The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-26
THE CHRISTMAS PLAYS.
"The HOOsier DoctOr'' and ''The SPORT
ing Duchess Pleased Large Crowds.

Christmas was a prosperous day for the
theaters yesterday. Digby Bell amused
large audiences at the Grand in Augustus
Thomass new play, 1.-THE Hoosier Doctor"
both afternoon and night The Play is
an unpretentious story, with no attempt at
picturesque scenery or costumes. For that
matter, nothing picturesque would be IN
keeping with the simple Hoosler story
which the author has told with the same
simplicity that marked his I'm Mizzoura."
The play comes far from being the finished
drama that I'm MiZzoura" was, but there
are several clever character studies and
ali are we'll handled by Digby Bells COM
pany. Mr.. Bell does the best work of his
career on the stage in this play, and gives
promise of developing into an acceptable
comedy star The play in it's present stage
is far from being a well-rounded produc-
ton. The first two acts are strong and
very entertaining but the author has fallen
down in the last act. He has patched
it up with a number of incidents, including
the bungling White Gaping episode, which
lacks the breath of Hoosier realism depict
ed so we'll in the earlier portions of his
work. Laura Joyce Bell is by all odds
the cleverest member of the company. Her
portrayal of the sharp-tongued Hoosier
woman, hard working, nervous and aggra-
waiting, is thoroughly consistent and so real
as to win the contempt of the audience for
the character. Mrs. Bell is really the star
of 1.-THE Hoosier Doctor" The members
of the supporting cast are Well drilled in
their parts, and the entire play was so
beautifully acted as to leave an impression
on the audience as strong as IL the people
had really paid brief visit to some scrub
by rural community in the State, where all
that is narrow, intolerant and lackadaisl-
cal thrives like 'pussley'' in an onion bed.
Large Christmas crowds were also at
tracted to English's to see the THE Sport
ing Duchess" the widely advertised melo-
drama which ran year in London and
one season in New York. For melodrama
1.-THE Sporting Duchess is about ex-
pensively staged as possible, and it's great
success is doubtless due more to this lavish
ness and the excellent actors in the cast
than to any real appealing interest in the
events of the play. In less competent hands
the play would soon become the worst sort
of gallery bathoS That fine old actor, j..
H. Stoddard, in the character of the old
trainer had every opportunity to get up on
his toes and rant in true melodramatic
fashion, but he chose the more artistic and
quieter method of suppression, and was
vastly more Impressive by doing so. The
same dignified, life-.ilke tone marked the
striking background tor the explosive
Duchess herself. Ffolliot Paget, beautiful,
billowy and buxom, played the well-knoWn
character of the famous racing woman in
manner to capture the house. She made a
distinct hit above all the rest. Eleanor
Morretti was capitaving as the adventures,
and Cora Tanner was perfect as the Coun-
tess of Desborough. The quantity of fine
scenery was stunning, and the cotllion in
the palace was especially admired. The
Derby race with over a score of people
shouting and acting for the world as If
their lives depended on the race, just as
they do at any great race track on Derby
day, took the audience by storm There is
enough in THE Sporting Duchess in the
shape of fine acting, scenery, exciting
events and noisy clamor to give people the
worth of their money, but when analysed
the play is no great work