The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-07

At the Jefferson theatre, on Thursday night, for one performance, Charles Froh- man will present w. H. Crane, for the first time in this city, in George Ade's successful comedy, Father and the Boys"
 No more welcome player comes to this city than MT. Crane, and he is doubly welcome when he has something to offer which thoroughly appeals to his numerous admirers as happens in the present in stance, for both the comedian and MT. Ade have hit the popular taste very souarely with Father and the Boys. MT. Crane presented the play to crowded houses all of last season. It was received with hearty acclaim wherever given. and it wound up it's tour with four months run at the Empire theatre, New York. A record of this kind is easy for MT. Crane when, as now, he has the right material. He has served long and hon. orable apprenticeship on the stage; he has presented no plays of questionable character; he has given his public me productions of Shakespeare, Goldsmith and Sheridan, and he has offered the best modern material procurable. In word, he has kept faith with the public, and by so doing he has won large and loyal following. And this following is ready to make itself felt when he comes along with so genuine a success as Father and the Boys" in which he is afforded opportunity to display at their best his charming personality and his rare art, both of which have been mellowed by time, and were never so allur1ng as at present MT. Ade has fitted him remark ably well, and in the doing of it has cov- cred himself with glory. He could have found no other player so well equipped for the chief figure in his comedy, nor could MT Crane have found vehicle more suited to his requirements
 In Father and the Boys MT. Ade tells iovial. wholesome, clean and boyish story with the utmost spirit, and with racy. picturesque dialogue. MT Crane, as the man who has made his pile in the city. but who had spent his boyhood in the country, only to be told by his col lege-bred sons that he is hopelessly be- hind the times, is a well-sprng of hilari- ty, particularly when he demonstrates his ability to lead the procession to such an extent that the boys are unable to either hold him back or keep up with him. It is a real Crane part
 .sFather and the Boys will have splendid scenic equipment and the orig inal company of players, including Mir. Crane. Margaret Dale, Vivian Martin, Ivy Troutman, Isabelle Garrison, Forrest Orr Thomas Meighan, Joseph Whiting, Dan Collyer, Percy Brooke and others
 ssBuster Brown" This Week.
 Manager R. s. Douglas of the Jefferson theatre announces that Buster Brown" will pay his annual visit to Birmingham Friday and Saturday nights, with big matinee thrown in Saturday. This an- nouncement will be hailed with delight by the children as we'll as the grown ups and Manager Douglas is preparing to make the little playgoers comfortable and get them as close to Buster as pos sible at every performance. Here is what the New Orleans Picayune says of this seaspn's edition of Buster:
 That light, but amusing attraction, Buster Brown which goes close to the hearts of children, is still the same agree able nonsense. Big and little children who crowded the theatre last night en- joyed' It immensely and laughed much.