Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-01-28
THAT PRINTER OF UDELL'S
TOMORROW NIGHT
A Great Play Full of Clever Drama
tic Situations. Each Scene De-
cidedly True to Life.
III Is A STRONG STORY
AND A STRONGER PLAY.
Hugo Il. Koch, an Actor of PrOmi-
nence Will Head the Cast Which
Should be Greeted by
Packed House.

That Printer of Udell's" that
comes to the Grand tomorrow night
is dramatization of Harold Bell
Wright's widely read story of that
name, dramatized by Mr.. Wright
and Fishery w. Reynolds. This is
quite out of the ordinary. In fact,
seldom does the author of a novel
assist in the dramatization of the
same, but with MIR. Wright no task
is too difficult, no work too tedi-.
Gus, where there is an end in view
to be accomplished. Harold Bell
Wright is an artist, minister OF
the Gospel and novelist. To these
varied accomplishments he has now
added playwright and has shown
that in the dramatization of That
Printer of Udell's' he excels in
this accomplishment as well as the
others. When the idea of placing
his books before the public in play
ing form first came to Mr.. Wright.
| it was with the thought that there
was today a wonderful field, a great
opening for the high moral type OF
drama Mr. Wright thoroughly be-
lieves in the kind of Christianity
that shows it self in action not in
words, and thus it is that all his
works either in novel or dramatic
form show.
! Richard Falkner, an orphan of OBJ
scure parentage and a printer by
/ tTade, thrown out ST employment by
la strike, comes starving and work
seeking into a thriving western city.
In his quest for employment he meets
the persons who wear religion as a
clcak instead of an armor' but is
George Udell. Falkner proceeds to
win the esteem and confidence of the
best people and falls in love with Amy
Goodrich. a society belle, whose re-
! ligious inclinations are sadly thwdrt-
ed by home environment AS Falk-
ner rises, Amy falls, but the manly
out of the dust to the highest plane
of we'll being. A splendid philan-
thropic scheme forms the nucleus OF
the plot The incidents and charac-
ters are natural and seem to be TAX
en- from every day life ana while
the nobler instincts of young man
hood and womanhood are appealed
to, there is nothing of the offensive
"goody goodness which blunts the
aim of many an otherwise excellent
play.
THAT Printer of Udells" is full
of local color and with a continu-
Gus love story cannot fail to hold
the attention Of the audience. 1t
is full of clever dramatic situations,
none of the characters are over
drawn and every scene is decidedly
: true to life. Every community has
its originals and in That Printer
of Udell's'', Mr.. Wright has un-
doubtedly written strong story
J and a stronger play. From scene to
= scene, situation to situation, 1t
holds the attention of the audience
: spellbound, at cne moment conyuls-
ed with laughter and the next NOV
ed to tears. The lack of vital
Christianity in prominent church
members and the practical piety or
those from whom good works are
not looked for is sharply contrasted.
There is strength and virility COM
bined with a dramatic element that
prevents the strong undercurrent OF
true religion running through the
play, from becoming too evident and
thus dwindling into prosiness. There
is nothing preachy about That
Printer of Udells" and for old and
young, both sexes and all creeds, 1t
furnishes a fine instructive play, and
a delightful evenings amusement.