Location:
Theater:
Date:
Type:
Dancing, costumes, village set.
Singing and operatic music.
"A Night in a Cosmopolitan Village."
It took close to a warm half hour to discover the connection between Thaddeus De Wrongski's name and his production, but it came with the finale, when Thaddeus grouped his dozen operatic stars into an ensemble picture to the strains of "The Star Spangled Banner," each singer representing a different nation, appropriately costumed, with Uncle Sam and Miss Liberty conspicuously in command. It was all "wrongski," especially after Thaddeus and his company had provided a rather excellent operatic entertainment composed of a series of songs and dances. A small portion of the offering proper was somewhat "wrongski" through poor construction, but this could be overlooked, particularly when considering the current engagement a debut. But the finale threw a damper ove all the favorable preceding impression and sent the company off to a silent exit. Thaddeus De Wrongski has surrounded himself with severel good singers and backed his specialty up with a splendid scenic production, the exterior of a village. The opening introduced four girls in Indian costume who cavort around to the strains of an orchestration that sounded decidedly Russian. This was "wrongski," but could be easily corrected. Then came a female quartet with an operatic number, augmented at the finish by four others and followed by a short dance. A selection from "Carmen" came next, excellently rendered by the company, after which two of the girls danced. An operatic solo then happened with the company aiding off-stage. Three of the girls danced, after which a quartet did their part and then that patriotic group. The action lags throughout, and should be helped with a little speed. De Wrongski has everything essential to be a big time feature, but it needs speeding up and work. It also requires some expert stage attention, but the affair could be tightened up with a half week's experimenting. When shaped properly this act will qualify for the best time, for it eclipses in many ways the various operatic vaudeville productions that have preceded it. Besides, the opening act on the same bill had the prior rights to the American flag, and De Wrongski should have known better. Outside of that, Taddeus, your "Night in a Cosmopolitan Village" is all "rightski."
Source:
Variety, 40:2 (09/10/1915)