The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-18
PLAY BILLS THIS WEEK
ssWHY SMITH LEFT HOME. TO COME
TO ENGLIsH's MONDAY.
Joseph Arthur's son the wabash at
the Park and "Broadwny Bur-
lesquers" at the Empire.

-
One week OF farcical entertainment win
begin at English's Monday night. The first
two nights will be devoted to why Smith
Left Home" a companion piece to What
Happened to JONES' both creations being
written by George II. Broadhurst; and the
last three nights win be turned over to
Ward and Vokes, the most unique pair of
stage tramps on the road, in their musical
shit Of songs, dances and variety features
called THE Governors
BroadhUrst set high mark with his
Jones" farce last season, and the an
nouncement of another play on the same
order for this season by the same clever
author has attracted no little attention
among theater-goers. why Smith Left
Home was produced a month ago in Chi
cago, where it was accepted at once by the
weIiswishing Chicago friends of the author
as equal to his last years success, some of
them declaring 1t to be even better. Two
such plays in as many seasons has led to
the assertion that Broadhurst is the first
writer of farces who promises to become a
rival of Charles H. Hoyt. They certainly
have the quality of originality in common;
II anything, Broadhurst, having the talent
developed to a higher degree than Hoyt,
who is a notorious adapter of other peoples
ideas. why Smith Left Home" is said to
concern a certain family Of Smiths. Wild
over Smith has married a charming young
woman less than half his age, and during
the honeymoon, being spent at the Smith
residence. the newly-married couple is beset
with numerous friends unconsciously bent
on destroying their happiness. The events
OF the play take place in one day, and three
acts with three different changes of scenery.
It is described as more of scenic produc-
ton than What Happened to Jones'" The
slender thread of plot is spoken of as only
strong enough to support the situations, the
author depending more on the artistic char
acter creations to absorb the interest of the
audience. The part of Smith is played by
Maclyn Arbuckle, and that of the much
worried young wife, Mrs. Smith, by Marion
Giroux, whose performance enticed Chicago
writer's into building many dattering para
graphs about her. Mrs. Annie Yeamans has
a picturesque part, in which she is admitted
to have made a remarkable hit, and Dorothy
Usner takes the eccentric sIavy role. Other
characteristic Broadhurst roles are provided
for Sadie Kirby, Blanche Chapman, Jessie
Connant, Rose Snyder, Frank L. Hatch,
Fred w. Peters, M. B. Snyder, Maurice
Darcy and Harry Ross.
Ward and vokes as the chief features in a
melange OF comicalities, songs, Dances aero
battles and promiscuous fun called 1.-THE
Governors will begin their second engage
ment in this city at English's Thursday
night and continuing the rest of the week
with Saturday matinee. Their previous
farcical pot pourri entitled "a Run on the
Bank was given here two years ago, that
being the only engagement this pair of orig
inal comedians ever played in indianapolis.
Their work is all practically new here and
the special merits of the individual MEM
bers of the company will be something for
theater-goers to cultivate. Ward and Vokes
are closely connected with the now cele-
brated DAILY family, in which Dan DAILY oc-
cupies the leading position. Ward and
Vokes married Lucy and Margaret DAILY.
sisters of Daniel, of ''The Belle of New
York. fame, and in that respect resemble
the famous combination of Evans and Hoey
who married the French sisters. Ward and
Vokes developed speciality into play and
became famous They are now the only
prominent team on the stage who have
made q fortune out of a clever impersona-
ton OF the genus hobo. They introduced
the stage tramp into drawing-roomt scenes
and whatever vehicle may be selected for
their company, Ward and Vokes always APP
pear IN their original tramp characters of
Percy and Harold" in which they made
their first hit with Tony Pastors forces. In
this case Percy and Harold impose on the
Female Emancipation party of South Da-
kota, as the Governors Of Oregon and
Idaho, who are expected to stump the state
for the woman suffragists. That is the sit
uation utilized by the authors of THE Gov
ernors" for making a farce that furnishes
nearly three hours of amusement. They
are assisted by large company of players,
many of whom are known for their ability
in certain lines as distinctly original as
Ward and Volxes are in theirs. Louise Mont
rose is talented woman belonging to the
singing soubrette class and has a number
of songs, including her Just One Girl"
with a chorus of soubretteS behind her
which will be heard here. One member of
the company who can be relied on to make
hit is Johnny Page, an acrobatic genius in
the comedian business, whose principal
song. "Mayme Green generally has half
dozen encores. John Keef, one of the best
recognized types of "Rube'' actors and
Margaret DAILY Vokes as the female "Rube"
are in the cast as we'll as the two Otis, Jay
and Eide, in representations of Dakota char
acters. The Boston Quartet takes part in
the performance as we'll as a chorus of
prettily costumed girls, the company num-
bering thirty-two people. Special scenery
is carried for the three acts of the play.