Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-18
ADJUSTMENTS

"S,r,n wilderness of jazz
to happen upon an
oasis such as "Sari"
Those who have wandered patiently
and long in the maze of futuristic hey
hey" and have felt a certain tinge of
WEAKNESS steal over their artistic. souls
would do well to HE themselves to the
National this week for that much
needed change and rest.
An appreciative Washington audience
last night displayed its reaction to the
experiment in demonstrative fashion.
It laughed heartily, although the near
est approach to profanity heard
throughout the evening was the single
word "damn"-prompted by a table
casualty involving sharp fork. 1t
applauded the dancing despite the utter
lack of suggestive torso twists among
the charming ladies of the ensemble.
And it went away humming some OF the
good old airs that made MitZi and her
"Sari" famous before "whoopee" songs
were invented in tin pan alley.
The test Of good music is its ability
to survive. Many a popular song hit
has come and gone since ''Sari' was in
its hey-day. but We still have with us
Love Has Wings" MY Faithful
Staradivari' and "Ha-Za-Za." Romance
in one. sentiment in another and pre-
war jazz in the third. Emmerich Kali
mans early compositions are too melodi-
Gus to be forgotten. and the younger
generation now finds them delightful
when inserted in the evenings dance
program.
Perhaps the younger generation would
not agree to a permanent return to
the fanciful romanceS Of the musical
operettas of a decade or two ago. but
the youthful members of the audience
last night seemed thoroughly TO enjoy
the respite afforded by the exuberant
Mitzi and her Hungarian or make-be-
lieve Hungarian companions.
"Sha-fee." as all good HunRarians
pronounce 1t, has no deep plot to worry
the mind-only a story book thread OF
romance. built around the love of a
count for a Gypsy musicians ire
pressible daughter-but it is enough to
provide the setting for Kalman's tune !
full score. Bound up in the theme also /
are other emotional appeals, including !
the fading glory of veteran musical
genius in the rising glow OF his sens
achievements.
Mitzi OF course is the lovable and
mirth-provoking Gypsy daughter. role
from which she is not easily dissoci-
ated Mitzi Is Sari and Sari Is Mitzi
and that's all there Is TO it. Boyd
Marshall makes a convincing Gypsy
ingly pretty young lady with good |
voice and a fine figure to At the raw
ishing evening dress she wears in the |
court scenes of the second act. plays
Juliska, who is torn between the obi
cation Of accepting the hand OF the
aged Gypsy and answering the call Of
her heart as 1t throbs for his son. Jack
SQuires makes a good count for Mitzi
TO fall in love with. and vice versa, and
Duane Nelson takes the part Of the in
cognito king. The chief comedy role,
leaving out that Of Mitzi, Is Cadeaux,
protector Of the counts person and
bankroll. which falls to Arthur Treach-
er. Others who play capably include
Mario Alvares and Gloria Frey, as chill
dren Of the Gypsy violinist; George
Clark as the father OF Juliska and Pat
Clayton as Pierre.
The Al6ertina RaSch girls are not
only remarkably proficient in their cos
tune dances, but are possessed OF a
marked degree OF youthful beauty.
Their chorus and solo dances furnish q
beautiful background for the show.
poi re Pages in the history of
musical comedy were
Inc turned backward last night
fortune when The Fortune Teller"
Teller by Victor Herbert, was
revived" at Polls, and the pages
seemed to crackle protestingly as they
passed.
There were beautiful settings and
costumes The grand huSsar climax of
the second act was noble evidence of
the Irish-American kings genius at his
showmanship best, in this early musical
comedy, or late operetta, whichever
term the individual chooses TO give
this work. 1t certainly lays the obvious
80 u La
with the alternating JOY and sorrow in
the love story Of its heroine, that has
been followed religiously by all later
musical comedies. On the other hand,
musically. 1t has so many rich melodic
tunes and such fine musicianship in the
writing that perhaps it belongs more
definitely to the operetta field.
An unusually large audience applaud
ed the baritone-baSs for his rendition
of Gypsy Love Song unstintedly, even
thought he did get of key, and was
bit awkward in his gestures. There were
frequent indications that the libretto
had not kept pace with the Jazz age
nearly SO well as the music. The lines
and plot still cling to the gas-Jet era.
Even the most weathered of the three
comedians showed surprise when the
audience clamored for more verses OF
the Topical Trio" nonsense song IN
the last act. The antiquity OF the
book might have been less noticeable
had the roles been more happily cast.
Eleanor Painter, star of the produc-
ton, gave indications more than once
that she was not at her best. Perhaps
what the cast generally lacked was the
traditions" of the stage of that period
when The Fortune Teller" was written.
The best singing OF the evening was
done by Sara Bair in the role of Pom
pom" She also has an excellent stage
personality. The title for this work
seems far-fetched, but, after all, what
does the whole world love better even
than lover? Why, fortune teller
of course. And when the music is writ
ten by so gifted an Irishman, the work
will live forever despite a creaking
libretto and other defects. II. F.