The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-13
.sThe Beauty Doctor" Last Night.


1t would seem that talented writer's Of
operate books scarce nowadays as
is natural gas in these regions. 1t has
come to be quite matter of course that
the musicians who compose the scores for
the modern musical productions invariably
outshine their co-workers, the men who
write the librettos. All of which means
that another new operate comedy, 1.-THE
Beauty Doctor" was presented in Indian
apolis at English's last night, and that it
proved to be very much like several other
operate comedies seen in this city during
last season and this in that it possessed
the same plotless, pointess book, filled with
ineffective attempt at comedy, inconsequen-
tial dialogue and silly and improbable sit
uations.
Some of the music of c. Herbert Kerr, a
new writer. was tuneful and pleasing
Howard Shelley. who wrote the libretto,
demonstrated in his work an ability to
write modestly good lyrics, but fell hope
lessly short of constructing a stage story
that would keep an audience entertained
for the necessary two hours and a half
1.-The Beauty Doctor was nicely staged
and the chorus was an unusually good one
the sweet-voiced, pretty girls of this chorus
belonged the greater part of the credit for
keeping last nights audience from going to
sleep.
No matter how capable a chorus may be,
and no matter how attractive the stage
pictures that are presented, musical
comedy cannot attain success without COM
edians. Last nights performance was
nothing less than pitiful so far as the So
called funmaking was concerned. There
was not real comedian in the organiza-
ton, but even IL there had been a comedian
it woulu have been next to impossible for
him to squeeze any humor out of the
wretchedly mirthless material furnished by
the author of the sad affair The story Of
the piece had something to do with a wom-
an who made 1t a business to restore
youth and beauty to aged or ugly faces.
The author calls the thing a satire on the
craze among women for identifying them
selves. What ii was all about nobody in
the audience was able to determine last
night and nobody cared after the perform
ance had progressed for ten minutes. Moth
ing mattered at all if one managed to live
through the opening passages of the piece
which were the most wonderful examples
of driveling idiocy ever exhibited in pub
lie. The show was In two acts; the first
took place at a seaside hotel and the second
in the emporium of the beauty DOCTOR
The frst setting was pretty and in the sec
ond act a number of beautiful new lighting
"
some deserved applause.
There is a little TO be said in regard to the
cast Of principals Della Stacey, in the lead
ing feminine role-the beauty DOCTOR
performed her inane part as we'll as the
thing could be done and sang her songs in
a forced, unnatural voice. Daisy King on
the contrary, rendered her songs we'll and
acted her part in amateurish fashion. Lii
liam Rhodes locked very pretty-and that
was about all she had to do-while Hope
Gage, in the role of q vulgar old spinster,
made herself thoroughly Objectionable to
every character in the piece, as well as to
most people In the audience. The Cardo-
wine Sisters, two excellent dancers, did
more than their share toward Frightening
up the musical numbers and terpsichorean
portions, while Mollie Egbert made hit in
a club-swinging ensemble number during
the second act.
Among the men in the company, Percy
Walling stood out prominently by reason
OF rich baritone voice, but his self-con-
seriousness spoiled half the effect of his
but his comic song was we'll liked and his
eccentric dancing was appreciated James
Manley was anything but gay in the part
of a gay old boy" Harry Walters por-
trayed q Hebrew In the style that has be-
come popular In the burlesque houses and
Harry Simon Stanley played the part of a
comic Dutchman in way that would have
brought tears to the eyes of Louis Mann
or any of the comedians whom he was
striving to initiate.
Such operate comedies as THE Beauty
do The theater-going public will turn some
day. like the proverbial worm, and raise a
strong voice OF protest. There was q small