Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-12-07

Since the first official announcement
that the Cherrians. were to produce
Richard Harding Davis celebrated com
edy, 1.-THE Dictator" at the Grand on
the l4th and 18th, great many people
have been asking just what kind of a
play "The Dictator is, and what it is
all about. OF course you probably know
all about "The Dictator'' yourself, be-
cause it is perhaps the best known Am
eriean comedy on the stage at the pres
ent time. But in case you shouldn't,
and in case your neighbor thinking
you were o highbrow, or something like
that should ask you about it, You can
just tell him this:
"The Dictator" is melodramatic.
farce-comedy. Again, please9 Yes,
that's what it is-a melodramaticf farce.
comedy. Never heard of such a thing ?
Well, nobody else ever did, either, until
Richard Harding Davis invented it.
"The Dictator" is new brand of dra-
matte composition. Like 4 certain wide
ly-advertised brand of cigar, it stands
all alone "in a class-separate.p Per
haps that accounts for its having scored
the longest continuous run, both in New
ever written, and perhaps. that is why
William Collier, admittedly the world 5
foremost legitimate comedian, made the
biggest hit of his career in this play
"The Dictator has been called a melo-
matie-farce-comedy because, while
the situations are farcical in the ex-
treme, and while its famous author has
injected laugh into practically every
line of the play, the plot itself is as
exciting as the mellowest melodrama
that ever thrilled gallery god. 1t
combines the punch, the laugh, and the
thrill so cleverly that it "gets" you
right from the opening scene, and new
er let's 60 of you until the drop os the
curtain at the end of the third act.
So remarkable a.play calls, of course,
for n remarkable cast to play it, and
the Cherrians have certainly corraled
the most remarkable collection of anna
teur stars that has aver graced our local
boards. One of the most remarkable,
end in certain respects the most remark
able of all the Cherrian crew which will
shine in "The Dictator" is f. Cooke
Patton, actor, hypnotist, and three-card-
who will be seen in the emo
tional role of DIR. Vasquez, the health
officer of Porto Banos-the capital of
the Central American republic of San
Manana, where the action of the play
takes place, and where revolutions are
as common as politicians, generals, and
yellow fever. Cooke Patton, as the ex-
Citable doctor, makes his first entrance
by mysteriously sneaking on board the
steamer Bolivar which is Just enter
ing the harbor of Porto Banos. He
comes to warn the new American consul
George Snyder who two weeks before
had financed revolution with the idea
of making himself dictator of San Man
ana, not to 20 ashore. He tells him that
there has been revolution.
Revolution!" says the grating
American consul, "why l made the rev
olution."
"Yes," whipers the hvsterical Vas
uuez, 1.-TWO weeks ago, but not last
Tuesday" Then in burst of conf.
dence and emotion he proceeds to tell
the consul that the old president, Gen
,ral Rivas (rom Kayl has been defeat
I'd, and that new president, General
Gampos tChas. L. Hickl is now in pow
,r. Cooke Patton S description of the |
great battle. in which Campos, with |
$4,000, defeated Rivas, and in which |
i've privates and % generals were
is one of the big treats of the |
llay. Cooke is the very embodiment of |
atic-faree-comedv acting. As
hundreds of Salem people know, he is q !
iplendid actor in most any kind OF eom- |
'dy, but in the above mentioned ultra. |
.hn,., ta1 80, L Ill