The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-13
SRAGOING SHOW
SHIPS NOVELTY
Punch and Judy Theatre on
Lafaycttc's Deck Is to
Be a Feature.
PURSER A

There is a Punch and Judy theatre in
port Just nov which is entirely different
and apart from the we'll known play
U Of that name In West Forty ninth
street. This other p. and J. IL on board
the new French liner Lafayette, which
q now making her maiden trip. 1t is
~ay up high, on the GOAT deck. In fact.
70 there is plenty Of light for afternoon
urposes and plenty of electric bulbs
{ anything should be put on at night.
Interesting comedies are to be pro-
luced in this %seagoing playhouse for the
benefit Of the hundreds of children who
will travel on the French ship. On the
irst Voyage nothing but rehearsals were
1eld and II was impossible to get n new
clay ready for a regular performance.
The frst play to be produced will prob
ably be a dramatized version OF Prosper
Merimee's COLUMBIA made into "A first
rate comedy by Purser Combesgio OF
he Lafayette.
As Purser Combeggio IL u tall and
searded Corsican he naturally takes a
kTtht luttTtSt I1 tHe StoTN VI MtTlfltt =
heroine. Probably all Corsicans. whether
hey are tall and bearded or not, take
an Interest in columbia too. but few
have such "a good chance to put her on
he stage.
1T is such n true and vivid picture
81 Corsica" aid the purser, that ]
think we ought to make "A very careful
production of the play. But. OF course
what is the use of making II tragedy
put of COLUMBIA for our purposes
The world is really 80 full Of tragedy
and sorrow just now that / think tina
our COLUMBIA had better be a comedy
although this will take nothing from
the essential atmosphere OF the story.
"Then again. as our audiences are ap,
to be Of impressionable age. we W
Seeded not to convey any tragic ideals
which might affect them in later years
Therefore not only COLUMBIA but the
rest Of our productions, will be along
lighter lines. al II We're"
Mr.. Combeggio. who Is 80 he the
general director OF the new theatre. then
showed the setting for the first act. II
was "a nice brown. old spanish city with
towers and balconies and all that sort
Of thing-with craggy looking hills in
the distance.
Also the general director introduced
some OF the principal players. one OF
whom was the admiral who arrives IN
charge OF the fleet just in time to rescue
COLUMBIA from her Teutonic captors.
A man OF very few words was the
admiral. but with ar expressive pair OF
arms which really worked with the
~uuickness and precision Of semaphores
and with which he gives most OF his
orders. Also there was "A jolly looking
young man known as RdFles wearing n
top hat and a very rakish expression.
In fact his hat was tipped to one side
n he positively looked as II he had
"a drop In, old chap" The general
director asserted. however. that he was
not a drinking man-that he had
Knocked Off soon after the war started.
Also a general nd a gypsy were
there and other minor members of the
company-all In costume as II they had
been having a dress rehearsal or some
thing. Like the admiral they too seemed
to he persons OF few words. In fact II
gave one the impression that the men,
bers OF the new floating Punch and
Judy believed more in acting than in
talking.
Such indeed was the case, for so Gen
eral Director Combeggio said-and Az
he is a tall and bearded Corsican he
ought 10 know.