The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-01-21

lsentation here Saturday night of "a
Corner in Coffee" To those VIII
have followed his annual production
with friendly interest. and especiall.
to those who saw "Old Innocence,
a few short weeks ago and looked
forward to his return with increased
zest, the new piece could be nothing
but disappointment. OF course, be
ing interpreted by Tim Murphy AND
a competent cast, "a Corner in Cof-
fee" is above the average one night
stand attraction and the casual thea
ter-goer, seeking mere enjoyment
finds it sufficient, but "a Corner in
Coffee" will stand few of the tests
The first act gives promise of more
than is fulfilled in the two succeedine
acts. The love making of Elijah d
Tilottson is amusing and convnc
ing, as portrayed by Wedgewood
Novel; and Miss Dorothy Sherrod
something that Mr.. Murphy does moi
always succeed in being. Then fol-
lows the scene in the brokers' Office
the corner in coffee and the breaking
OF the corner to save the reputation
of Constance Livingston's brother
All this is forcibly told in the book
where explanations and deft coEceal.
ments throw over the story an air OF
reality. which the skeleton dialogue
and bold action Of the drama obliter-
ates. There is such an obvious effort
to keep the play going from the mid
die of the second act in spite of the
fact that everybody knows how ii is
going to end. The whole story is
out of drawing, because of the at
tempt TO make Col. Jim tombstone
the star part, when It belongs to Eli
jah Tilottson. The character of Jim
tombstone is the white counterpart
of All G. Fields in his minstrel
sketch. II is funny at times and at
times almost inane. That is not the
fault of Tim Murphy. He extracts
all the humor out of it and says
damn" and "hell' something like a
dozen times. winning applause on the
first one and laugh on the next five
on six. The purpose of the oaths is
to disclose the character of Jim
Johnstone, but that sort of character
delineation was barred on the Keith
circuit many, many years ago.
Besides the leading parts, that of
Miss Gretchen De Kaatee played by
Mrs. Aubrey Powell, and Hodge, the
confidential clerk, played by Olney
j. Griffin, the old darky of "Old
Innocence" deserve mention. The
Others overacted overdrawn parts.
'Royal Chef"
"The Royal Chef" with Harry
Hermsen in the stellar role, will make
its appearance in Paducah tonight.
The list of artists contains the names
of numerous people of thorough
training, wide experience and reputa-
ton, and taken as a whole, point to
salary list expensive including Har-
ny Hermsen, Oscar Ragland, Walter
B. Smith, Douglas Romaine, Osborne
Clemson, Gertrude Hucheson, Elsie
Frazee, Grace Outcault and Charlotte
Cameron. AS for the mounting of
the play itself, it is said to disclose a
fine appreciation of scenic values and
an artistic sense of correctness. The
second act, showing the interior of
the "Rajah's" palace, gives the APP
pearance of architectural solidity,
distance and correct perspective,
while the first act is a beautiful and
rich picture of orientalism. Every
property down to the smallest detail
is in keeping with the surroundings.
Jane Corcoran.
Jane Corcoran, who has toured for
the past two seasons as the star OF
Pretty Peggy" wiz be seen at The
Kentucky on Tuesday night. January
20, in 1.-THE Freedom of Suzanne d
Miss Corcoran, whose leading sup
port will be James M. Brophy. is con-
coded by all to be the youngest first
class star on the American stage to-
day. She was practically born on the
stage and during her comparatively
short existence she has been away
from it for a short time only The
first act of the play opens in Curzon
street, where Charles Trever is wait
ing disconsolately for the vagrant
Suzanne. He is surrounded by a
small crowd of friends and relations,
who are all vexatious enough to ex-
cuse the wife's sense of boredom.
Lady Charlotte, the husbands moth
er, and Fitzroy Harding, the wife's
uncle, attack and defend Suzanne by
furna unfu che anpaars to exDlain