Indianapolis Times, Volume 34, Number 116, Indianapolis, Marion County, 24 September 1921 — Page 6

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3 New Plays Discussed by Dixie Hines He Picks *The Circle * as Leader in Recent Offerings. \ BEASLEY IN NEW ONE By DIXIE HINES. NEW YORK, Sept. 24.—The terrific pace set by play producers continues without abatement, and happily the quality of plays is distinctly better than those whic6 preceded them. A play which gave heart to a depressing season was Somerset Maugham's “The Circle,” produced by the Selwyns with an epoch-making cast. Including John Drew* Mrs. Leslie Carter, Ernest Lawford, Estelle Winwood, Robert Rendei, John Kslliday and others, and done wi'n such good taste and effectiveness that it lingers in the memory after the fall of the curtain. - v “The Circle” Is jot. in the final analysis, a piny that will appeal to moralists, but it is a del ght to lovers of cleverness and discriminating fan. Circumstances bring back to the country home of the younger ChampionCheneys the mother who has flown away and paid for her folly, the grouchy and sodden companion in her flight, and her husband who comfortably and philo ! sophically survived the domestic tragedy of his early married life. It Is the purpose of these whom the years have disillusionized to prevent a repetition of the same folly in the new generation. But young Mrs. Champion-Cheney disregards the lesson of their unhappy experience. Like her husband's mother, who has come back “a ridiculous caricature of a pretty woman grown old.” she flits away with the young man with whom she thinks she will find love and freedom, and thus is the circle of Mr. Maugham's cynical story closed Mrs. Carter it was who took first honors with a sense of comedy which has seldom marked her former appearances. As the artificially preserved woman, empty and vacuous, her contribution was as ingratiating as it could well be, ! and close behind her was Ernest Lawford. John Drew as the irascable grouen, entered anew field and qualified as a most interesting character actor. The success of the play was immediate and decisive, and it has taken its position among the few successful of the many plays produced. •'EI.TOX CASE” IS VERT THIX DRAMA. “The Elton Case.” the melodrama by William Devereaux, the actor, produced by George* Bruadhurst at. the Playhouse does one thing, it convinces us that “truth is stranger than fiction.” It also convinces us that reporte.-s for dally newspapers often write more gripping I stories than playwrights write plays. Elton Case” is a thinly diss: of a r>- t-r t famous murccr HP&terr which remains unsolved in the police records of New York. A card expert, covetons of an affianced bride of ahaffker, involves her in a game in which she seeks to win enough money to extricate her brother from the results of his peculations, and when she Is un- j able to pay In cash, demands that she pay in another way. He is a licentious cad, with man* feminine entanglements, and when the woman come* to his apartment ns agreed - seeks to evade her obligation by the Pimple expedient of shooting him with a pistol which he has ; assured her—and believes—is unloaded. See later makes a confession, but because some of his affairs have been with wome n of high station the district attorney and police inspector agree that the case can nevcp ,be prosecuted, especially as a woman enters for no apparent reason, and exposed to these two officers her heavily veiled face. With this rather preposterous expedlert the curtain falls before a puzzled and somewhat offended audience. Mr. Broadhurst has staged the play becomingly, and Charles Waldron and Byron Beasley act the parts of sweetheart and card expert acceptably. Chrystal Herne is wasted npon a useless role and altogether It is a strange affair, unworthy of serious consideration. It is so filled with incongruities and preposterous premises that one hesitates to accept Mr. Broadhurst as the producer, the program to the contrary notwithstanding. Mr. Beasley was a member of Gregory Kelly’s stock company In Indianapolis last summer. BXGI.AND rrItXISHES A PICTORIAL MELODRAMA. “The Blue Lagoon.” which came over from London under the rhaperonage of the Shubert’s. is a pictorial melodrama with the most gripping staee effects that have yet come from th other side. They Include a burning ship at sea. a shipwrecked party in a small boat, a pictorial island In the South Sea and an elemental rain and windstorm. When this ha* been said, and due credit given for very good acting, there is little more to add. The play is adapted from the Staokpoole story, and Norman Mac Owen and Charlton Mann, who prepared it for the stage, have retained most of its incidents. After presenting a realistic ship scene, followed by its destruction by fire, the two children, with the old sailor, are seen drifting. Later they have taken refuge on an island where this sailor meets death because he ate some berries. Thereafter the Interest is ip the growth of the two castaways—and their gradual development religiously and literally. The secret of life, as well as the religion of life, comes to them naturally. They live for years on the island. Interrupted only by the arrival of a lecherons sailor who meets a just death as he lays Impious hands on the maiden. In the meanwhile, in London, the father of one and uncle of the other learns that they may be alive and sets out to rescue them. The picture presented to his view, , of tbeir primitive life with a love offspring between them In a rude cradle, makes him question the wisdom of returning them to civilization. , The story is episodic in' its telling and not especially gripping, but the colorful costumes—or lack of costumes—and the stage settings on the island and the incidental music made the event one of distinctive novelty. Two children, Andrew Lawlor and Lorna Volare, furnished most of the interest as players.

