Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-04-16
THE NEXT ATTRACTION.
Mr.. Hugo Koch and Superb COmpany
Will Play BATES of the L. $. A.
Here May 1st.

The next attraction at the Grand
theatre-goers as the past three have
been 1t will be on Thursday, May
/, Hugo Koch and company in Bates
/ of the U. S. A." The play is new
one and as presented by this disting-
uished actor and company of artists
has made an immediate hit DEBORAH
is fortunate to get it during its first
tour. and will no doubt show aprrec-
iation by packed house. This is
of its first productions:
THE play, by the way, was Bates
OF the L. S. A. handsome Hugo
Koch was the star and Edward E.
Rose, who has written more success
full plays than any man that ever liv-
ed, was and is, the author. The piece
had had an initial tryout in neigh
boring city, which was really only a
dress rehearsal, so last night was
really the premiere, and mighty in
teresting and successful premiere 1t
was, too.
Bates of the IT, S. A. gives Mr..
Koch the first really congenial role
he has had since they shelved THE
House of a Thousand Candles" The
hero OF the new play is Bates OF the
l"Candles" come to life again, as
suave and soft-stepping, as grave and
gracious and as fascinatingly myster-
ious of yore, but transplanted into
scenes infinitely more interesting and
moving, amid situations and incidents
so hair-raising, hazardous, and excit-
ing that they kept last nights au-
dience sitting on the edge of its
chairs all a-thrill with delighted in
terest to the very fall of the curtain.
The story is one of those that
could never happen in real life, but
is all the more delightful on that ac-
count Col. Luke Braybrook, an ir-
ascible, but big hearted money king
is looking for Jim Hayes, the son OF
an old business rival of his, on veng-
5 eance intent. Hayes knows it and
, in order to learn just what kind OF a
game the old man is up to hires him
self to the family in the capacity of
2 butler. Braybrooks has never seen
the younger Hayes and never suspect
, enough, however, to see that he is
| much above the position of butler and
D thinking that he is covering up a
t past that he wishes to forget, does
: not attempt to penetrate his disguise.
He grows very fond of him and treats
: him as an equal, a fact which throws
p the pseude-butler much into the So
: ciety of Helen Caldwell, the lovely
IL xxrho m
dad" and is the adored pet of the
family. The young couple fall IN
love which naturally complexities mat
!, tiers greatly in the business feud be-
e tween the two men.
o Then the doctor orders Braybrook
:, abroad-he learns that Jim Hayes is
u on the other side of the water and
! embarks, leaving Bates, the butler,
= at home. The hunt lands them all
! in Lovania, an imaginary German
principally where Bates mysterious
iy turns up and gives substantial aid
/ to the party when they are maroon
: ed in a tower of an ancient castle
! during an uprising of the Lovanian
people. 1t all turns out beautifully
Bates, after saving everybody's life,
reveals his true characterize col
onel concludes he hasn't anything
l. against Jim Hayes after all, and the
v curtain falls with ex-butler, (who
had shed his servile character with
his swallow-tail coat clasping his
i sweetheart in his arms. There are
e counter-plots and mysteries galore,
q wicked baron and a beautiful count
ess furnish an extra thrill or two by
their Vaccinations and there is more
than a hint that Bates might be the
e Prince of Lovania if he chose. But
Il what matters really is that he is
= Bates-Bates of the Candles come
back again, and that is enough for
anybody.
e Mr.. Koch shows better in this role
|. than any which have preceded it the
Il great progress he has made in his art
;, since first seen here in The House
of a Thousand Candles His new
Bates is hundred times better than
the old There is noticeable mel
lowing and deepening of the charact-
era poise and steadiness not seen
t before. And during the past year or
4 two the young actor has dropped a
mannerism or two, greatly to the i'm
! provement of his style. Altogether
: his Bates is fine, maily, vivid piece
: or romantic acting of which any act
2 or on the stage might be proud.
The other characters are all ad-
mirably portrayed. Walter Jones is
: quite delightful as the colonel, invest
S ing it with a dry humor which last
: nights audience found wholly ire
sistable. Charles Dey gives CAPT.
tai portraiture of the irresponsible
!, son of rich man and Marie Dunkle
2 is charming in the role of the count
ess who is sort of modern prototype
of the old-fashioned villainess. Edna
! Pew is arch and pretty as Mena, and
Miss Margaret Cate, In the role of
Helen Caldwell, does earnest work,
but is a trifie over-emphasized and
vociferous for an ingenue."