The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-22
AMUSE MENTS.
EneIish'.-.A Female Drummer


A smile. a laugh and an entertainment is
only another name for the three acts of
"A Female Drummer" which opened at
Englishs last night. Anything prepared by
Charles =. Blaney is bound to have more
or less noise. but beyond a few blank cart
ridges a din of bed Stats off the stage and a
few chorus screams in the make-believe
bargain-counter rush "A Female Drummer
was fairly endurable to people with weak
nerves. While it is self-styled a farce
comedy. a better name would be vaude-
Vile farce. 1t is another of those mix
lures of comedy, vaudeville and musical
arrangements that are acceptable for the
sake of the clever people in the cast and
the amusing bits of stage business employed
to enliven characters that might otherwise
fall dead. tombstone Bennett as Miss Hasa
Bargain is not exactly the whole thing,
yet without her "A Female Drummer
would be slow procession in places Her
unique methods in the first act, where Hasa
Bargain enters with her sample case, sup
piled with corsets. hosiery and old rye. and
bully-rags the two partners in the firm of
Smooth, Silk & Co.. suggest straight farce.
1t is here she introduces her famous model
act-a drummer's trunk containing a living
picture girl, dressed to show a new line of
stockings. The lights are turned off, the
trunk is opened and the beautiful model,
unDlushing and almost as nature made her,
L.
attempts to make the act vulgar. unneces-
sarily. and later on arrays himself in cor
set without regard for art or good taste. In
the second act Miss Bennett makes her en-
trance in a baby cab, while Eugene Can
field runs a real elevator and other men,
bers of the company continue noisy and
funny. The last act is one of those pretty
roof-garden scenes by moonlight and in this
the real entertainment of the evening takes
place. All the employees of Smooth, Silk &
Co have assembled for night picnic. The
members of the firm are there, and are fol-
lowed by Smooth's wife and Silks daugh-
ter. Miss ttasa Bargain, in her sporty way
has nearly broken up the family of Mr..
Smooth. Here tombstone Bennett gives an
indianapolis audience the real first oppor-
tunity to discover her versatility. Not only
does she play the drummer charmingly. but
she gives her repertoire of representations
and these must be seen to be enjoyed. Miss
Bennett as Gwendolin Dugan, daughter of
the scrubwoman. is new type of tough
girl, and Maudie Pearl, the stranded
trooper" whose show had broken up be-
his heas when the leading lady's pet dog
joined the troup is still another new study
OF an old subject. AS Maudie Pearl, Miss
sketch and dances hornpipe in tight skirts.
One could attend late dinner and reach
the theater IN time for the last act and still
be repaid for going. The Imperial colored
singers give a new quartet turn Willis
Sweatnam, In black face. comes on for one
an 81 MS inimitable monologues. little Nellie
y Neil, who is getting up in the class where
she belongs, does her dances handsprings
and rowdy-boy shiver Oscar Figman sings
Joe Coyn'S "Fifth-avenue' dude song and
the entire company, attractiveIv cosfllmed
helps in the choruses until the "A Female
Drummer turns out to be real joy and
thing 10 STIR up decadent livers Tt is a long
wait through the first two feeble acts to
get some real fun in the last, but that is
no excuse for some who did not appreciate
Wills SWeatnam to hiss one of the clever
men of vaudeville The greater part of rhe
audience liked Sweatnam and gave him the
heartiest applause of any. There will be a
0ln
night
A new farce by H. A. Du Souchet. enti-
tied "A Misfit Marriage" will be at En-
glsh's the first two nights next week. The
piece has been described as another sue
cessful effort alorg the line of entertain
ment provided in Du Souchet's .My Friend
from India" and 1.-THE Man from Mexico. :,
The last half of the week Englishs will
have that New York success 1.-THE Moth
and the Flame, in which Herbert Kelley
and Effie Shannon are starring. supported
by a company of Lyceum Theater actors
who have made the drama a success in New
York, Chicago and other cities where it has
been played.
Katharine Field Of the Grand Stock Com
pany. and Angela Dolores. of the Neil
Stock Company, playing at the Pike Opera
House. Cincinnati will exchange places for
next week. Miss Field will appear at the
Pike IN her original character of Nell, in
Inc LOST PARADISE, While Miss Dolores.
having made a hit as Mrs Ives in The
Wife,1 Will assume that role at the Grand
here. For several days past the two ladies
nave Journeyed daily from one city to the
other for rehearSals. returning for the even
ing performances Thus IL can be seen they
put Ia very hard weeks work While
both were thoroughly up in their parts it
was necessary. OF course. that they should
be present TO work in with the others. and
each had, therefore. to take an early morn
ing train, returning on the last afternoon
zrain IN order not to miss the night per
formance OF the current bill Miss Dolores
is very dark and handsome dresses beaufi-
fully, and Is said TO be an ideal Mrs Ives.
whose chief object in The Wife is to per
petuate some big social charity The last
two performances of .'All the Comforts of
Home al the Grand will be given this aft
ernoon and Tonight.
The Park was damned twice yesterday 10
see Lincoln ]. Carriers Remember the
Maine It's last two performances will be
given this afternoon and tonight. Next
Monday another Of Carriers popular PLAYS
The Heart OF Chicago" is coming 10 The
Park Tor three days. 10 be followed by
itoyt's a Contented Woman" one OF the
big events Of the Parks season.
Billy Van manages TO introduce some
new trick at every performance OF "A