The Indianapolis journal., 1895-11-03
THIS WEEKS DRAMA
COMEDIAN CRANE OPENS AT THE
GRAND IN HIS NEW PLAY.
Hoey's "The Globe Trotter''-wiIbur's
Living Pictures at the Park
Vaudeville at Empire.

One of the novelties OF the season. 'His
wife's Father will be presented at the
Grand Opera House. Monday, by the COM
edian, William II. Crane. who has not been
in this city in two years. 1t will be given
with it's original cast and scenery. and will
be repeated Tuesday and at the Wednesday
matinee. The engagement will be brought
10 close on Wednesday night, when 'The
Senator will be revived.
His wife's Father is the work of Miss
Martha Morton. and is in four acts. The
overweening affection Of father for his
only daughter is the theme OF the play,
which is described as comedy. 1t is said
to be bright, and gives prominence TO a de-
lusion under which parents often labor-a
fixed idea that their children must always
belong TO them and can have no future Of
which they do not form a part. Buchanan
Billings, the indulgent father, is self
made" Nell. his daughter. is the pivot
around which all his interests revolve.
Even when she becomes a woman and mar
ries he still looks upon her as a child, and
considers himself bound to arrange for her
the smallest detail of her domestic life.
This is much TO the chagrin Of the young
husband, who finds himself pushed into the
background by his father-in-laws good-na-
tured but ill-advised interferences. Nell
finds herself at the beginning of her mar
ried life obliged to conciliate her husband,
who daily grows more restive, and at the
same time TO reconcile her father to the
| strange man who is taking up much of
his little girls time and attention" The
/ young husband, in his turn, asserts his
| right to care for his wife in his own way,
and Nell finds herself confronted with a
| crisis which threatens to ruin her domestic
| happiness. Fortunately, old Billings
| awakes in time TO the fact that "a daugh-
| ter must leave father and mother and fol-
| low her husband" and. shrewdly setting
| himself right with his son-in-law, gets mar
| ried himself. and goes with good grace into
the background Of the young peoples lives.
Mr.. Crane will be seen as Billings and
| the character is said to fit him to the
ground Miss Anne ONenl will be his
daughter Nell, and Edwin Arden will be
the young husband. Among the others in
the cast will be Eleanor Barry, Dallas Ty-
Ter, Blanche Burton, Maud Carlisle, Mrs.
Kate Denim Wilson, Joseph Wheelock, jr.,
Percy Brooke. George f. DeVere. William
Boag L. d. Tyler and G.. V. DeVere.
In the revival of ''The senator on
Wednesday night Mr.. Crane will be seen in
his old character of the Hon. Hannibal Riv-
ers, the buStling, breezy Westerner, who
succeeded in getting the government to al
low the Denman claim. The actors present
company is admirably fitted to give
tistic presentation of the play. Miss Marion
Abbott will be the susceptible young widow,
Mrs. Hilary; Hiss Anne O'Neill will be Ma
bel Denman, Gr Edwin Arden will be the
Count Won Strahl, Mr.. Joseph Wheelock.
jr.. will be Lieutenant Schuyler. Mr.. Percy
Brooke will be Silas Denman and Mr.. Will
liam Boag will be the Baron Ling Ching.
The advance sale is large and indicates
| that Mr.. Crane will be accorded a warm
welcome after his long absence.
Miss Lemon in Opera.
Later reports from Burgess & Thorne's
new comic opera, Leonardo" brought out
| by Manager Duff in New York last week,
| indicate that the unfavorable impressions
Of some of the critics were due to the mar
tistic character of the composition itself
rather than to any lack on the part of the
singers. In fact, the revised verdict seems
to be that the talent of the performers is
the making of the play. The special inter-
est Of this to Indianapolis readers lies in the
circumstance that Miss Marguerite Lemon.
Of this city, made her debut in this opera
and is distinct success. ~ new produc-
tion, especially Of musical sort, and given
by new and unknown performers. is not
likely to be received with instant applause
in any quarter. and New York critics are
particularly wary. The first notices of 'Le-
onardo' in the papers of the next morning,
though containing nothing uncomplimentary
TO Miss Lemon a vocalist were not en-
thusiastic. A critic in the Evening Sun
throws light on this by the statement that
indiscriminate encores so delayed the per-
formance that writer's for the morning press
were unable 10 witness the final act-"an
act by far the best of the three. and in
which which Miss Lemon, the new soprano. dis
tinguished herself particularly" The Even
ing Sun adds Miss Lemon is a distinct
md She has pure. strong voice OF beau
tiful quality, and her method is admirable
AS an actress Miss Lemon still ranks as a
novice. but she is naive and pleasing in her
work, and gained Immediately the good viii
Another paper says: "If Leonardo had
not been in the hands of competent com
pany, 1t would have tried the patience of
the unprejudiced part of the audience
sorely- Marguerite Lemon, young and
handsome stranger, had a rich. strong
voice, and her manifest newness as an
actress rather charming"
Vance Thompson, of the Commercial Ad-
vertiser, says: Another newcomer was
Miss Marguerite Lemon. About her. too.
fingered the ecclesiastical odor of the
church choir. She Sis small and dainty,
with nocturnal eyes and wonderfully
piquant face Her voice is bright, flexible,
clear. Her singing is we'll hammered. Mr.
Dun Is to be congratulated on her dis
covery."
The Mail and Express says: ''Beatrices
Star Song in the last act is a very pretty
air, ceverly treated. and Miss Marguerite
Lemon. who sang it. made II as effective as
possible"
Correspondents for out-of-town papers
offer stronger testimony than this to the
merits OF the new singer, and, altogether,
for a debutante with absolutely no in
fiuential hackers. this young Indianapolis
woman's reception in the operatic field was
such to be gratifying to herself and
friends y private letter from a personal
friend of Miss Lemon has this to say of her
appearance and reception
Miss Saunders, the contralto, was for
six years the concert contralto in London,
and she has to-day by long odds the best
contralto voice in American opera. L never
before listened to such a liquid SYM
pathetic, even tone as Miss Saunders brings
forth. and her part i'm the opera is such an
appealing one, as they say in the pro-
suppose Daisy would stand any show at
ALL and was more than surprised to see
her take the lead and win favorable COM
ment where the music and the book were
scored right and left. Duff and Thorne
were pretty sore over the cutting up the
critics gave their opera, but as the houses
are full right along. while such attractions
as Della Fox played TO paper, nobody has
reason to complain.
..Her contract calls for only four per-
forrances a week. She has sung every one
but two, and has begged Duff time and
again to let her understudy take her place.
but he in turn has pleaded with her not to
let anyone sing in her place these three
or four weeks. which shows what a firm
belief he has in her voice, even though she
is i'll. The first night / was back of the
scenes with her. and Dr. Holbrook Curtis.
who was a total stranger to her. but who is
famous for taking care of all the Metro
uolitan siuger-Melba. ESmeS. etc-seut