The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-03

Hal Reid is the Clyde Fitch of popular
price theatrical circuits. He turns out
from three to a half-dozen melodramas each
season, seemingly, and his works" are al
ways in demand among the managers Of
this class of amusement. Driven from
Home is one of Reid's latest plays, and
Manager W.. d. Fitzgerald, who owns it,
has so much faithFin its drawing powers
that he is staging 1t in a very attractive
manner and sparing no expense in giving it
every possible advantage. This new one Of
Reds is now at the Park for a half-week's
engagement, and the two performances yes
terday were attended by large and enthusi-
astic audiences.
Driven from Home" like the majority
of Reds plays, is delightfully."- inconsist-
ent and cheerfully crude. 1t has for its
principal characters a narrow-minded
farmer borrowed from "Way Down East"j
a misunderstood daughter borrowed from
Hazel Kirke'), a city man, who is OF
course a contemplate villain (all city men
are in plays having rural %scenes), a self
important constable with whom theater-
goerS have become acquainted in many
other plays, a fond, white-haired mother,
a manly lover, a crippled boy and a self
conferred lady in a flaming red dress. But
If Mr.. Reid looks to other successful plays
rather than TO real life for his characters
and his stage-stories, he possesses the ia
cility of inventing situations that prove
highly exciting TO the class of people to
whom he caters, and his Driven from
Home" was voted a rafting good play"
down at the Park yesterday afternoon and
last night.
The leading role-that of Margie May
nard, the misunderstood daughters taken
by the young woman who, from her child
hoods days has been known to the public
by the stage name of Patrice. At first
a clever juvenile performer and later on a
vivacious soubrette, Patrice has now be-
come an emotional actress of no mean
ability. She deserves credit for her orig
inality, for she does not pattern her acting
after the usual style of m"elodramatic hero
ines, but adopts methods that are all her
own and which are very effective, to Judge
from the alternate laughter and tears she
succeeded in drawing from her audiences
yesterday. The company seems to enjoy act
ing the play as much as the Park crowds
enjoy watching its presentation. Walter
Wilson Is good as the stern, unrelenting
father. and Charles Hutchinson makes a
handsome and manly lover out of the young
farmer, Tom Anderson, Hal Clarendon, as
the city man., Hamilton Van Cruger, Is a
very villainous villain and Stirs up several
virtuous spasms Of Kisses from indignant
spectators in the auditorium while carrying
out his dastardly schemes. Charles Glib
son, an uncommonly good-looking young
chap. overacts the part of the crippled
brother of the heroine to a painful ex-
tent, even in the quieter moments OF the
piece. and Miss Marie Heger. as the lady
In red. is very artificial. Thomas Norton,
as the foolish constable, and Arthur j. Cole
man and Lottie Hyde, as a country pumpkin
and his girl, make the most of the silly
lines given to them, while Miss Helen
Jones furnishes a good portrayal of the
fond mother of the misjudged heroine.
"Driven from Home" will continue at the
Park through to-day and tomorrow and
will doubtless do good business. 1t will be
followed Thursday by The Man Who
Dared" a favorite melodrama of the last
two seasons.