The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-05
AMUSEME NTS.
sThe Old Musicinn"-"The Hest Ma,

@Thc Old Musicin n''-ssThe Best Man."
One of the strongest points i'm Felix Nor
ris's success as an actor Is the result Of
his work in the dressing room. Mr.. Morris
Is master of the art of sfmaking up, and
when he leaves the mirror in his dressing
room to make his entrance on the stage he
does IL with the knowledge that no matter
how far he may miss the Interpretation of
the lines he will look the part. 1t Is
due TO this fact as much to anything
he may do while before an audience that
the people always clever representa-
ton Of whatever character he may assume.
This has no better exemplifcation than in
the two roles taken by him last night at
the Grand i'll 1.-The Old Musician and
1.-THE Best Man" AS dear poetic old
Jacques with his treasured opera Rugged
to his shallow breast and later as the COM
tcal Price Puttlow, who knows all about
running railroads, but is a laundering
''ninny' when it comes to dealing with
women, Felix Morris gave two presentations
with as little in common as any two dis
tinct men one could pick out. THE Old Mu-
stefan" is a man of refined soul, learned,
poetical, a paragon of nobility of nature,
used to heartaches and cursed with pow
erty. Price Puttlow Is railroad ma Snate,
to whom the manuscript of an opera has
as little value as a bunch of paper IN his
waste basket. His thoughts are Of loiling
stock tonnage, section improvements ard
figures showing the percentages of increase
or decrease In net receipts His trans,
every day, might thunder past the garnet
where the Old Musician was at work on
his great opera that IS 60 be-, de would
know no more of the poor old starving
Jacques up there in the cobwebby attic
than would Jacques know of him, the Well-'
fed, busy manager OF railroads. HIS trains
would not even stop to let Jacques's funeral
procession cross the tracks. There would
be no probability of two such characters
ever meeting to know each other in this
world. and a question If they. would in the
next, yet Felix Morris, with his knowledge
both ii'1 to at the public during the course Of
three hours entertainment. lie dons the
worn garments OF the musical genius, goes
before the public and tells the pitiful story
of the old composers life. and the audi
ence weeps. Within = few brief minutes he
a series of iudierous happenings that ex-
pose the railroad man to the ridicule and
laughter OF the same audience The old
musician has gone Il dream. There are
Felix Morris play The Old Musician" 1t
hearted digger getting up and Offering to pass
the hat for a collection to relieve Monsieur
Jacques's necessities The same person
offer to suggest that Price Puttlcw In THE
Best Man were the same man, except In
q different dress
HOW MORRIS BECAME AN ACTOR.
AT this time it is not out of place to quote
an article showing how Felix Morris be-
came an actor. IL Is as follows Felix Nor
ris Is generally regarded and referred to as
an English actor but the truth Is that,
though of English birth and educated in
France aud Scotland, he has made America
his home and claims to be an American
citizen. Mr.. Morris is of Scotch and En-
gllsh parentage, and at the age Of sixteen
entered Guys Hospital, London, as an
American student, where he remained for
two years, and during that time appeared
in a series of amateur theatrical perform
ances. together with a number of his fell
low-students: Meeting with so much com
mendation In the language of the actor
himself IL quite turned his head and he
Immediately conceived the idea that an ac-
tor he must become, and again, as he him.
self says:
III went to my father, a very religious
man. and told him that had mission.
Pray. what is your mission he in
quired
''To become an actor answered,
Every well, them he said;. II that Is
the case. leave the country SO that you will
not disgrace your family and myself
void , 70 to America, and so with what
sail for this country and landed in New
not a friend in the land. secured
position as super i'm an Albany theater,
s. sne "a week. and there remained for three
years, rising by degrees until had small
speaking parts: Then | went to Montreal,
where met with gratifying success, finally
managing a theater there for some time.
Later in New York, l appeared in Il num-
Der of special productions with, unusually
strong casts l was first comedian in the
stock company at the California Theater,
San Francisco, and for time appeared in
comic opera About eight years ago Vent
TO England for my health. and while there
was asked TO appear at matinee perform
ance at Tooles Theater. The play was on
Change l acted the role of Scotch pro-
fessor. My work, / am free to say. vas
accorded so much praise that played 363
consecutive times i'm London and starred
through Scotland and Ireland with great
After that returned to this country and
was warmly received everywhere. While
think our American people fully appre,
stage productions as amusement than for
an instruction. and | believe the English
life Is full OF interest. and If one can but
attain the position he seeks he is fully re-
warded
signor vitaIe's Concert.
There was very good audience, last
evening at Merdan-street Church. to lis
ten TO the concert, of which Signor WHALE.
of Brooklyn. was the leading performer.
Signor WHALE is violinst, a pupil of the
great Ole Bull. In many respects he is a
wonderful player. Without accompaniment
of any kind he gave "a rendition OF .Capric-
cosos Characteristic" by Gluck, so that 1t
sounded as if he were playing not only one.
but several instruments. He gave effects
which cannot be expressed. One csn scarce
ly connect score or manuscript with what
he does. He stands and plays without eff
fort the most difficult and unique move
ments. The programme and encore numbers
were the one mentioned, "Traumere.,"
Last Rose of summer uhe last variation
one string. annie Laurie, The Mock
Ing Bird Introducing limitations OF various
birdsl.s and robin Adair." His audience