AMUSEMENTS. Starting Sunday frt, ABE MARTIN M ORIGINAL CAST. tlFi'Wi A Played all Cities. ffl?'' fJf|l *IJSO-2.00 Price*. ] 1 1 IS,A First Time at Popu- /TW* J 1 lar Prices. ILL \jfif 25c to 50c |l, RIALTO W

In_The_Land_oy_ Make Believe By WALTER D. HICKMAN

The orchestra at Powers’ Theater, Grand Rapids, Mich., bad rehearsed for hours in preparation for the start of the new season of “Honeydew,” the contribution of Effrem Zimbalist to the State. Suddenly the conductor stopped the music and announced that they “would rehearse the Chinese number for another hour.” Then Joe Weber of Weber and Fields fame and also the producer of “Honeydew,” who was In the theater carefully watching the rehearsal, said with a dry smile, "Like thunder they will. It will cost me sl7 more.” But the orchestra remained In rehearsal three hours more until -Toe Weber was satisfied that “Honeydew” would be revealed to the residents of Grand Rapids just as It was presented on Broadway. I journeyed to this Michigan city to see the opening of “Honeydew” after it had closed for four weeks following its run of forty weeks on Bi-ot dway. Seated by me was Joe Weber —a man who for years, with the assistance of Fields, has made the world laugh under the banner of Weber and Fields. Now Joe Is a producer on his own hook. Joe and myself watched the dress rehearsal for hours and during that time Weber , “cracked” enongh sayings to make an i almanac. j

AMUSEMENTS. jffj 00, If PL jNf£ iIM ** VAUDEVILLE | ATTRACTION extraordinary t —NEXT WEEK— 5 I fil Jfi INI f J*| I u “ J if if PEARL OF THE PACIFIC , I dJBf ANP HER V lipl 1 I 1 oil I ill winriw \|j j Greatest of a!! singers, dancers and instru- ij 11 Ijf mentallsis from the “Isle of Sweet Content” I §4 WARNER & OOrBETT KUMA AND COMPANY | >ji *■'%. 1 “Now* Will You Be Good?” ORIENTAL MAGICIANS ft !\\ FRI3H, RECTOR & T08L! RENARQI’S ACCORDION BAND \ W HARMONIOUS HILARITY WIZARDS OF SYNCOPATION \ i CORTELLi &" ROBERS . TOOESCA &TOOESCA | BW .£ SONGS AND FUN SENSATIONAL CYCLISTS [\ ftVW “FOLLIES OF ’6l” Wf K KOI it OLD VETERANS Vbm |L Damons in the Lyr/cßall Room y® |J ArrcRNGON

