The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-15

The Big Extravaganza at English's.
Once upon a time, long, long ago, before
your great-great-great-gran was
born. a good fairy sent beautiful daugh-
ter to funny old King and Queen. But
a bad old witch, who was a-snoopin' around
looking to see what mischief she could do,
decreed that the lovely little princess should
die upon her sixteenth birthday. Now, the
good queen of the fairies didn't like this at
all. but when bad old witch has once
started her magic a-going it's almost i'm
possible. you know, to thwart its evil in
fiuence. So the good queen of the fairies
was pressed pretty hard to think up plan
that would keep the princess from meeting
with such a terrible fate. Finally she hit
upon happy thought: she waved her
magic wand and ordained that the princess
and the funny old King and the funny old
Queen and all the people of their court
should sleep a hundred years, unless
brave young prince should happen along
some day and kiss the sleeping beauty. in
which case the witchs enchantment would
be broken and everybody would wake up.
Well, the years went by and finally the
brave young prince happened along-and
oh, dear! but he was a handsome young
princei-and he kissed the sleeping beauty,
of course, (who wouldn'p and restored her
and all Of the people Of the court to con-
seriousness again. And the prince and the
princess straightway fell in love with each
other and were about to be welded, when
what do you think happened? The bad
old witch turned up! And what do you
s'pose she did? Why, she turned the hand
some young prince into q horrid, ugly beast.
oh. Those were dreadful times, and for
-Lal - fx-T,x~ I{rrf
the good queen of the fairies came to the
rescue once more and sprinkled another
assortment of good magic over the king
dom SO that the princess, by KISSING the
handsome prince (things were just turned
around this time. you see) brought him
back to his own charming personality. And
everybody was exceedingly joyous and all,
except the bad old witch. lived happily
ever afte:, and when
But you'd better go and see 1t all for
yourself. To miss the big Drury Lane
spectacular extravaganza, The Sleeping
Beauty and the Beast" which is now be-
ing presented at Englishs, would be TO miss
tainments ever seen in Indianapolis The
first performance here of the Americanized
show from London was given last night be-
fore an audience that almost completely
filled the theater, and II laughter and ap-
plause may be taken an indication or
the measure Of enjoyment OF an audience
In witnessing a performance, the demon
stration of approval of the production can
| only be regarded as the expression or un-
usual satisfaction. "A VerltaDle leaSt Oh
| light and color is this great spectacle and
| il has converted the stage at English's into
| a most fascinating fairyland, presided over
| by bewitching Queen.
There is no doubt that the theater-going
public loves show such as this-a chang
ing kaleidoscope of color and movement,
| shapely girls and wondrous costumes. with
music that is jingling. and occasionally
| entertainment agreeable to the senses. re-
curing little intellectual effort TO follow
| and therefore welcome to people who want
. 10 be amused above all else when they take
their seats at the theater. 1t might be
| argued that apart from these externals-
/ the gorgeous stage settings, pretty girls
and magnificent costumes-apart from this
| mere qualification of the eye, there is little
in the show that Is really meritoriouS. But
| who cares? Ii Is true that IL the queen or
the fairies could but manage to inject more
subtle humor into some OF the lines by
wave of her magic wand the innovation
| would be welcome, for, frankly, the quar-
| tet OF librettists-J. III. Wood, Arthur Col
Inns, John j. McNally and j. Cheever Good
/ win-have failed TO give the comedians
/ roles in any way worthy of their ability.
| thus reducing them to the necessity of in
PRODUCING specialties that are wholly for
/ eign 10 the story at issue. However, Harry
Buiger. King Bardout. Will III. Macart.
/ as Queen Spadia, and Joseph Cawthorne,
| as Lena, the nurse, succeed In creating a
i lot OF merriment in their own peculiar
/ ways, although some of their comedy Is
| horseplay OF a rather rough sort. Mr.. Bull
| gers dancing and limitations clever.
| but his songs are somewhat tame, and Mr..
Macart wins most OF his laughs through
his ridiculous makeup and bosterous man.
ner The real comedy hit is scored by Mr..
| Cawthorne, who is genuinely funny In
4 everything he does He interpolates his
concertina specialty-a musical act which
| he used to perform In the early days OF
l his stage career-and demonstrates that he