The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-11-16
UNITE IN LOVING
CERTAIN FAT MAN
Maclyn Arbuckle Disproves
His Old Adage in 'The
Circus Man"

Maclyn ArbuclIle. who used to say
plaintively, Nobody loves a fat man, d"
when he appeared in The Roundup"
is at the Columbia this week in a com
paratively new play that allows Mr..
Arbuckle to be loved by the leading
lady. an elephant that plays no incon-
spicuous part, and by the audience as
well
THE Circus Man" in which Mr.. Ar
buckle stars in its first season, IS a
five-act comedy drama. which savors
Just a bit Of the melodTamatic. It was
written by Eugene w Presbrey, found
ed on a stary by Holman Day cleverly
constructed. and acted by a capable
company, a combination of happy cir
cumstances which gives The play zest
The villain doesn't so to jail, and the
curtain goes down with everybody re-
formed ana surfeited with brotherly
love
The play mainly has TO Do with Fight
ing Hime Look, played by Mr.. Arbuekle'
who leaves a village as one Of the sons
OF "Good-for-Nothing Look after IN
cidentally whipping a Jew % his neigh
bors as a parting shot lie returns IN
twenty years, a retired circus man.
The syndicate has bought out ms en-
tire show with the exception OF mo
gene. an elephant-sOubrett a parrot
who takes a cue the same as any hu-
man actor, and a dilapidated circus
wagon. HIme Look finds his brother,
squire Phin Look. eXCellently played
nv Edison r. Miles. stir in the grasp
of Judge Willard, town treasurer ana
srfstocrat. Hime is met by the usual
cross-roads store crowd Of villagers
who haven't forgotten his early es-
capades.
Parts Not Overdone.
= takes about two acts for Hime,
otherwise Mr.. Arbuckle' VINO Is sun Aa''
n impress upon his hostile neighbors
The Fact that he's as good a fighter as
ever that he and Imogene Intend spend
irr the winter in Palermo. and that he's
r,eepared to Eck anybody who doesn' {
approve of the plan. Rural gossip, rus
tic souabbles. and a revival of old
feuds follow, the parts being assumed
nv villagers who do not overdo them.
Hime and the elephant eventually are
introduced TO the Widow Smell. and all
of them finally capitUlate 10 the respec-
tive charms OF the other two.
In the meantime there's been running
along a logged night Setween Hime and
Judge willard. With just hint of a
love affair between Hines debt-burden-
ed brother and Sylvena Willard, the
family feud making marriage impos-
sibie between the latter two. True TO
promise the wealthy circus man finally
GETS the banker 'on the hip, as II
were. dramatically prepared to avenge
past injuries TO his dead parents, hears
the aristocrat plead for mercy when his
shortage and his gambling losses be-
Phin's sake. gives the old reprobate
another chance.
Happy Denouement.
OF course 1t ends with a double mar
rage. and ArbuckIe leaves Palermo in
his circus wagon and with all the az
lection he could want The Widow
Smell, as portrayed BY Lillian Thur
gate, is a charming, and, no doubt.
she will be kind. just as promised. 10
Imogene, the elephant
Mr. Arbuclxle, whose ability as a
comedian has long been recognized, ac-
eep-s 81 just as capable manner the
several emotional climaXes Of the play.
Curtain calls were numerous. and final
~. after me fourth act, he made a
spe ech. The work Of Frank j. Currier,
as Judge Willard. was highly satisfac-
tory. as was that OF Mr.. Miles. The
comparatively minor parts were faith
COMPANY, in which 7. F. OMaIley. JeR-
ME Weathersby. and ". J. Gross shone
particularly.
The play Is sparkling. entertaining.
extremely laughable and serious by
turns, and, on the whole. decidedly
worth going 10 see. The fat man, the
widow, and ImOgene. elephant soubrette
make a combination hard 10 beat
LYCEUM-Washingto Society Girls.
4 capacity audience greeted the
initial performance Of Manager Ker-
mans Offering. the Washington So
ciety Girls" at the Lyceum last even
ing.
The show is up TO the average bur
lesQue performance. but rather anna