The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-04
Good MeIodrama mt the Park.

II the new attraction at the Park Theater
meets with the appreciation it deserves the
playhouse will not be big enough to hold
the crowds during the rest OF the week
There have been melodramas and melo-
dramas at the Park this season, but that
excellent old-timer, THE Shadows of
Great City,, which Is now being revived
on a most elaborate scale by c. b. Jeffer-
son, is head and shoulders above them all.
1t not only contains an absorbing story,
told in most interesting way, but it pre-
sents characters that are true to life and
is free from the absurd exaggeration which
has come to be considered necessary in
the preparation OF the modern melodrama
for the popular-price theaters. So far as
the present production is concerned, it is
much better than the original, in many
respects.
1.-The Shadows of a Great City" was
among the very first OF the melodramas
depicting life in New York. and there has
not been single play written along the
same lines since its advent that Is in the
same class with it. 1t is melodrama with
a history. Old-time local theater-goers
will recall its first presentation In this city
nearly twenty years ago at the Grand
Opera House. Nelson Wheatcroft. who
died several years ago, and who was, in his
time, one of the best actors of heroic roles
before the public, was the first player to
appear in the character of Tom Cooper,
him was Annie Ward Tiffany. that excel
lent character actress who has given
many splendid portrayals to the native
way, now conducts one Of the best schools
Of dramatic art In New York city, In
giving the play it's present revival Mr..
Jefferson. its original producer, has en-
gagged Miss Tiffany to play her old part of
Biddy Roman again, and 1t is delight TO
see this veteran actress-an artist, every
inch of her-once more appearing as the
big-hearted Irish woman who runs the lit
tie boathouse on Harlem river.
1t is object lesson-is this old play
of American life. Let the lattN-day build
ers of melodrama give some study to Its
well-written lines and it's careful construc-
ton and then go and do likewise. Park
audiences are accustomed to all sorts of
crude melodramas and there those
who declare that really good play is not
appreciated In playhouses of the sort that
cater to 1.-The masses" But this assertion
cannot be altogether correct. for no audi
ences at the Park this season have shown
more earnest attention and more sincere
approvss OF performances than mar the audi
1t Is true that the play has its sensational
moments. but the exciting situations come
naturally and are not literally thrown at
the audience, as In the usual awkward
manner.
Scenicaly the performance is splendid.
The river scenes are shown with real water
and the rainstorm at the end of the third
act is not wholly make-believe affair, as
Ii used to be in the old production, for
water really. falls-and it comes down
hard too. The prison scenery, the boat
house setting and all of the other stage
pictures are immensely effective. The COM
pany is, generally speaking, a very capa-
Bile one. Miss Tiffany, who was last seen
in Indianapolis with Grace George in
Pretty Peggy" at English's last spring,
gives a perfect performance OF Biddy, and
A. L. Jarrett in Wheatcroft's old role Of
Tom Cooper, acquits himself creditably, al
though he makes the character too boyish
at times. Edwin B. Tilton is the best viii
lain the Park has seen this year. and he
plays his role of George Benson in in
tellectual way, while Russell Bassett
Abe Nathans and Thomas Meggan as Jim
Farren. do we'll in their character parts.
Carlotta Gaunt is good in the lighter pas
sages in her role of Helen Standish and
hardly equal to the emotional scenes. 1he
minor parts are acceptably played.
The production Is one that will prove
interesting to other than the Parks regu-
lar patrons, and the more discerning the
ater-goer who occasionally finds enjoyment
in a good melcdrama-when it really is
goodwill find this performance worthy of
attention. 1t remains at the Park for the
rest of the week