The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-11
"Mr. Pickwick, at EnsIish's.

A musical comedy, entitled mir. Pick
wick" presented at English's last evening
by De Wolf Hopper and his company. en-
gagged a number OF the characters and in
cidents that Charles Dickens described In
his "Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick
Club" Charles Klein made the selections
and wrote the connecting dialogue, Grant
Stewart wrote the verses of the songs and
Manuel Klein wrote the music. AS musical
comedies go. it was unusually comic and
lively and was at the same time suggestive
of a tale. masterpiece of humor, that was
I'm the front of the minds of all the audi
ence. And 1t was acted in a style that pos
though more might reasonably have been
demanded II play had been made from the
Papers instead of a musical show.
The librettist began his sketch at an inn,
Dingley Dell Arms. and adjoined to it Miss
Tompkins's Seminary. He made the school
girls troop through the innyard and fiirt
with the men dodgers, and in this way AL
fred Jingle became acquainted with Ala
bella Wardle, to whom Cher father being
sion Mr.. Pickwick, with the attendant
Tupman, Snodgrass and Wrinkle, arrived TO
find that Mrs. Bardell was at the inn and
tion TO have Mr.. Pickwick or his money.
After taking on enough liquor to make him
misty. Mr. Pickwick was not capale of di-
recting his steps 10 his own room, going in
stead into the apartment OF Mrs Bardell.
Frightened away by her screams, he de-
scended TO the yard and was just in time to
prevent Jingle abducting Arabella. She
tainted in his arms and Mrs Bardell's cries
attracted to the spot the people of the
neighborho0d. None OF this discontinue
encountered Mr.. Pickwick in the second act
of the piece. which showed a wooded place
on Manor farm. The Pickwickian party
came behind runaway horse which the
unsportsmanlike Wrinkle could not control
Here Mr.. Pickwick saw to IL that Arabella
who had recovered from her attachment to
Jingle. and Wrinkle were engaged to be
married, and Sam Weller and Polly We're
similarly connected. He furthermore paid
Jingle a hundred pounds to pay courtship
TO Mrs BardeH and so nolle her breach of
promise suit.
That was violence to Charles Dtckaps,s
arrangement OF scenes and Characters but
the result was amusing enough TO soothe
resentment. Mr.. Hopper returned to act
In this city after an absence of four wears
and his method had a zest that was the
sharper for being half-strange He always
has MADE run by ourlesquing dignity. help
ed to this end by his unusual height and
heavy voice. BY adding TO these Qualities
a physical makeup that broadened him
and aged his face and by taking on a
paternal air, he made a lifelike Mr. Pick
wick. What he lacked was the mildness
OF that old gentleman: he was too obvious
and grossly an easy-going fraud, making
-
gator of Importance. But mildness is not
the atmosphere for the present day musical
farce. Mr.. Hopper gave the character an
unexpected degree OF similarity to the
original. and his activity at all times
productive Of laughter I'm the audience.
Between the acts he delivered a speech
charged with his old-time drollness. and
there is no doubt. judging by the admira-
ton voctferously expressed. that he in
Mr.. Pfckwick' is regaining the immense
popularity he had in the days of Wang
and THE Panjandrum."
Dfgby Bell, In perSonating Sam Weller
did the best acting. though Grant Stewart
played Jingle with a great deal of the
audacity and the nervous presidency of
that lmpecunious person. He did not give
the character the battered personality. the
acquired by years OF beating his way
between the cheap theaters In which he
found occasional employment Mr. Bells
embodiment of Sam Weller was satisfac-
tory from any viewpoint. Old Weller was
heartily played by Henry Norman and
10 look at and TO hear. Louise Cunning and
Marguerite Clark played Arabela Wardle
and Polly Miss Cunning sang and acted
charmingly and Miss Clark was a prettv
pert and dimlnutive antithesis 10 Mr. Hon
per The choruses were well sung and the
stage pictures handsome.
Manuel Klein's music had not much that
was distinctive. but II was bright enough
for the moment and there was one melody
Boys VIII BE Boys that was moving
Mr.. Stewart had witty song i'm the first
act. exposing the absurdity and fu,ility of
Golden Rules" The orchestra was only
half large enough, but the composer. who
conducted. helped some by assiduous use
OF the plano.