The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-19
what's Happening at the Park.

Name of Play-"The King Of Detectives"
Theater-The Park, where big audiences
greeted the new melodrama yesterday and
gave vent TO tumultuous enthusiasm.
Author OF Play-Theodore Kremer, a Ger
man. who speaks bad English and writes
worse, but who has the knack of providing
the "popular-price public" with just exactly
what it wants
Scene of Play-New York, a city where
people are constantly being murdered on the
streets in broad daylight; where thieves,
forgers, burglars and other precious rascals
do a brisk business, and would do a much
brisker business were 1t not for the King
of Detectives, who hunts 'em down and
makes 'em bite the dust.
People in the play:
James Pierce-Otherwise knows as the
King of Detectives and called by his asso-
ciates just plain king for short; a man
who should have caused Sherlock Holmes TO
stay dead instead of coming back to do
things in a popular magazine; a CHAP VINO
DISCUSSES himself a dozen times a day in or
der to pull off his false hair and whiskers
when the proper time comes and say: The
lady is under my protection or Il shall
never rest until l have unmasked every viii
lain, unraveled this mystery and proven the
Innocence of the girl L lover Succeeds in
all of his undertakings, fOils all of the bad
hand" from the gallery whenever he ap-
pears. Part played by j. Irving White for
all there is in il.
Mildred Northumberland by profession,
in love with King" by accident; quarrels
with her spendthrift brother. and when
spedthrift brother gets himself killed is ac-
cused of numbering him because she nap
pened to W a wicked-lOOking paper knife.
Part played by Kathlain Barry, who doesn't
seem TO be capable of hurting a fly, let alone
a big, bad brother. Lady speaks with a
strange accent and says 10 king" Il have
expleecit coincidence in your abilitee TO help
me- Pretty girl and would do well in a
sOubrette role.
George Winters-villain; fine but slip
perry, as the adventures says: invents air
ships when not committing murders. Part
played by II. Carl Lewis, VINO makes him.
self SO intensely disagreeable that the gal
lery Kisses him beautifully.
Olga Observation-Disclosures who does
many shocking things and would kill off
everybody in the play if only left alone.
But king" will not leave her alone. He
keeps after her and simply worries the life
out of her. Part played by Evelyn Selbie,
who grinds out threats and things through
is good enOUgh-Or bad enough-to be Kissed
along with Villain Winters.
Tommy BaXter-Tramp. whose principal
line in play is, Amt that a cinch?" Some
times line is varied in this way, "A cinch,
amt it?' Does good work in helping
King and in jumping in with his fists at
opportune times. Part well handled by
Charles Robinson.
Sammy Skivinski-Yiddish pawnbroker.
witt scandinavian dialect, or something of
the sort. Aids the villains and makes audi
ence laugh by violent tremblingS of the
knees in moments of peril. Part played by
David Bagnall, who does about as well as
could be expected.
Many other characters i'm play TO help
along the excitement, and all played ac-
ceptably. Stage settings very good, great
scene being at end of third act, when villain
and king have fight up in the air in fy-
ing machine. As a whole. play is great
sport. whether taken seriously or as q bur-
lesque. Remains at Park for rest of week.