The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-24
park-.A Ragtime Recention..

once upon a time there came to the Park
Theater. in the city Of Indianapolis. a thrill
ing play called Lost in New York" or
some similar title-history Is not sure on
this point. In this play there was a dark
scene. in which a tramp lay sleeping on a
park bench. A policeman came along and
raped the tramp smartly on the soles of
his shoes. The tramp said. Come H." the
audience roared with laughter. The tramp
then arose and sang a song called 1.-The
Whistling Coon" Even az that day the
song was being published in the advertising
'songster' Of the Observation-Disclosures
Medicine Company. and therefore must have
originally been sung at CIeopatra's after
noon musicales. After the tramp finished
one verse he bent himself into a
right-angled triangle and whistled. When
he had done the chorus he stopped into a
sitting posture and danced off the stage.
That tramp was Gus Pixley. Since the
event described the Park Theater has been
burned TO the ground and rebuilt, and, ap-
parently, the theatrical business has
changed its skin. To the old-timers II was
finding between its leaves an aged, unpaid
bill when they saw at the Park Theater
yesterday afternoon and last night Gus Pix
ley doing the same turn that he did in the
tear-dimmed past. If persistency makes
millionaires, Pixley should have been fabu-
lously rich some time ago but he isn't
ne Is still doing the old tramp turn in ten
twent'-thirt' houses. It is too bad, for Pix
ley Is really a comedian. The press agent
of the "Ragtime Reception" company said
chief comedian with the Casino forces, of
New YORK. The same press agent said
Beatrice Goldie, of his company. was sew
eral years prima donna Of AugLstin Days
"Geisha' company. True. Miss Goldie was
once with the Wilbur Opera COMPANY. and
she has a voice better than the average Of
her ola g of aofFa-aoG U-iHfa-r u n Veil
foisted on the audiences that old, old gag
about his brother floating down the river
on a folding bed while he accompanied him
on the piano. That was once a good joke.
But the Park Theater audiences are of
angellc disposition. An actor could hardly
leave that theater after an engagement
without leaving his heart behind with THOSE
good people that were so kind to him and
did not trouble him 10 think a little and
turn out some bright new stuff.
"A Ragtfme Reception" is a bunch of
variety turns. with some senseless talk in
terspersed- 1t would be just as well to
make the show straight vaudeville, with a.
burlesque on the end, as they do at the
Empire. There are some entertaining turns
In the show. Gladys Van is pretty, and,
mer, has taken on flesh and spirits and is
now perfectly happy. She has lost ali the
cynicism that she had when she appeared
at the Empire last season with Truly Shat
tuck and some other clever people, who
made a much better show than the one with
which Gladys is now travelling. Yesterdays
duuiehcss "sICoIleu her . SINGING Oh 10
Leave My Happy Home for You," and
made her do il over again several times.
Birdie De Vaul does some clever singing
and dancing. She has red hair and a bright
smile. Edith Kingsley makes a lyric out
Of Why Don't You Get a Baby of Your
OWN The stage manager has not done
all he could with the material at hapd
"A Rsgtime Reception might be made a
sparkling show. The chorus numbers are
good and there ought to be lots more of
them. 1T is not nearly as good a show.
as IL stands. as His Better Half" which
played at the Park recently. 1t must be
remembered that ii is not Miss Goldie's
fault that the press agent declares her to
have been a DAILY prima' donna, nor Pix
iey's that he is heralded a great Casino
comedian. nor helpless little Gladys Vans
that she is said TO be the New YORK.
Worlds yellow-no, r~ed-soubrette. The only
way one can judge whether a performance
be liked by the Parks patrons Is by the
applause. and there were only two or three
encores yesterday.