Putnam patriot., 1929-03-28

A large, very large iauy, Pulhhk cigarette above strings upon strings Of pearls sinks into chair with rather worn little comnanion beside her who bears the luncheon company of two schnauzers.
 Our Lady of Luncheon arrives. Heaven be praised, she left her cur at home l-and we go in to lunch. At the door stands Olivier. perhaps the most famous maitre-d'hotel in the world, and certainly one of the First Gentle men of France Olivier never forgets 4 face or a friend. Without his un- failing eouftesy. the Ritz in Paris would be different matter entirely.
 The room fills. the dogs yap and chew and fight the food is delicious, the price prepOsterous. But it is the Ritz in Paris. a certain sort of a lunch con rite. Once accomplished one does not have to do t again.
 
 Ever since the night, many, oh, fearfully many years ago, when we were as young as Mr. hilne's christo- pher, and we first saw her, we have had high regard and most af- fectionate feeling for Elsie Janis. Since that time we have known her personally and have watched the vari- ous stages of her career, and our ad- m.ration has continually increased. That first time was in beer-garden outside certain Connecticut city, not too far from Putnam. In an out-of door theatre by a lovely lake, little girl came out and sang Daddy Would h't Buy Me Bow Wow, and other songs of such ilk. Some years passed and the late Oscar Hammerstein dis covered this same artist. grown to girlhood, doing limitations in a Coney Island theatre. He brought her tO his roof garden at Forty-Second Street and Broadway, made her a headiiner, and she became within week the toast of the town. A year or SO later and she was the star of the first of many gneeesses, "The Vanderbilt Cup.
 But Miss Janis was more than 6 prodigy. She was and is still an am- bilious artist. She became an accom- ished musician and wrote many songs lor her own repertoire. She took up the study of French and learned to speak t with all the proficiency of her English. She played in London and she became the favorite of Paris. Of few other Americans can there be chalked up SO fine an international record
 Naturally one cold evening we went up to the Moulin Rouge and Miss Janis. We found tn, house packed and the promenade filled, not with Ameri- cans but with a French, very French audience. Miss Janis had been having tI...- .sff I h..5 ing night, among the many limitations she gave of various French artists, she initiated Mistinguett of the smiling mouth and mournful eyes. For some reason or other. this first night audi ence regarded the imitation as an in, suit Co the artist who for so many years has reigned at the Moulin Rouge They greeted Miss Janis's imitation with noos and cat-calls. But Miss Janis is quite as plucky as she is re- sourceful Responding to the clamor, she came down stage and thanked the audience for unique experience. New CT before, she said, in long life of the theatre had her work received such a greeting If it had to happen once in her stage life, she preferred that it
 hould happen in the Paris which she loved so we'll. An unfriendly audience was immediately pacified, there were roars of applause and appreciation and Miss Janis completed her scene in a blaze of cheers and "bravos."
 Were it not for the presence of cer- tain familiar French artists. the Janis revue, Ailol lei, Parisl" might well be an American production, The scenes are gorgeous. the ladies wear a mini mum of clothing. the dancing is fast and furious, and most of the head-lined artists are Americans. Two comedy and 1.-the young women, known as the "Tosh Twins" dance pleasantly
 A young Englishman. Earl Les lie, cayorts hither and thither, and ten young men do American dances in an expert fashion. The chorus men are quite as awful as American chorus men. The only real French flavor is given to the piece by Dandy and Geor- gius, the former the drollest of dimin- utive comedians. and the latter singer of improper ditties shouted in machine gun French concerning which most Americans prevaricate when they pretend to understand them.
 There comes a period In the per ANt NiNNNEt MuitN tS Ail MISS hHNlN own. This is her half-hour of imita- tions. Completely at ease in her French. which is almost without ac- cent, she dares to set before her Par isian audience. certain impressions of their own darlings of the theatre. There is a delightful burlesque of Spin. ely. another of Max Dearly. and final ly, one portrait of Beatrice Lillie. who is not known to Paris audiences, that is perfect enough to establish Miss Janis's fame for the rest of her career
 On the whole an excellent show, and we left the theatre at midnight. saying Brave Elsiel We salute youl"
 Tonight we had thrilling experi- enee.
 Ever since landing in Paris we have heard little else from our musical friends. but of the Munich soprano, Lotte Lehman. who has returned to Paris for opera and recital following her astounding success during the spring season of last year.
 For us. the Paris Opera has always been far more interesting before the footlights than 1t Is behind them. Op- era in the great structure is frequently and often very, very bad opera. but the house itself invariably furnishes a splendid picture. Tonight all was at its best. An entirely French audi