The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-26

ia king. Additional interest attaches to
Mr.. Bryan's production from the fact that
most of the comic Autographs advertising
the show have been designed by Walter
Galloway, an indianapolis artist. who is
now doing excellent work in New York for
Puck and other humorous periodicals. 1t is
no exaggeration TO say that the pictorial
matter of Mr.. Dooley'' will be the best
ever used By a road show of this class, as
those. who have seen Mr.. Gallaway's origi-
nal drawings of Mr.. Dooley and the other
comic characters OF the farce testify.
Mr.. Bryan will not appear on the stage
himself this season. but will devote him.
self entirely to the management OF his en-
terprise. He Is ambitious 10 control num-
Der of attractions. and. as he possesses
what is called "a good business head"
there is every indication that his plans will
not miscarry. The stage will lose a good
comedian in his retirement. His work last
season Is remembered here on account Of
its originality. He is just as entertaining
off the stage as he is when standing behind
the footlights smoking his stump OF cigar,
and is never without a seemingly mex
haustible fund of new funny stories and
laughable personal experiences. He likes to
come to indianapolis because. he says. he
is always sure of big audiences here. He
considers this city one of the best popular
price towns in the United States.
According to Paris note in the London
Chronicle, ''Mendee," recently produced at
the Coincide Franchise, will greatly add to
the literary and poetic reputation of NJ.
Catulle Mendes. The verse of the French
poet is said to be wonderfully melodious and
full of passion, and the acting of Nine. Sc
gond-Weber is described as being alto
gether worthy of the stage upon which for
mer queens of tragedy have acclaimed.
xxx
The two-hundredth performance of 1.-THE
Earl of Pawtucket'' will take place in New
York at the Manhattan Theater week
from next Wednesday night, and the occa-
sion is to be observed by the presence in
the boxes of many distinguished guests.
Despite the hot weather of the last two or
three weeks in the metropolis. and the con-
sequent sorrow of most of the managers
producing plays along Broadway, the witty
little comedy by Augustus Thomas runs on
with uninterrupted success. and will prob
ably be doing just as large a business as
English comedian has ever been so well
liked in New York as Lawrence D'Orsay.
who portrays the UNREASONABLE Earl so
humorously. Mr.. Dorsey is not only pop
ular among the theatrical people in New
York. but il a great favorite among the
club men of the big city. No one attracts
more attention than he when he strolls up
Fifth avenue in his faultless clothes Of the
very latest pattern. 1t is hardly likely that
the successful new comedy. with it's very
successful new star, will be seen in Indian
apolis next season, as 1t will probably re-
main in the East throughout the theatrical
year. However the manager Of the COM
pany told the writer that If it comes West
at all it will play an engagement in this
city. The latest portrait of Mr.. D'Orsay
appears on this page.
In an entertaining article in the August
number of Pearsons a writer on theatrical
topics says that Weber and Fields came to-
gether originally as boys. living with their
parents somewhere together on New York's
East Side" They were both DESTROYS of
rivaling the clog dancers they had seen on
the cheap variety stage. Down on pier at
the foot Of Houston street they used to prac-
tice together. behind the barrels and bales,
where nobody could see them. OF course,
any question of going on the stage was
violently vetoed by both families. Joe Web
er and his brother Max were put to work,
and so was Lou Fields. But while their
parents thought that their boys were work.
ing at a trade, Joe Weber was off with his
partner. Fields. doing twenty-three turns"
a day at the old Globe Theater. on the Bow
cry. They brought their own lunches and
received the munifcent sum of 50 each a
week. Their truancy was discovered. and
after a time they had to choose between
the Comic Muse and parental authority
They chose the muse, quite naturally, and
for a combined salary of s12 a week they
performed their stunts at Coney Island
doing clog dances and "knockabout acts
in a small music hall that opened on the
board walk And such was the beginning of
the joint career of two of the most success
full theatrical managers of the present day.
The rage of Dickens plays still continues
in England. No less than five stage YER
sions of David Copperfeld" are to be
played in different parts of that country in
the near future. The first of them will be
seen at the London Adelphi early next
month. Charles Cartwright, favorite Eng
lish character actor. is to portray Peggotty
F. Cooper is to play the part of Ham, and
Harry Nichols is to be Micawber. A good
deal is to be made of the character of Mrs
Gummidge. One of the other Copperfield
plays Is by Wilson Barrett. No doubt some
of them will find their way to the United
States before the next season is at an end
xxx
Louis James and Frederick Warde, Rich
ard Mansfield and James X. Hackett all
announce for production next season plays
based on the life of Alexander the Great,
but the only play of this name about which
any definite information seems to be forth
coming is that in which Warde and James
are to appear. The tour for this play has
been entirely booked. and their managers,
Wagenhals and Kemper, have the scenic
production. which is to be very elab-
crate scale well-nigh complete. The idea
for having a play written on the life of
Alexander was first suggested TO Wagon
halls and Kemper by Castaigne's celebrated
pictures which were reproduced in the Gen.
fury Magazine during the early part of last
year. BY arrangement with the Century
Company these pictures will now be utilized
as subjects for a series of beautiful litho-
graph posters advertising the play. The
combination. which scored a success in In