The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-11


Johnson's fervid alteration is given a still
younger and very beautiful sweetheart.
Youthfulness has seldom had higher
value in play which. of itself. is not
nearly what 1t should be. / saw it on a
Wednesday afternoon when the theater. a
big one, was crowded by an audience
mainly feminine Crane is an actor who
appeals to men. Johnson Is one who cap
tivates women and girls. have never seen
case of more remarkable matinee idol
airy. Truly Johnson is now on "a broadway
pedestal.
The makers CT the stage version OF
Hearts Courageous" / think mistakenly.
have used for the duel of their play the
one which, early in the novel. is fought by
the hero and drunken bully who insults
the name of George Washington They
have amalagamated with it the desperate
and more consequential fight which Miss
Rives describes as having occurred in a
Philadelphia inn on the day OF the signing
of the Declaration of independence. And
oh. isn't IL a rousing duel? For novelty.
duration and excitement IL beats the one
with which Kyrle Bellew made the fortune
of "a Gentleman of France" wherein he
vanquished four ruffians and sent them
his antagonist cross swords in the sitting
room OF Virginia tavern, fight their way
out of sight through an open doorway. cross
past some windows at the back and enter by
doorway opposite to complete the COM
bat in the center Of the stage. The clash
OF the rapiers while the duclists are mo-
mentarily invisible, and the behavior of
several silent characters who look down on
the fight outside from a balcony, are de-
vices that heighten and sustain the audi
ence's breathless interest. / can't see why
people permit themselves TO be so thrilled
by mimic duels, but they do; and that is
lucky for Mr.. Johnson and Hearts Cour-
ageous."
1t is hard TO write readably about the or
binary new comic opera, so much alike are
they and so much made up of separate small
things. This weeks example is THE Fisher
Maiden" with almost the dullest libretto
and almost the brightest music that have
ever been put lately into a show of the
extravaganza order. The infectious songs
numerous. L caught them last night,
and feel them in my system this morning,
trying to break out The composer is Harry
Won Tilzer, who has grown rich as a maker
of and dealer in popular ballads. This bust
as though he has kept choice lot of ditties
out of stock till he has advertised them by
theatrical introduction. They have the
usual range OF sentiment and frolc and they
are projected in the play with backngs of
dancing chorus women. They the sum
and substance of the entertainment, and
their singers have been hired for their
good voices and clear enunciation. If half
of aa fxx-o into 10
demand Mr.. Won Tflzer will recover all his
cash investment by traffic in them and have
much Of the theater income for clear profit
That is a commercial view to take of 1.-THE
Fisher Maiden" but the art and literature
in it are not appreciable. A salient point is
the open and undisguised imitation of Gill
bert and Sullivan. especially in several pat
ter songs. such as Sir Josephs in PIN
afore," and the Lord Chancellor's in 'Iolan-
the" and they Jingle so like the originals
in words and tunes that Won Tilzer ought to
ease his conscience by paying royalty to the
estates of the two English masters of comic
opera.
Mrs. Fiske and Mckee Rankin are ex-
hibiting new studies of Characteristic one
depicting Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler and
the other Thomas n. Pages "Marse Chan"
brave things that she does with ideas all
her own and often differing from those of
the author. In this instance the reviewers
agree that she represents with ruthless re-
pellance and with artistic spirit the I'M
pleasant traits of a woman gone terribly
astray. Mrs. Fiske Las a following who
will permit her to make such departures
from the beaten way and appreciate them.
Mr. in has MI hut q
monologue, from Mr.. Pages narrative of a
Southern negro. The other characters are
two wemen who do little except listen to
the loquacious negro. This is done in
vaudeville.
Vaudeville has just gained the attention
of some New Workers, who ordinarily give
no heed TO it. This it has done at a con-
cert hall called the Circle with the wife of
Doctor Baer, resident of the adjacent
fashionable neighborhood. Mrs. Baer is
paid hundreds of dollars, possibly near a
thousand, for the weeks use of her maiden
name of Mabel Mckinley. along with which
Is emblazoned the fact that she is the
martyred President McKinley's brothers
daughter. Doctor Baer is but moderately
prosperous and Mrs. Baer associates with
people Of mode and money; so it is likely
bring into the house. The report is that the
McKinleys opposed her exploitation of the
family name II was born to it." she is
said to have replied. ''and 1 have a right to
use it,
She meant, / suppose, to draw a distinc-
tion between her case and those of Mrs
Leslie Carter and Mrs. James Brown Pot
ter. who retain for the stage the names of
husbands from whom they have parted.
Well. and anyway, Mabel Mckinley indi-
Gates neither vanity nor audacity in what
she does at the music hall. She sings with
a rich. strong, finely trained voice, which
she has been accustomed to use in social
gatherings and occasional concerts. She
Is young woman, not beautiful, nor even
handsome, but femininely pretty in a
plump. hearty. wholesome way. She has a
smiling face. an easy demeanor and makes
a positive impression of good breeding.
She is a cripple and cannot walk at ALL
but swings herself along between white
clutches. Having placed herself at the
footlights. however, she stands a comedy
graceful figure in a gown that would be
appropriate in drawingroom Of an even
ing. but she makes one vaudeville con-
cession with showily spreading hat. She