The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-06-02
Pretty Musical Comedy Pre-
sented PIeasingIy to a
Large Audience.
PARTS WERE WELL TAKEN
MUSIC WAS TUNEFUI AND
CATCHY AND THE LINES EX-
CEPTIONALLY cLEvER-TO BE
REPEATED TONIGHT.

story for plot, and an occasional line
Of comedy, Priscilla" the home talent
production as presented at the Gen.
nett theater last evening proved a win
some play. There is but little life and
action about the play and the perform
ers were handicapped as the result.
Too many Of them had too little to do
But it pleased the audience, which was
more interested in the individuals in
the cast and chorus than in the lines
and everyone pronounced it equal to
the high standard of local home talent
affairs. Priscilla" is different from
the rollicking comedies that have been
used locally heretofore, different in
many ways-some of them better and
others that could afford Improvement.
On the whole is 1t very pleasing eff
fort.
Excellent Chorus.
The show was put on under the d.
rection Of Edward Taylor, of Indianap-
oils. The chorus included about fifty
voices nd was one Of the best that has
appear d in productions OF the kind.
The y ung ladies' chorus is especially
excellent. Occasionally a male voice
could be heard. But as in most other
shows, it is upon the work of the
principals that it depends for success.
And in Priscilla it is this individual
acting that redeems it. Each one Of
the leading actors possesses a splendid
voice. The songs were somewhat diff
ficult to render, but there was not a
false tone sounded. The story is that
Of the Puritan Maid Priscilla John
Alden and Miles Standish. Other
characters of the village we're repre-
scented and provided the comedy part.
In some places the lines were very
NOR.
Miss Kaufman Pleased.
Miss Marie Kaufman made delight
full Priscilla. Her excellent voice,
which is well known. stood her in good
stead. Her acting was appropriate to
the part. AS Resignation. Miss Juliet
Swayne was not the least bit resigned.
1t was she who did more than any 9TH
er to keep the sleepy balls away. Miss
Swayne is admirable in whatever kind
of part is assigned her. Her team
mate, George Smith, as Hatebad Hig-
gins. shared with her in the applause.
Without these two characters. "Pris-
ella would have had to establish its
right to be called comedy by some
other means.
Ira Law. who appeared in the part OF
the lover John Alden to plead for his
militant friend Standish and himself
be accepted, possesses one OF the
sweetest and at the same time richest
tenor voices that had ever been heard
here either in professional or amateur
production. Mr.. Law is polished ac-
tor. as we'll His work was magnetic
and he received repeated encores after
singing his love songs. Allan Grimes
was a capable Miles Standish. He
had the staggering bravado OF the
warrior bold and voice that harmon
lied well with the others. He had the
vigor of the characteristic Miles and
this helped in the aggregate.
From Terre Haute.
Messrs. Law and Grimes are resi-
dents of Terre Haute. Mr. Smith is
from New Castle. The other princi-
pals and all members OF the chorus are
local talent. Each had but q small
part, but it was well DONE Mr.
Poundstone. as Squanto. the Indian,
had a pantomime part. The audience
last evening was large. nearly all seats
having been sold. The play will be re-
peated this evening. It is given under
the auspices of and for the benefit OF
the Ladies' Auxiliary Of the Y NJ. C. A.