The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-03
0ENTTOT DR.. A. E. BUCHANAN
OAAt LINZ 1888 When Building
ADJUSTMENTS.
English's-"The Man from Mexico

Engldsh's-"The Man from Mexico"
After inhaling some of the putrid French
farce odors that have drifted to this city
''The Man from Mexico" comes as a breath
of fresh air in springtime In construction
and character treatment this new play over
tops Du Souchets effort in my Friend
from India" and but for the use of the
whilom telegraph operators name on the
programme as adapter one would never
guess he had hand in its bringing forth
1t gives Willie Collier the best role he has
ever appeared in here and that is saying a
great deal and something for which to be
grateful. The two Frenchmen, Goudinet
and Bison, contributed the network for
the very laughable play and Golfers ideas
are clearly drawn on to make it go. But
the authorship of a play amounts to little
so long as IL is a capital entertainment.
THE Man from Mexico may be unhesitat-
ingiy recommended. The fun produced is
not of the hilarious variety, but it is almost
unceasing ana the characters are all so
finely portrayed that during the quietest
moments there is chuckling interest in the
happenings. The first act is almost straight
comedy and gives little hint of the good
time coming Benjamin Fitzhugh that's
Collier, after a night with 1.-The boys" is
discovered in his own house watched by
deputy warden who is to take him to the
city pTlSOn III TWO nOuIS TO serve thirty DAYS
for getting into brawl with ''cabby''
the night before. 1t is the day of the be-
trothal supper of his wife's sister. Fitz-
hugh, in a vain effort to escape sentence,
breaks off his sister-in-law's engagement
and turns her over to the nephew of the
district attorney who is expected to use his
influence in behalf of Bitzhugh. AS an ex-
called on business to Mexico. He expects
and return but the district attor-
ney's nephew fails to prevent the
court courts sentence being executed and Fitz-
next act his wife, with the Flower Mission
women, appear at the prison to decorate
the inmates with flowers and fiirt with the
warden. The situations become delightfully."-
farcical. Several of Fitzhughs friends dis
cover his whereabouts and further compli-
when Fitzhugh, who is doing time" under
an assumed name, learns that another Mr..
FitShugh is also in prison, and that he was
arrested alone in titzhughs house with
Mrs. Fitzhugh present. This is a German
poet, who had been ruoely insulted the
night Fftzhugh got into trouble, and who
was arrested by mistake on his own war
rant when he called at the Fitzhugh resi-
dence to talk the matter over. That second
act alone is enough TO make a success of
the farce. The third act is Fitzhugh home
again. He finds his house decorated in
can dance in honor OF his return. His at
tempt to tell beautiful and connected
story about his trip to Mexico leads him
through maze of lies that rival the eXpe-
rience of the well-remembered TOO Much
Johnson" Things are Strengthened out in
the end, with Mr.. Fitzhugh's particular
friend, who had planned the great decep-
ton, getting into much trouble almost
as Mr.. Fttzhugh himself Willie Collier is
the bright particular star OF the farce, and
his cieverness makes the character of Fitz-
hugh not only possible. but probable. In
the first act Collier appears as a cross be-
tween Nat Goodwin in "A Gilded Fool" and
Stuart Robson's BERTHE the lamb of Hen
rietta" fame. The character is handled
with mastery skill. While ne is probably
the quietest and most unconcerned in the
entire group of farceurs, the audience re-
CARDS the others as little more than lay fig
ures. That overwhelming actress Louise
Allen, has almost straight leading wom-
an role as Mrs. FltZhugh until the last act
when her beautiful Mexican dance gives the
audience something to go away and dream
about. In beauty she seems To be full
blooded Carmencita. There is an excellent
part for Maclyn Arbuckes as Fitzhugh's
friend and he plays ii well. The company
throughout is Well selected and assists in
giving a finished performance. There was a
good-szed audience and Golfers perform
ance was appreciated To the extent of two
Individual curtain calls after the second
act 1.-The Man from Mexico" will remain
at English's the rest of the week with a
Saturday matinee.