The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-09
PLAY BILLS THIS WEEK
eTmE nrGHwAYMANs AND TWO 9TH
EMS COMING TO ENGLIsH's.
~rsouwse Cafev All week at the Park
@AuutraIian Beauties" and 'sThe
con-curersv at the Empire.

A first-class operatic production. such IS
De Koven 4 Smiths ''The Highwayman."
which comes to English's Monday night
will be a welcome relief from the list Of
farees. bright as they may be, that have
predominated in Indianapolis since the OPEN
ing Of the present season. Three different
attractions are announced for English's this
week, and while they represent three dis
tinct lines of theatrical amusement, it re-
mains TO be seen whether indianapolis will
stand that many shows a week at first
class theater. Following the two nights of
THE Highwayman'' comes the always well
come Tim Murphy, In his new comedy en-
titled The Carpetbagger" while the last
two nights OF the week will be given over
to James II. Wallicks big scenic melodrama
called Devils Island" a play founded on
the Dreyfus case.
Speaking Of melodramas, the story which
Harry b. Smith has utilized in his libretto
for The Highwayman," if it were not ham
died I'm a comic vein, would furnish ma
terial for an out-and-out melodrama. 1t is
filled with heroes, heroines. bandits. gyp-
sizes, beggars. Villains, detectives and sol
diers. These, with the scenery of the Cat
and Fiddle tavern in the first act, the old
English roadway and forest in the second
coach-and-four, that is held up in truly
eighteenth-century style in England, in the
last act, constitute enough material for a
highly sensational novel, but Harry Smith
has made burlesques of the characters, and
by that simple act gave De Koven inspira-
ton for what is termed some of the most
attractive songs he has yet contributed to
comic opera. Dick Fitzgerald (Joseph
OMara), the real hero of the opera, is
known as Captain Scarlet, the highwayman,
and Lady Constance Sinclair Camille OAR
ville), Dicks sweetheart of former days,
DISCUSSES herself the highwayman in or
der to hold up the stage coach and secure
Dicks pardon from his arch enemy, John
Hawkhurst. who is holding it for obvious
reasons. Toby Wrinkle John Mayon), 'ostler
Of the Cat and Fiddle Tavern, also adopts
the garb of Captain Scarlet and starts out
to rob the coach in order to satisfy the
cravings of his sweetheart, Doll Primrose
Nellie Braggins), who wants to marry a
hero. Young Captain Rodney (Reginald
Roberts, in love with Lady Pamela Maud
Williams). who has betrothed herself to
Lord Kilkenny. masks himself as the dread
ed highwayman in order to stop the coach,
on which she is a passenger, and carry her
of to the nearest parsonage. plan in
bogus heroes take up their stations in a
lonely part of the old York road, and the
most amusing complications of the story
ehgue. Foxy CUTLER Jerome Sykes, an
OF detectives, with his crew of comic satel-
htes, are after the highwayman and the
31,000 reward. They are seen in the first
part Of the opera disguised as beggars, but
in order TO make their presence more plaus-
ible in the lonely wood ,t they assume asn the
mahd of busting, suffering Lieutenant
Lovelace CWilliam Corliss). are also in quest
% W1s 5ne Rodney are nas DeS
in place Of the real robber. This is only
part of the story, which is told in three
century amid scenes Suggestive of the days
OF George III. The painter and the cos
tuner both have rare opportunities in the
staging of the opera.
THE Carpetbagger." in which Tim Muir
ply pays his annual visit to Englishs
Wednesday and Thursday nights, was pro-
duced last Monday night at Toledo and the
newspaper notices of the opening perform
ance are the most fattering that have been
written about Tim Murphy in several years.
n lrphy plays the part of a carpetbag Gov
ernor OF Mississippi, and the four acts are
described as being excellent comedy. The
play is the output of Opie Read and Frank
Pixley, and is said to abound in Southern
types Of the comic sort which Read is bet
before the public. The play is provided with
special scenery and Murphy's company is
spoken Of as we'll suited in the different
roles. Dorothy Sherrod is still his leading
woman.
Walick's production of Devils Island
is the same that has been running at the
Fourteenth-street Theater. New York, since
the first of the season, and it is described
as the most pretentious. scenically, of any
of Wailick's big melodramas. The Dreyfus
ease is drawn on for the characters and
story OF the play, and the production shows
the alleged escape of the now famous pris-
oner of Devils island in a strikingly realis-
tic manner. The cast is strong enough to
carry to success most any play with dra-
matte merit, and includes Emily Rigl,
William Harcourt, Ralph Delmore, Dorothy
Rossmore. Vera de Mole. Warren Conlan,
Christie MacLean, Tony West, Emile La
Croix. Kate Worthngton, Ernest Tarleton
Adelyn Wesley, Carleton Wells, Frank
Surles, Page Pulliam and Bessie Surles.
Devils Island will be at Englishs Friday
and Saturday nights with a Saturday NATL