x i > AlPtif - - - PRICES Eve. B3t, MM r LL HtAI LVifgii MU S.I I uisc'f Kit§BßaA^^jtll>JM 1 Uitv h 1 Wet Li r*J • nil ifat B ~ w •‘£ H Mats. Wed., Sat IfflFaaffiamaMfr. •*•*■* “ *"*• 1 jl till KINK PARTY JIONUAY EVENING. £-ti ti.’JATS ON SALE NOW. 2—BOX OFFICES—2 . H T 5 PReoecEiiOM N g - 1 j h m m / £&& ~vf DIRECT FROM E ROADWAY / J§i§r 1 WITH SELFSAME COMPANY / i&SSUU*. (t a TH2 5 Ane TV'PE THAT ' Ia M iM?l*3 MAOS WE&tRA)DFseU>J I I w^°S'CHAU FAMOUS I ® AMt Vi::o CAMJAKCT II j tfOCH BETTER THAN THC PAUOHTERS OF HERC&JAS C3U|l|.ft Week of Oct. 10. * Richard Walton Tally’* RSI! bVIKIPUI Ufclmrd UnltOD MH nt t P”Tf ' Faeclnntlns Romance. R Tally presents the pe- fa Aj C'V-.iiS if Ip W W C*i ft A Hrllllant New Coat of KB [£ rennial. favorite. Prices: | *B C * J a H ] ‘ \*l if | | f f' 4 l . Player*. I I Ills j! If Jlji | ut 11 i 1 I annreader S NinJ 4 la f 1 H \* rJ *a * ■ I SAvt* Monday. Oct. 8. *****l -4 II J <4&ilfifil I# JELI JL JIM HAWAIIAN SINGERS. H

While we sat in the barely lighted theater wit the orchestra and the chorus jsroing through its paces, a messenger arrived w r ith a bunch of telegrams. Joe handed one to Dorothy Follis, prima donna of the company, and a bunch to Ethelind Terry, the 17-year-old "wonder" of the show. Miss Follis opened J*er telegram and said with a smile, “It is from mother, wishing me luck in the new season.” Joe smiled and said as lie turned to Miss Terry, “Your telegrams are not from your mother, Ethelind, because she is with you on this tour.” Miss Terry kissed the telegrams. Joe smiled and asked, “I know. I know, but who is he?” The answer was not given because Miss Terry ran to the stage to do a little dance with Joe Cansino. Miss Terry did not have to do this because it is not In her part, but she insists on knowing every part in the show. “That's Y'outh.” remarked Weber. “Youth, wonderful youth. That reminds me. I have in my office in New Y’ork my first dancing shoes. When Fields and I have another jubilee, I will get out the old shoes, (if course, tiiey have been resoled and the like, but these shoes are still good. “One time after Fields and myself had ;

INDIANA DAILY TIMES, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, ISZI.

| separated, I was playing in a town and i business was bad,” said Weber. “I was standing by the ticket window when a I well-dressed man came up as if to buy | some tickets. On seeing me, he withi drew his money, came up to me and ! shook hands. Os course, I acted polite. He then asked me for passes. 1 told him that I was playing on a per cent basis and couldn't do it. He became angry and said, ‘I am your cousin, Mr. Fields. I will get even with you.’ They sure do get us mixed up.” They tell a story on which demonstrates his ready wit. At one time a man was a member of his company and this individual demanded the world. On discovering that his pictures were not on view In the lobby of the theater, he demanded of Weber the reason for such neglect. Weber adjusted his cigarette and said as he felt around the pockets of the actor, “Now, if you happen to have a tack and a hammer on you, we will nail ’em up right now." The actor was cured. Years ago when Weber and Fields were just starting out and playing the “beer halls” in New York, they found it necessary to “hide” their money In a pile of sond on a beach. It was Weber's duty to mark the "exact spot” by rolling up a piece of paper and sticking It down in the sand. One night Joe and Flelue had sl6 as their entire worldly estate. They buried it in the sand during the night’s work. A terrible storm came up and blew the paper away. The bank was lost, “After that Fields and myself divided the money, put it in our shoes and then

danced on it,” smiled Weber. Today Fields Is rated as a very wealthy man. Joe Weber looks upvin the “Honeydew” company as a “big family.” Members of the company run to Weber with such little troubles as a “ruffled gown” and the like. Joe smiles away ' * trouble. The result Is that Joe Weber's “Honeydew” organisation Is a crowd of tal people, all working for the success o' ,ne show and the triumph of Weber as a producer. It is this “family” Idea which has made the “Honeydew” company a contented and happy lot of entertainers. When Weber scrambled out of the New Y'ork sleeper at Grand Rapids, Joe remarked, "Leigh’s Y’alley, she's a roujjh road." t \ Joe Weber told me that he would make every effort to be In Indianapolis Monday night when “Honeydew” opens a week's engagement at the Murat. The visit of Alice Delysia to Indianapolis during the week of Oct. 3 in “Afgar/’ has been postponed until a later date because she will go directly Into Chicago

