The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-15
PLHY BILLS THIS WEEK
MAY IRWIN, THE Coincidence, AT
ENGLISH's FOR TWO NIGHTS.
James A. Herne In ashore Acres" ut
the Grand Thursday-HOIden Conn
edy Company at the Park.


The profuslon of handsome Autographs
about town announcing the coming of May
Irwin to English's Monday and Tuesday
nights indicate that this celebrated Ameri-
can Coincidence is the same youthful, lux
aT1ant and buoyant actress that she was
nearly ten years ago, when her graceful
and ebullient personality won theater-goers
in this city. Since then Indianapolis has
been deprived of the successful farce-con.-
edy actress while she rose to fame in the
metropolitan cities. May Irwin is endowed
with a larger amount of that indefinable,
but easily recognized gift called personality
than any comedienne on the American
stage. 1T has been said that she could make
hit in a dramatization of "MaryS
Lamb" Plays written for May Irwin do not
require plot. They are sure to afford en-
entertainment If they provide for her pres
ence on the stage during the greater part
Of the production. While her companies are
generally made up of capable comedians.
with both men and women able to introduce
clever individual work. few of them ever
succeeded in getting extended newspaper
notices, because Miss Irwin involuntarily
absorts the general attention of the audi
ence 1t is what she does and what she
sings that is being watched and listened to
while the rest of the actors constitute only
the background for her dominating pres
ence. This is well illustrated in the cinema
tograph representations of the Nav Irwin
kiss that was shown last season wherever
alhe moving pictures were seen. That wild
oW Jones' OSCILLATION was the talk of all
VINO saw the comedy she was then playing.
because IT was one Of the most entertaining
bits III the performance. Following The
WIDOW Jones' Miss Irwin produced 1.-THE
swell Miss Fftzwell," another play ascribed
TaI rnr1l1 rv.ar So
Souchet. This has been her mainstay this
season during. her long New York engage
msnt and will be the play with which she
opens her engagement at English's Monday
night. On Tuesday night she will put on her
new play, Kate Kipp, Buyer" written by
Glen MacDonough author of 1.-THE Prodigal
Father" and other successful farcical pro-
auctions. The play was first produced in
kansas City last week and the dispatches
announce that 1t affords Miss Irwin and her
wealth or curves another opportunity to out
shine every one in her company This is the
play she designs for her next season in New
< ork and II, after thorough trial, her man
ayers consider 1t strong enough, she may
take 1t to London where arrangements
have been made to exhibit Miss Irwins tall
ents. Miss Twins programme of songs are
introduced in both her plays and it includes
OF course. her budget of COON songs, which
she has made famous.
While people have always read great
deal about May Irwin and the matter was
generally interesting, it will be remembered
that little or nothing has crept into print
about her early days. The stories generally
referred to May Irwin as she is to-day Re-
Gently, however, she grew photographed
Tor the benefit of Chicago paper and re-
lated shat in the early seventies a Mrs.
Campbell and her daughters, Georgia. elev-
en-, and Ada, eight years old, left their home
IN Canada and applied to the manager of a
Rochester variety hall for positions for the
little girls to play the piano and sing. The
manager at first agreed, but, after two
weeks of rehearsals, weakened and secured
them an opening in Buffalo. The little tots
were logged out with such stage clothes as
the wardrobe of the fbPat I'd
IN spite of the fact that Georgia tainted on
the stage from excitement, they were a
success. The Rochester manager heard of
their success and, sending contract to the
mother, proceeded to bill the town. He did
not know their names and when they
reached there the windows and dead walls
were decorated with pictures labeled the IT.
win Sisters, Flora and May, and they have
been Flora and May Irwin ever since and
the name stuck so tightly that the mother
as now known as Mrs. Irwin Now this story
OF Miss Irwin is good enough as far as it
goes ana some day she may give out a few
more lennite dates and express her views
On ma trimony,