New Britain herald., 1918-04-30
!. N. 7. A. & B. SHOW
GUES 'jvtk I'LL TOP
Excellent Performance Of "FOrty.
Five Minutes From Broadway"

were cSta blS1ed last evening at the
Lyceum through the production of
| 'Forty-Five Minutes From Broad
| way under the auspices of the Young
Mems Fetal Abstinence and Benefit so
ciety: without question, the per
| Torrance was the best that has ever
| been presented by an amateur cast
| il this city: In every respect il was
| deserving of maximum praise and
! was st credit to the young women
; and men who made it possible.
| George NJ: Cohan, himself, would
| agree, had he been present, that the
| production was finished as could
| be expected from a non pre- fessienal
east
| The principal chara eters were ad-
| mira bly, suited TO their roles and car
rted their parts to 81 degree APP
! rroa ching perfection that the public
| probably considered unbelievable.
| One noteworthy feature vas the
| smoothness with which the plot was
| unfolded, not q disturbing element,
| SO frequent in the usual amateur
| performances, marfing the show
| from the beginning to- the finale.
| It must be considered that ''FoFty-
Five Minutes From Broadway is in
| terf1ationally famous, The leading
! characters having been men and
| women of high stamp IN the theatri-
cal world: This in Itself makes all
th" more eFeditabie the Showing Of
the New Britain Thespians, as they
were Handicapped from the moment
The vehicle was selected by their high
aim: They had & goal which is sell
dom sought off the professional stage.
That they attained that goal Is some
thing on which the society and the
performers are to be congratulated.
Ne better selection fer the role Of
Mary Jane Jenkins, around whom the
plot revelves, could have been made
than Miss Margaret O'Leary, who
made a charming. sweet character
and who surrounded herself with the
proper atmosphere that Is the most
difficult task ef those aspiring to fol-
lew In the footsteps Of Fay Temple
ton, who was the original MARY.
Miss p'Leery+ carried the dir of the
renehalant. witty, tender-he ca rted
servant girl In an admirable manner.
| Ak no time did she falter In her
! lines, q fact deserving of comment in
| view Of the rapid fire repartee her
lines call fer: Her singing was also
! very seed and 1t Is safe to say she
was the NEST popular young woman
on either eide Of the feotlights when
! the curtain descended
Aaieetives are futile (whatever dat
n1eans) In paying tribute to James
| fenahae as 'tKid'' Burns, whose vo~
| CAPILLARY consisted of q limited few
| choice phrases which the residents of
Reaeen street, Boston, would prob
ably consider the vehicle of speech
Of the residents of Bernee. Mr.. Don
ahae fitted the role to IL r and made
splendid opposite fer Miss O'Leary.
In pathes or comedy he was the
seintlliatinx male character Of the
blav and the duet sung by Miss
0'Iaearv and Mr.. Denahua was one
of HE lnansi bright gong numbers on
the program:
Mrs: R4ae Dillon Connolly also was
happy selection fer The character
Of Mrs: David Dean, the mother who
was determined to- marry her daugh-
ter eff to q millionaire. Her haugh~
tiness and sham anger. followed i'm
mediate4y by q eeneiliatory mood
when she saw the million slipping
fren her grasp, were we'll portrayed.
Miss Nellie Burke was ideal an
Fleraaera Dean, footlight favorite
and daughter of Mrs. David Dean. |
Although her role calls for less
prominence than other female mem
bets Of the company. sho did that 1T
tie well:
Thomas Cream never won SO much |
praise nea' ever created such q favor |
able impression during his appear
anee in theatrica1s than he did last |
night as TeH4 Bennett who suddenly |
inherited D. million and d lot Of fe |
male tfeuble with 1t, AS the gay MIL
lienaire entertaining all the folks in |
New Reehelle, or the wrathful near
husband turning on his near-mo thor
in=lew he was equally at home.
Tears tears, nothing but tears |
seemed ts figure In the damp. weepy [
life of Mrs. Purdy, which character !
was enacted by Miss Julia Grove In a |
manner that reached right over the |
feotiiglts and won grip on tho !
hearts In the audience. 1t Is an easy !
matter to laugh on the stage but it |
requires on actress Of unusual merit
to weep her way through three acts
and convey the impression that her
tears are genuine.
Andrew Basso. George Campbell
and Edward Sheehy, as James Blake,
Daniel C'renin and Andy Gray the
butler) respectively could probably
not have been excelled by any other
local thcspians. Each Is deserving Of
credit for polish and thoroughness
that bespeak genuine talent
Others who appeared in speaking
roles were Henry Rose, Owen Sulli-
van and james Martin New York
reporters were portrayed by Fred Nc
Enroe. Urban Callahan, John Smith
and Vincent Ringrose. AS an expert
ment, we will instruct all members
OF the Herald staff to do a song and
dance In the reception room of all
homes they visit tomorrow, just to
see what happens.
Mr.. Ziegfeld, reputed for his ia