MOTION PICTURES. j A Symphony of Celebrities I DeMU! productions and luxe, of | LRj . yV^- L _ A tains the highest mark yet reached in the blending of life ' B gj {tfNl anc * beauty on the screen. Wf\a / n 1 iff! pi A vivid, tingling drama of love and marriage. Sf tffjh >*—>_/*—feSa Glowing with luxury. Piquant with gay adven- ( \ Eul I Theodore Kosloff.Polly Moran, Raymond HaHon and Julia Faye j

AMUSEMENTS. JA JF TWO SHOWS PARK jke„ EVERY DAY NEXT WEEK UTTLE 80-PEEP WITH A NIFTY - PEPPY - CHORUS AND A Host of Laugh Producers PRICES: 15c, 30c, 55c and 85c

for a run. Olga Petrova In “The Silver Peacock” will be an October attraction at the Murat. During the week of Oct. 10 “The Bird of Paradise” will occupy the stage at the Murat. Manager Eggleston Informs me thnt the hill at B. F. Keith’s for the week of Oct. 3 will be headed by James J. Corbett, former heavyweight champion, and Billy B. Van. They will appear in a travesty called “The Eighteenth Amendment.” Belle Baker Is also booked to appear at Keith’s soon. E. H. Sothern and Julia Marlow will bpgin their American tour at the Boston Opera House on Mondny night, Oct 3, after a season’s rest, which was spent in Washington, D. 0., and abroad, according to word received by this department. During the past year the distinguished eostars spent several wekß In Philadelphia recording scenes from theli Shakespearean production on the talking machine as part of a comprehensive plan now being undertaken to further the In-

terest and knowledge of classic drama In schools and smaller communities. For their present tour, which will embrace the more Important cities east of the Mississippi River, including Indianapolis, Mr. Sothern and Miss Marlowe will produce Shakespeare's ‘‘Hamlet," “Twelfth Night,” "The Taming of the Shrew,” and ‘The Merchant of Venice,” the latter comedy now being acted by these players for the first time In seven years. The productlolls will be made on the same lines as those presented during tlielr last season on the stage, while the new revival of “The Merchant of Venice” will eo this new stage decoration further amplified and developed. Music Notes The Sunday evening program to be given in the notel Lincoln by the Lincoln Trio will Include selections from “La Travlata,” “Marche Milltafre" (Schubert), “Under the Elms” (Herbert), "Cop-

/ amusements. DROADWA V JLJS CONTINUOUS * FAMILY I FEATURE VAUDEVILLE PHOTOPLAYS Special Matinees Every Day Except Saturday & Sunday Bl 1O c ? 20 c £ ville ■■ ” ■* Plays &% Get the Habit —Become a Regular a THERE’S A REASON, a Night Prices Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 20c and 30c 20c, 25c and 35c

pellla Ballet Music” (Dellbea), and “Evening Mood” fCxersvonky). Special features will be p group of numbers by a male quartet composed of Harry Callaud, George Smith, Edward LaShelle and Elmer Andrew Steffen. Miss Ruth Sterling, soprano, has been added as soloist with the trio and will sing 94 group of songs. Egbert M. Wood, pianist, and Ruth McClure, violinist, will be presented in faculty recitals Sept. 23 and 27, by the College of Music and Fine Arts. The flrtit one will be given at the north branch, 3101 Boulevard place, In the afternoon, and the latter will be given at the south branch, 121S Prospect street, In the evening. Miss Frances Bclk and Miss Faye Heller ,of the dramatic art department of the Metropolitan School of Music will arrive in Indianapolis Monday and will resume their work in the school, after a three months’ trip abroad.