The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-12
GRAND STOCK COMPANY.
GiIIette's ''TOO Much Johnson" to De
the Bill This Week.


the Bill This Week.
The nineteenth week Of the Grand stock
company's season will be inaugurated to-
morrow night and most attractive comedy
bin has been prepared for the occasion. TOO
Much Johnson was written several years
ago by william Gillette, and for season or
so he appeared in the principal part with
remarkable success. The comedy is in many
respects the most substantial of ali the
laughmakers Gillette has turned out. 1t has
been seen in this city at only one engage
ment, when George Backus, Maud Haslam
and a company of Frohman players put it
on with much success. With Mr. Hansel as
Billings, Miss Daily as his wife, Mr.. Kirk
land as Johnson and Mr. Sheldon as the
crazy Frenchman vino is pursuing Billings
throughout the three acts. the chief charac-
ters VIII be well looked after. The story
of the play turns around the biggest liar
that was ever made the central figure of a
comedy. His name is Augustus Billings,
and in order to get away from his wife for
a few days congenial sport in New York
Billings tells her that he is called to Cuba
to look after some business demanding his
attention on his plantation there. This
plantation Is myth, and consequently,
when Mrs. Billings decides Unexpectedly to
make the trip, Billings is nonplussad He
makes the best of the matter, however, and
they start for Cuba, Billings relying upon
the hospitality of a friend there, who really
does own q plantation, to help him out.
The first act shows the steamer as It IS leav-
ing for Cuba, and there is an exceedingly
funny scene between Billings and the
Frenchman who is hunting the man who
had been flirting with his wife This in
dividual Is Billings, but by shaving off his
mustache he escapes the Frenchmans
wrath the photograph in the latter'S pos
session showing an entirely different looking
man. The remaining two acts take place on
the plantation in Cuba, where, to BilingS's
horror. he finds his friend had sold out and
gone away. 1t takes all the nerve and in
ventive genius for lying that Billings pos
6eSseS to Keep matters straight ana to get
his wife and mother-in-law through a few
days on the plantation without exposing his
scheme. The complications that ensue are
largely added 10 by the arrival of a young
woman who is to wed the present proprietor
lent-tempered individual, thinks it is Bill
lings's wife he is TO marry. Billings having
been compelled to resort to this deception.
The situations are irreSistibly funny.
Finally, by getting Johnson filled with whis-
ky and turning all his horses loose, Billings
manages 10 make his escape, still keeping
his wife and her mother in ignorance of his
duplcity. The curtain falls as the Billings
family leaves for the steamer on the re-
turn trip. Mr.. Patton and Miss Berg will
be seen as pair of young lovers, Mr. Con-
ger as the cockney servant Of Johnson, Mr..
Bradford and Miss Bridges in good parts.
The staging of Too Much Johnson Will be
looked after with the usual perfection of de-
tail. Photographs of Mr. Hansel will be
presented 10 all the ladies in attendance to-
morrow night. There will be Wednesday and
Saturday rDatinepS as uSual