New Britain herald., 1916-11-28
.LYCEUM COMPANY
 IS HERE TO STAY
Makes Hit Before Small Audience
 on Opening Night

Last night marked the opening of the season at the Lyceum theater and New Britain's first nighters'' had an opportunity to see in action the new musical stock company The Lyceum Players chose as their introductory number, ""The Time, the Place, and the Girl" an old-time favorite which enabled them to interpolate new lines and situations any many songs of the day, although the old favorites of that musical comedy have not been aban- doned entirely
 While the audience was small, it was appreciative, nevertheless, and nearly all of the singers were forced to respond to encores The play proved that the cast can sing and dance and while the score was not strictly adhered to the musical num- bers made a hit Among the favorites of "The Time, the Place and the Girl," several other songs were interspersed with good effect
 
 donna, is to be congratulated on the manner in which she handled her lines and her songs. As a win~one nurse Miss Campbell is the 4 hub around which the play turns. It Is easy to understand why man might throw himself off a moving trolley car and get a broken arm just so Miss Campbell might nurse him. "Auf Widersehn" properly belongs to an- other popular musical comedy but 1t lost none of it's sweetness by being sung by Miss Campbell in the Lyceum entertainment.
 "Blow the Smoke Away" sung by William Meehan, set lots of folks in the audience to dreaming. It was effectively rendered and assistance was given by the beauty chorus and a male quartet. "The Waning Honeymoon" by Miss Campbell, also was well re- ceived. It was while she was singing this number that the audience realized beyond doubt that the company has a prima donna whose voice bids fair to make New Britain her residence for a long period.
 Miss Leona Courtney. a mere slip of a girl, also contributed greatly to the success of the opening night. Miss Courtney is a versatile young woman and her accomplishments are numer- ous. As a singer or dancer she is equally at home. Her Don't You Tell" was probably the best number of her program although "It's Awful Lonesome Tonight" should not be overlooked. With Walter Wills, the male hit of the entire show, she made a1 admira ble partner. The public should realize that in Mr. Wills the Lyceum has secured a genuine com e. dian, who was just born to make peo- pie laugh. As a dancer, MT. Wills has no peer and he is equally as graceful twisting his body into a pretzel- shaped pose as he is when bent on the humble, but difficult, task of wra apping himself around an oblong of air like the label on 8 can of soup. MT. Meehan establishing his popu- larity with "Blow the Smoke Away" and George Bogues with Turn Back the Universe" Ralph Sipperly was good as the wealthy rustic who would part with his appendix as quickly as his bankrCle. Adrian s. Perrin gave a clever impersonation of an Italian organ grinder who had lost his
 m onk". So clever, indeed, that we were on the point of rushing down to the Bronx zoo to get him another one u0til we realized that it ~was only on the stage.
 The entire company made a very favorable impression and if given i proper support, should remain in New Britain for the rest of the winter. 1 It is a good singing chorus and the girls show plenty of vivacity