Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-05-09
Lytell- Vaughan Co. Scores
Another Success; Story is
Absorbing

George NJ. Cohan's ability to put it
over" was never better shown than in
THE Miracle Man." with which the
Lytell-Vaughan Company last night
opened the week. at the Bijou theater.
It's a combination Of almost impos-
sible dramatic elements into COM
edy-drama of absorbing interest.
THE CAST
(In the order of their first appear
ance.) -. I. H.
Doc Madison. ........ Bert Lytell
Martha Higgings. :, 49,. Jane DarweH
Hiram Higgins, proprietor of the
Congress Hotel. 49,. VIM. Amsdell
Harry Evans, alias Paleface Harry"
..N.............. Alexis Luce
Michael Coogan, alias The Hopper
............... Henry Simmer
Betty Higgins Jessie Shoulder
The Patriarch Il. Ethelbert d. Hales
Bobby, bellboy at the Congress Ho-
tel. ........,..... Ernest Van Pelt
Helena. ....... Evelyn Vaughan
David, the Patriarch's servant. 49,.
!...... Ernest Van Pelt
Mary Holmes. Mae Thorne
Eddie Holmes, her brother ........ 81
.................. Phillips Tead
Tom Holmes, her father. 49,.
Charles Edlel
The almost impossible elements Co.
han has utilized are four crooks =,
three masculine and one feminine -
in a small town of Maine; benevo-
lent old hermit with magical healing
powers, known as The Patriarch; and
a series of situations in which the
grotesque, the farcical, the pathetic
and the fnelodramatic intermingle in
such rapid sequence that the audience
never knows what's coming next.
Only Cohan's stagecraft and the
careful playing of the actors prevents
the story from being wholly absurd.
The figure OF The Patriarch, and the
successive scenes in which his strange
psychic influence on the four crooks
is revealed, would be glaringly false
but for such subtle redeeming touches
that they are not noticeable except in
the interest with which the audience
is plainly held. -"4
Honors are we'll shared by the men,
bers Of the LyteIl-Vaughan Company.
II would not be a Cohan play if there
were not strong emphasis on the CON-
edy side, and one Of the comedy roles
Is so splendidly conceived that in
some respects it is the biggest of the
play. This is the part of The Flop
per" fat crook who pretends he is
a hopeless cripple except when among
his boon companions. Then he leaps
from his. wheel-chair with all the
ease of college athlete. Henry Shu-
mer. whose role as the insane Bon
ey, was the big hit of last week, has
another fine chance this week as the
"Flopper," and gives another sterling
performance. He already is a big
favorfte with the theater-goerS.
Bert Lytelrs role does not suit him
as well as previous ones have done.
He is the most polished as well as
the NEST cynical and hardened crook
OF the four and does all with his part
that could be done, but it has no big
opportunities because even his big
moments are negative rather than
positive-suIrenders rather than &C.
ton. a
Miss Evelyn Vaughan's role as the
feminine crook who goes straight"
is likewise lacking in real opportu-
nifty to show the ability she possesses.
1t is almost totally without light
touches. "a. .~......
The latter half is set in a forlorn key
which, while exactly as the story de-
mands, is not of the attractive sort.
But because the story demands it, all
OF the roles are played as they should