The sun., 1916-12-18
PRIARS AT SHINDIG,
DIAMOND jim TOO
Have First Club FrOlic of the
Winter in Their Own
Real Theatre.
"HIT OF SEASON" GIVEN
All Doubt About It's Being a
Regular Show Removed
by Mr.. Brady.

The Friars. who have a new clubhouse
in West Firty-eighth street that comes
close to being the only club In town Of
character. archltecturalIy speaking tnot
knocking the club spiritually or morally,
gave their first club frolic OF the winter
last night In their own real theatre with
the help Of crates of brother Frars who
are real actors and real playwrights.
The Importance of the shindig dramati-
cally may be gauged by the fact that
wedged some place in the long bill was a
premier performance of play by a
member OF the club who. according ~
Booth Harrington. Is Americas great
est playwright" the same being Friar
Eugene Walter. And Newt u. Tarking-
ton. remember. is By way OF being a
playwright himself
Nevertheless and despite the real play
wrights, players and theatre. the first
number on the bill, a musical skit by
Frlars Maurice T.. Marks and Louis A.
Hirsch. called THE Hit of the Season" :"
had got we'll on its ha-ha way and still
something seemed amiss. One felt n
sense Of something false about the whole
occasion.
Reality stalks In.
And then OF an instant reality stalked
In upon the happy little gathering.
Through a side door came set of pearl
shirt suds about the size Of those hail
stones which always are as large as hens
eggs In the next days reports OF the
great storm. The pearls were surrounded
by diamonds and rubies and amethysts
and eneralds and were connected with
and followed Immediately by Friar Dia-
mond Jim Brady. Diamond jim walked
straight down to the only vacant seat
A-One-and from that time on there was
no doubt that one was attending 4 real
show In "A regular showshop.
The programme. TO take II up in serial
sequence OF the important events. began
with Il picture on the front page OF Friar
Jack Gleason by Friar Harrison Fisher.
that eminent illustrator and cover de-
signer who depicts only extreme beauty.
Friar Gleason was Sicturci in colors.
mostly vivid pink, wearing friarly
cowl. Many thousht the picture even
better than the one which recently ran
through the evening papers over Jack
GlcaSon's Endorsement Of Sloan's l.ni-
ment.
AS Frlar Diamond Jim entered the
front row Friars Doyle and Dixon OF
''Thc Century Girl" company entered the
stage as the TirO OR Jokes OF the plot
Of THE Hit Of the Season Instantly
they remarked In part
Bcholi In us tao ancient jokes
'puylrl I'm Hap WHrd'
tDiNonl I'm Hon Nuk"-'
Doyle aud DiXonl For we're the pride Of
all show folks
,poylcI Han ward CDiNonl Hon N'kcs'
Anyway "The Hit of the season" came
10 an end finally amid hilarity and then
everybody patted Diamond Jim's scenery
and hefted his ring until 4, was time for
the first performance OF Gene Walter 5
one act "Friendship' TO get under way.
one Detail Lacking.
Whoever set the stage for Friend
ship" which was supposed 20 take place
In the apartments OF an actor, had re-
mcmhercd every detail except one. There
wasn't a single photograph Of the actor
In his own apartment-otherw.sc the
setting was perfection.
Luckily for the producers the cast was
working for nothing las. night, Tor
"Frlendship'' WAS performed 10y none
others than Friars Harry r. McStdycr.
cyril Keightly. Lewis Edgard. Paul
Harvey. Fred Tidcn and Charles Mather.
II told the story OF young actor who,
despite his past. was going 10 marry a
broadway queen. despite her past, and
OF the way the Young actors friends
saved him from making fool of him.
self "FIiendship" as a performance
brought forth some of the finest acting
seen in seasons and the little play was
built up and written In a manner shat
brought oheers-not mere applause, hut
Wild cheers--from the crowded club
house when Gene Walter delivered his