The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-08-07
Superb Presentation OF Turn
To The Right Makes Big
Impression
PLAY is FILLED WITH
SMILES AND TEARS
Killarney Girls In Opening
Number Score Big With
The Audience

Edwin M. Whitney, who furnished
the latter part of the program for the
chautauqua's first night in Mt Yer
non this season and whose ability 10
now undoubted by Mt Vernon people
who heard him, presented the play by
Winchell Smith, Turn to the Right"
in truly exquisite manner, being cor
daily welcomed by the audience which
nearly filled the large tent.
The play itself made sensational
runs in Chicago and New York, ex-
clusively, the two original companies
having presented it at those cities, no
others being able to secure permission
panies are still playing it on tours
throughout the country. The fact that
it is being presented by the two COM
panies exclusively emphasizes the good
fortune of Mr.. Whitney in securing the
rights of presentation from the author,
Winchell Smith
Following a short program by the
, Killarney Girls, f. NJ. Whitney, super
intendent of the chautauqua, present
ed Edwin M. Whitney. The personal
magnetism of Mr.. Whitney, the enter
tainer, gripped the audience almost
Immediately. Not during the entire two
hours which he held the platform did
Mr. Whitney once lose the attention of
the people who listened to him in his
presentation of the play.
DIFFERENT CHARACTERS
The characters of the play are so diff
ficult to portray and are of such a pc
culiar, and yet so commonplace, type
that the plays presentation in such
manner that the full meaning is con-
veyed to the audience requires one
who is highly talented in the work.
The refinement of some of the char
acters, the roughness of others were
brought out by Mr.. Whitney with won
derful eXactness. The pathos of the
play with touch of humor here and
there We're emphasized by the monolo-
SlSI Ill an aDie manner.
The play opens with the prologue
and continues throughout with three
acts, the last of which is very short.
but delightful. The first scene brings
to the front the principal characters,
Joe Bascombe, who has just finished
term at Sing Sing prison for stealing
q l.
which he declares he is lin love with"
Two pals, Mugs, a thief, and Gilly,
an expert safe-cracker, meet Bascombe
in a Jewish pawnshop and attempt to
persuade the eX-convict, now deter
mined in his effort to reform and go
home, to help them with little "job." "
He refuses.
The first act opens and finds Mrs,
Bascombe, Joe's mother and Betty, his
sister, making preserves, for which
Mrs. Bascombe Is famous In the ada
cent country. Jessie Strong, a neigh
Dor girl, comes in and later Elsie Til
linger, Joe's former sweetheart. The
girls go to their homes to prepare for
prayer meeting. A light is placed in
during the whole year his family did
not hear from him-when he was in
Sing Sing.
face appears at the window as
Mrs. Bascombe prays. 1t is Joe. A foot
step is heard on the porch and Joe
enters.
Mother Bascombe tells Joe that Dea
con Tillinger, the village rich man and
at the same time the village Shylock
holds a bill against them for groceries
of 1925. ice tells his mother that he
will attend to that. Mrs. Bascombe
and Betty leave and go to the kitchen
to prepare supper for Joe when O
knock is heard at the door. Joe opens
it and there stands Mugs and Gilly
They had not followed him, but had
been sidetracked in boX-car in which
they were riding.
Joe tells his pals his predicament
but Mrs. Bascombe interrupts him
Mugs and Gilly are invited to supper
by Mrs. Bascombe, and they accep
with a bit of persuasion on the part o
Joe. Mugs and Gilly are introduced
as Mr. Mccarthy and Mr.. Gilbert, bust
ness friends of Joe's.
{ A plan is Matched by Mugs ant
! Gilly to secure $125 from Deacon TIL
j linger's safe, which they do. The dea
con comes to the home while Joe Il