The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-17
Observation-Disclosures

Hanlon's great ..Superba'' is greater than
ever this year and will be greater still.
judging by its first performance at Eng
lish's last night. The play has been under
rehearsal some time in the East and a week
has been put in here. The first performance
was remarkably successful and went of
with no perceptible friction. There are many
new features introduced this season, more
than can be mentioned here. One of the
innovations is a ballet that tends to give
the production a higher tone than 1t has
pretended to claim heretofore. Charles
Guyer is first. class as the laughabie P.errot
and. in addition to all his other work. intro
duces a speciality called The Playful
Schoolboy'' that is intensely ludicrous and
hence very funny. Margaret May,
the new singing soubrette. sings a
new song, a metropolitan favorite. and does
some dainty dancing. which. considering her
woman at no distant day. There is much
that is new in "Superba" this season. and
the earlier~ portions of the great pento-
scene is a continuous wonderment in the
novel properties" introduced. and IL evokes
shouts of laughter all through. There Is
the COW. which Pierrot miIks in a
creates CONSERVATION whenever he pa
rades the barnyard; BOOSTERS
whose neckS are never enOlO&. n pIdlIul
parrot of monstrous size and the funniest
fake" pig ever introduced. All in all. this
one scene would make .Superba" a sue
cess cess; !, even fT,, were v; n,v there pSothins else a1d , The
scene is but one of many that keepithe au-
dience laughing and wondering at the same
time. The Gavotte of the Giants, in the
second act. is about the best thing of its
kind ever seen either in a circus on on a
stage, and enough to get the children as
well as older people shouting
Grand-"The Fatal Card
That widely heralded English play by
Haddon Chambers, 'The Fatal Card" was
witnessed by a large audience at the Grand
last night. and will continue the rest of the
week in this city. 1t is decidedly melodra-
matte. There are screaming climaxes in ev-
cry act. Nearly all the many different char
acters have been drawn with a view TO CIV
ing the actors an opportunity TO get UP on
their toes. as 1t were. and do extravagantly
passionate work that is once more coming
into vogue in the larger cities. and which Is
considered fine acting" The Fatal Card
was evidently written not with a view to
capturing the critics. but rather with the
intent to make the audience feel that IL Is
getting the full worth of it's money. What
is styled situations are thrown in at every
opportunity and no one has to tell the act
ors that they are expected TO spread them
selves. Thrilling scenes follow each other In
rapid succession. The play was a great
money-maker for its New York producers
and will. more than likely, prove a rich
thing for Gus Frohman on the road. AS a
fair week attraction II Is just the sort OF
drama that will probably prove an excellent
card at the Grand. The story of The play
was printed in yesterdays Journal.
More praise can be offered for the special
scenery and the general faithful tone OF
the production than for the individual work
Of the actors. Many of the people are COM
paratively new to indianapolis audiences
The most distinguished member OF the COM
pany Is Charles StedInan. who take the part
of the leader OF the bond thieves he IS
very interesting as the father OF a beautiful
Sunday school superintendent. but In his
business he Is willing to commit murder
or any other little piece OF villainy. Sted-
man is an old-time stock actor. having
played with many of the great stars from
the time of Forrest 10 the present day.
long way from being the ideal lover and
hero, but did rise to some passionate work
in the last act that greatly worked up the
audience. Kathryn Osterman. as the CON-
iding daughter. is fair 10 good looking and
well ~sustains a very strong and pleasing
comedy bits in the hands OF Richard BEN
nett. as Harry Burgess. and Anna Vislaire
as Cecile Austen. These two make a roar
ing effect out of one OF the most l~aughable
and novel scenes yet introduced in the mod
err drama. 1t is no less than a sweetheart
clothes have been carried of, and he pro-
poses to the girl with his head thrust
through the PUSHES There Is a scene I'm
the last act where an internal machine