Evening journal., 1917-11-17


"once Upon a Time Rachel Croth-
ers thought she would write a play for
Chauncey Olcott that would be different
from any in which the blithe, warbline
stellar son Of Erin ever had appeared
OF course she realized that she could
not dissoclate entirely Olcott from the
character that has made him famous In
stagedom, but she fell-and believed
that she could build a pleasing, fanciful
play around Chauncey that would en-
dear him more than ever TO theatre
goers.
So she wrote "Once Upon a Time.
or spun and wove is fantastic web
around Olcott and a superior cast. and
unfolded IL before large Wilmington
audience last night, It having been
given its premiere in Atlantic City
earlier in the week
"Once Upon a Time" as its name
implies, is somewhat akin TO a fairy
story, replete with It's beautiful lady.
It's love disappointment ghosts Of the
past, the Tilted prince and the returning
princess to gladden. his later days and
atone for his remorse
And through the four chapters OF
the story Chauncey olcotted and ro-
manoed and sang and became happier,
and the audience liked him better than
In any Paddy Whack part he had
ever portrayed
He was the same Chauncey Olcott
OF old and he had all the charming
mannerisms, the engaging brogue, the
gamut OF infections and expressive
countenance as In bygone days, and
with II all he gave a wonderful inter-
probation OF the character OF Terry
O'Shaughnessy, who. with the pesslmism
OF denied love in his heart and optimism
for his invention on which he has con-
trived for years in his mind, has an
airy and cheering little girl trust into
his life-the child Of his scapegoat
brother, whose mother Just had died.
she Is bubbling over with the dreams
OF fairies and fairyland, and Terry falls
under her spell. Unwittingly, In her
childish Imagination, she unrayels a
once upon time" tale that paints his
past love adventure and asks land
what became OF the beautiful lady ?"
How the beautiful lady once more
comes into Terry's life and remains
lhere through the binding tie Of little
Patsy is one OF the many charming
features OF charming story.
Mr.. Olcott sang and acted his best.
and a book written about him could not
say more. He sang four new songs in
MS sweetest tones-and he still has
them, don't forget His songs were
Come Back TO Ireland and me-" my
irish Song Of Songs" MY Little Col
leen' and "Once Upon a Time"
While Olcott Is the star, he has TO
looked carefully after his laurels, al
though he probably is glad TO shore
them with little Bonnie Marie. as
patsy the darllngest, cleverest stage
cnild seen in Wilmington for a long.
Ions time. She is wonderful as an
actress, and captivated the audience
last night by her splendid, natural in
depreciation OF just child with a
Wlnsome way and a keen mind.
Ihe remainder Of the company is
Just as high class. Il must have been
handpicked' by COhan and Harris and
MISS Crothers. Miss Jessie Ralph. as
Lizzie, the loving guardian OF little
fatsy, was inlmitable. She was Of the
aud sod in her loyal, kindly way
without exaggeration 10 take an edge
on her portrayal. And Ethel Wilson.
as Mary, the returning beautiful lady
was hne to behold and to listen TO-
even though somewhat youthful To
bridge the gap Of years her part called
Tor. But one could forgive that
After the fnal curtain Mr.. Olcott re-
sponded TO the applause with a little
speech, in which he remarked that the
play, like Patsy's clothes, was. trife
too big and would be cut down. Possi-
bly, he meant that some of the tank
would be eliminated from the first act
"Once Upon a Time" viii be repeated
this afternoon and night.