years program and at the
first performance he was greeted with
the applause that goes only to those
who have earned their right to it by
past service. He was as amazing as
ever.
Orlando's horses. the same noble
beasts that have filled the Hippodrome
stage before with their presence. posed
and pranced under the direction of their
trainer, perhaps rendered a little more
phenomenal than usual by the fact that
they evidently do not in the least care
about going through all these evolutions,
yet do them so bravely. Nine. Orlando
showed Apollo in his haute ecole steps,
which he managed with uncommon dex-
terity. and in their changes kept better
time to the music than nine out of ten
OF New Yorks cabaret dancers any
night in the week.
More Circus Specialties.
Perhaps to the group of circus special
ties ought to be added Patrick and
Francisco, who followed the dainty
Down on the Farm" with its song
about peach blossom time sung by Rob-
ert Mcclellan while the living peaches
appeared to be blossoming on the trees.
Patrick and Francisco were in the con-
ventional ''hick' costume and bounded
into the air like rubber balls on the old
fashioned hay wagon that brought them
on the scene.
1t was marvellous for any man who
hardly can stand to have a barber touch
his head to observe the calmness with
which some OF the members of the Long
Tack Sam family allowed themselves to
hang suspended by the queues and
rather appeared to enjoy 1t than other
wise. One OF them finally hurtled down
from corner of the proscenium arch
suspended by his black hair on a wire.
Then their feats Of strength. largely on
account Of their simplicity, were striking
The musuclar development OF the Chi
nese athletes as the men OF the Long
Tack Sam troupe reveal II surpasses
the common conception of their strength.
To the circus features must be added
"The Stag Hunt" by the Ginnett Family.
with It's hunters running In and out OF
the dining room of the inn.
When Fred Mcpherson and Lorna Lin
coin sang Blowing Bubbles All Day
Long" the bubbles increased so In num-
ber that finally there were living hub-
bles all over the background joining the