With "Shuffie Along" as foreunner and example, "Liza" came to the Wilbur Theatre on Monday night. here is another negro musical comedy, and one that is in many respects better than "Shuffic Along" was. Once again the producers have succeeded most where they have aped less the traditions of the average musical comedy. Where the company and the book is most racial it is most satisfactory and most exceptional. If lessons can be learned from the Moscow Art Theatre in the matter of ensemble work in production, lessons can also be learned from the negro writers, musicians, dancers, and comedians in the matter of "pep" and chorus dancing. The standard of snappy, rapid-fire musical comedy production in this country is set by George M. Cohan. His theory is that if his productions go off with a sufficient amount of dash, have the necessary contagious "pep", the audience will not have time to think very deeply on the true merits of the piece at hand. But even Cohan could learn from Walter Brooks, the negro who has staged "Liza".

On Monday night the performance was unbelievably "peppy". The dancing stood out as the exceptional feature. Not one person in any chorus number has the appearance of being bored to death.... as so many Ziegfeld chorus beauties have. Men and women alike were apparently having the time of their life. And the audience was not slow in catching their spirit. Steps of the most complicated and involved nature were danced without apparent effort, and with sure-fire uniformity by a beautifully drilled chorus. Encores of the most generous character were given, and still the chorus seemed untired. Dances that would prostrate white dancers were dashed off with inimitable speed, and more amazing still, lyrics-were put across for words and wit, while these dances were in full swing. The company seemed possessed of demoniacal fury. The stage was almost the setting for ritualistic dances. Feet, legs, arms, heads, and bodies writhed and twisted to the furious swing of panting negro jazz. For the first time in memory chorus men became not an objectionable but necessary addition, and were among the principals in ability and zest.

The book is better than the book of "Shuffie Along". True, it has not one scene of the high comic value of the Grocery Store scene, but the humor is more diversified and more widely sprinkled throughout the evening. The Barber Shop scene is the high comedy point, but the band rehearsal of the first scene is not far behind it. The present company lacks comedians of the first rank. One man presents an imitation of Bert Williams, consciously or not, that does not come up to the Bert Williams standard. But the pugnacious, rambunctious wit that is racial and authentic is excellent. "Liza" has little plot., more than "Shuffie Along" had at that, but it has just the correct amount. The plot never gets in the way of specialties or the dancers, but it does provide a loose unity to the scenes and officers comic possibilities.

The music on the whole is not quite up to the "Shuffie Along" standard. But even so it is above the average. "Running Wild", and "Dandy" linger long after the final curtain. "Planning" is less catchy and not staged as well as most of the numbers. There are sentimental songs that provide harmonies, such as "My Old Man", and "My Red Rose". While they bring applause they are not bright sports in the production. "I'm the Sheriff" is an amusingly staged number, where nimble dancing and grotesque posturing brings comic effects.

The costumes and the scenery are bad. Many of the best chorus numbers are danced in costumes that seem picked up from the Hippodrome and Old Howard wardrobes. However costumes and scenery alike are forgotten the minute there is dancing. "The Sheik of Alabain" and "Louisville Lou" are "put across", by Greenlee and Drayton as few songs are ever done, with a limitless enjoyment by audience and actors alike, with syncopation in voice and gesture, and with humor in attitude and tonality. Throughout the dancing stands out, "Liza" is a dancing show. The finales are parables of pep. The cast is fairly popping with pep. And the orchestra, with rhythmic and clever orchestration, catches the spirit of jazz triumphant; "blues" paramount, and echoes it in syncopations of variety and charm.