The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-11

! filled the Park Theater TO the walls Weber
and Fields and their excellent company Of
low comedians played their annual In
dianapolis engagement last night, present
ing a hodge-podge Of folly and song
called "Whoop-dee-Do for want of bet
/ ter name. and burlesque on Annie Rus
sells play of Catherine" That this dou-
bic bill of light entertainment was thor
oughly enjoyable goes without saying. for
Weber and Fields and their talented asso-
ciates never fail TO give a performance
that Is much more satisfying, in its non
sensical way, than that of any of their
thousand and one imitators A Weber
Fields performance is to the American
stage what "Alice's Adventures in Won
| derland' is to nonsensical literature-a
classic Of foolery that may be initiated
persistently, but never equaled.
1t is a fact that there are theater-goers
who leave a Weber-Field entertainment
saying, We'll, they are not SO uproariously
funny as other comedians we have seen"
| Which is true enough, for Joseph Weber,
Lew Fields, Charles Ross, Louis Mann,
Peter Daley, John Kelly and the other
comedians that have been carefully and
discreetly chosen for this admirable COM
binauon, do not provoke mirth of the up
roarious kind so often as they cause the
auditor TO chuckle inwardly one chuckles
over a delicious bit OF humor that tickles
one through and through Countless per-
formers in musical farce and vaudeville
attain their own ambitions and it must
be admitted, please their good-natured au-
diences-with "rapid-fire gags" slangy
songs and clownish antics Weber and
Fields and their artistic coworkers indulge
in this sort of thing, too, but there is
something more behind their absurdities
than mer~ desire to create laughter at
any cost. They present real character
studies, distinct and clean-cut and in
thinking over their sayings and doings
some time after the performance you will
be just much amused as you were when
you witnessed their MISUNDERSTANDING and
complications, their joys and their woes,
from the auditorium of the theater Their
comedy is sincere. 1t has its foundation in
keen appreciation of the funny side OF
human nature, and that is why so many
of the humorous bits that were con-
ceived in Weber and F'ields's New York
Music Hall have found their way into he
English language as II is spoken In Ann
lea at the present time. Who has not
smiled to himself over the appropriateness
of the word "skindcate 2'-one of the many
coined by Weber and Fields. The one draw
back TO these spring tours of the Weber
Fields company through this part of the
country is that their many imitators as
rule, have preceded them during the season
and have already sprung" some of the
bright things that had their origin in the
little music hall on Broadway. Imitation
may be the sincereSt hattery, but, In this
case, it's pretty hard on the originators.
"Whoop-Dee-Doo' proved to be a ridicu-
lous musical vaudeville arranged so as to
present all of the star comedians at their
best and with little or no regard as TO plot
or continuity. The music was very bright
and the dialogue full of funny lines, while
the horseplay was of the very best kind.
The big chorus of pretty girls was seen and
heard to great advantage in the several en-
a. dc To
have a corner on the chorus girl market,
for it is a noteworthy fact that their
merry. merry maidens'' are always the
| prettiest, daintiest and most musical bits
of femininity to be found on the stage. The
costumes worn by the girls last highland
they appeared in different costumes with
each new song-were beautiful to gaze upon
and all of them seemed as new and fresh
as IL the company were Just starting out on
its tour instead of being near the end of its
season.
Joseph Weber and Lew Fields were the
same cOmical Dutchmen of yore, and
with Louis Mann TO lend able assistance
In the low comedy scenes they kept the
audience shaking with laughter. Weber is
always Weber and Fields is always Fields;
but somehow their humor is never old, and
with each new season they manage TO in
vent conversations and situations that are
is a great local favOrite, evoked much mer-
riment with his clever work. He played the
part OF German innkeeper, and the two
manager comedians were a couple OF stray
Dutchmen helping him run his hotel in
France. Peter f. Daley, bigger than ever,
but the same easy singer and graceful
dancer. had congeniai part, and with the
gingery chorus girls to back him up. gave
several delightful ditties. Lillian Russell,
whose beauty has not even begun TO fade,
although her voice is but shadow OF
her former clear soprano. looked stunning in
her gorgeous gowns and managed to render
her songs pleasingly by avoiding the higher
y, a-sl.l alel L0nfa
and Charles j. Ross were excellent in their
characterizations and limitations. and John
7. Kelly, while suffering with severe cold
that made singing impossible, did much
toward helping the fun along.
One of the most laughable features of
"Whoop-Dee-Doo" was the satire on the
Broadway musical comedies, with their
show girls" Mabel Fenton sang song
introducing the girls. The girls" were
Messrs. Weber. Fields. Mann. Kelly, Ross
of "Florodora" sextet beauties were eX-
cruciatingly funny. sending the audience in
to screams of laughter There We're many
which, on the whole, was better than
''Twiriy- Whirly," the musical hodge-podge
OF last season
The drama of catherine" originally
played by Annie Russell, has never been
seen in indianapolis, but this fact didn't
interfere with the enjoyment of the satire
on that play, which made up the second
part of the bill. more delicious piece of
fooling could hardly be conceived. Mabel
Fenton played the title role. appearing as
typical melodramatic heroine with pas
sion for supporting her family and every
body else. How often have just such hero
ines trod the boards at the Park-and in
all seriousness, too Miss Fenton is bur-
lesque artist of the first rank, and her
work in this trayesty was of the highest
class Louis Mann displayed his versatility
and his ability as character actor in a
splendid portrayal OF stupid old man who
pounded out miserable discords on a wealth
er-beaten piano and told his daughter, glee-
fully, that he had pleasant news for her
there was more trouble ahead"
Charles Ross appeared a well-dressed
nobleman who, when entering GATHERINGS
home. solemnly lifted the lid from a boiler
on the stove, placed his eiegant hat in the
boiler and replaced the lid. He did other
things equally preposterous and all in "A
dignihed, well-bred manner that made his
actions and speeches delicious. Peter
DALEY acted the part of his mother, a fat
duchess in a frightful' creation" of a
gown that actually hurt the eyes, q slangy
elderly lady who, upon making her appear
ance in GATHERINGS humble cottage, sat
on the stove and placed her feet in the
washtub. Lillian Russell demonstrated that
she is becoming a really clever burlesquer
by playing a travesty part very well in
deed. John Kelly was at his best as the
lover of Catherine-willing 10 throw up
his job and let the girl OF his heart work
for him" Weber and Fields were very
clever as two bad boys, the only rivals of
ek. Lyos.r s,rr