The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-11
New MeIodrama at the Park.


When Lincoln ]. Carter-an Indianapolis
man. by the way-started out to get rich
as a producer of melodramas the first thing
that he did was to make a careful study
OF the public to whom he expected to ca
ter. and so complete was this study that
every one OF his productions nowadays il
sure OF success from the time 1t is first
presented at the playwright's own theater
IN Chicago until ii has finally worn itself
threadbare. While anything but an orig
mai writer, Mr.. Carter shows decided orig
ilality in staging his pieces. He is above
all else a hrst-class stage carpenter and
HIS talent in this direction is really of far
more Importance TO him than any literary
ability could possibly be- When he runs
across a good ''bit of business" in another
play he apparently has no scruples against
borrowing and transferring it bodily to his
own production. TOO Proud to Beg"
which began a half-week's engagement at
the Park yesterday before tremendous
crowds at both performances is sort of
composite picture OF a number of success
full plays There is little of Sherlock
Holmes" in il (the gashouse scene in the
Conan Doyle piece, little OF Weber &
Fields's "Twirly-W thirty" a few little COM
edy scenes that have been used in various
and a great many melodramatic climaxes
that have long ago become familiar.
And yet, paradoxically enough. TOO
Proud to Beg" impresses its audiences as
a strikiigly new sort OF melodrama; il is
SO cleverly staged and so capably acted
that IL Is greeted as novelty. The big
crowds at the Park yesterday simply went
wild over IL. The theater was continually
ringing with applause. except when some
thrilling scene OF a breath-holding nature
was taking place, at which time the inter-
est in the play was so great that one wom-
an in the audience shrieked "Oh, don't!'
at the top OF her voice when the hero was
about 10 walk unconsciously into DEATH
trap prepared for him by his enemies. The
story is one or hypocrisy, crime, injustice,
devotion. faith and heroism-surely good in
gradients for a Carter play-and IL is the
kind OF stage story that the popular-price
audiences Ike best OF ALL
The acting Is excellent OF it's kind. The
two Boyian children, who were last seen
at the Park In For Her Children's Sake. "
are the real stars of the piece This little
boy and girl, ten and nine years old, re-
spectively. are two of the most talented
juvenile players now before the public.
Much OF the burden OF the melodrama is
placed upon their little shoulders, and they
are fully equal 10 carrying IL safely The
boy. Arthur Boylan. is so good in every
thing he does that the more critical auditor
can overlook some OF the preposterous
speeches which the playwright has put into
the child's mouth. and the girl Mildred is
just as effective In her role. Miss St George
1ussrfs ~ COineoienne OF the Annie Ward
Tiffany order. gives a consistent portrayal
Of a big-hearted Irish woman. Fred Eek
hart makes a good-looking and very compe-
tent hero. A Il. Lynds and c. F. Lorraine
do some clever acting as pair OF pre-
cious villains, Marie Nelson Is a beautiful
and always interesting heroine b Devfne
and Frank H Swaine give pretty good inn
itations OF a couple OF Weber-and- Fields
Dutchmen, Jake Simons does good char
acter work in the role OF a Jewish pawn
broker and the other parts are ali well
cared fer by Estelia Vincent. Stella BoyIan
Jackson Kent and Clarence Dull.
TOO Proud 20 Beg will do a record
breaking business at the Park unless al