Evening star., 1934-05-27

The Shuberts' revival of the Victor
Herbert operetta was nothing to cheer
about, pleasing as the music still Is.
The Henry Blossom book can never
have been very brilliant even when the
piece was first produced about 20 years
ago, and the war and q few other
events which have come in between
have done nothing to freshen or
sharpen it. It Is about q cold-hearted
librettist who tries to collaborate with
charming young lady composer, and,
three bachelor cronies who also find
their ''only" girls, and there Is some
rather pallid comedy about their efforts
to get accustomed to matrimony.
There have been several interpola-
tions which don't help much. There
are references to Greta Garbo Gersh-
win and "boopadoops," the eccentric
and very tall Miss Betz Beaton has
been lugged in for broad comedy,
some Of the ensemble music has been
cut out and other bits Of Herbertiana
put in. Music has a magic life and
Victor Herbert's scores were unusually
pleasing The result is some rather
nice little islands of melody between
long stretches Of dull libretto. The
fresh personality of Bettina Hall and
her clear soprano voice give distinc-
ton to the heroine's part, and q
capable cast, including Robert Halli.
day, George Meader and Neila
Goodelle, do what can be done to give
life to an entertainment which seems
on the whole, rather out Of date
The revival Of THE Mikado" differed
from that already seen earlier in the
Spring only in the fact that it brought
the veteran Frank Moulan back into
the role of Ko-Ko. The company now
singing in Gilbert and Sullivan
repertoire is almost the same as that
which worked for the late Milton
| Aborn last year. 1t Is thoroughly
capable and will move to Boston nexl
week.
"TNVITATION TO A MURDER" 1,
very fancy mystery-thrillel
which seems likely to last for a time
1t is laid in California, and the lead.
Ing lady Of the plot is a sinister pea.
cock sort of person, descendant of q
long line of hard-fsted pirates and
gold hunters, who lives in a kind OF
feudal castle on the edge Of the sea
She fancies that some of her family
want to poison her in order to get the
family property, and in order to un-
mask the villain she takes a sleeping
potion after the fashion Of Juliet ano
pretends to be dead for a time.
Then she climbs out of her tomb
disposes Of the guilty brother with 9
Maxim silencer and does divers Other
venomous and more or less exciting
things. There Is a trapdoor opening
into a dungeon. into which a surly
Mexican servant is dropped uncere-
moniously, an unfortunate American
doctor who is suspected for a time
of the murder of the bad brother and
other excursions and alarms too nu.
merous to mention. Some Of the mos
creepy villany is done to off-stage or.
gan music and the plot is excessively
complex, and everybody concerned
takes himself very seriously and act.
his part up to the limit.
Miss Gale Sonderbaard Is the beau
tiful and relentless head of the Chan
ming clan. and she plays with vivic
effectiveness, if at times perhaps with
just a wee bit too much queenliness
Invitation to a Murder" is one oi
those frankly artificial concoctions-
all made of creepy hokum and done
with elegance. Purists in mystery