Evening journal., 1918-12-31
Attractions at the City Theatres
TEARS AND CHEERS in
"FRIENDLY ENEMIES
THE PLAyHOUSE-"Friendly Enemies
by Samuel Shipman and Aaron Hon-
man, presented by A. II, Woods,
THE CAST.


man, presented by A. II. Moods.
THE CAST,
Walter Stuart. t.........,....Lo Leonard Id'
Nora. .C8rewe Carve
Marie pfeifier. Nine. Augusta Burmcsiel
June Block.....,...,,.P0 Browning
Karl Pfeifer. r....s.,..s,ss.uus weinberg
Henry Block......,.....,.... cnear
William Pfellfer. Holland
Friendly Enemies" Is play that
kept the Playhouse audience slmultan-
eously laughing and crying last night
While frankly a play with a serious
lesson IN Americanlsm, everyone IN The
audience VIII endorse the statement
that every moment was crowded with
vivid interest and entertainment. The
theatre was filled from orchestra "a
gallery, and the audience was unusually
demonstrstlye IN It's applause
The story Of the play IS the opening
Of the eyes OF Decentralization
father TO the fact that the "Vaterlsnd'
Of his childhood has changed to peo-
pie who commit crimes against hu-
manity at the bidding OF military pow
er. Karl Pfelffer sticks to the lies In
his good old German paper" and de-
nominstes the truths in the American
papers as lies" He contributes money
to an eloquent agent Of the German en-
pire for the purpose OF bringing about
peace.
Then things happen fast His boy
hood chum. his wife. his future dsugh-
ter-in-law, side with America. and the
last blow Of all, his only son Joins the
American army and announces he is 10
sail for France on the morrow 10 tight
against Germany. In an affecting scene
the father pleads with the boy not to
fight against his own relations. and de
nies the truth Of Hun atrocities. lie
says II these atrocities We're true. he
himself would fight against Germany.
The boy sails for France Within
half an hour comes the news that Ger
man agents have sunk the troop trans
port and the boy Is missing. The strick-
en- father learns that 10 Is his own
money contribution that has fUghished
tho Germans with means io-sink the
ship. From the German master spy's
own lips, he learns tlG terrible pro-
gram OF the Germanx.
OF course tlie boy comes back safely
in the last act. and the play ends In q
way 30 please all good Americans The
audieEte applauded vigorously when
old Karl tore and burned the pictures
o.tehis idolized lIohenzollern and Hin
denburg and replaced them with Wash
ington and Wilson The audience had
a perfectly lovely time when the young
Lieutenant was rescued and returned to
the bosom or his family And the
audience expressed rs deep joy IN audi
bic sighs OF "Oh. boyi" when Papa Karl
and his old chum Henry Block trapped
and arrested the German master spy.
So much for the serious part OF the
play, depicting scenes and arguments
which have been more or less repeated
In thousands Of divided German-Ameri-
can households during the war. Gus
Weinberg. as Papa Karl, did splendid
ly strong bit Of acting that made his
auditors sympathize with the hard pO-
siuon OF q man placed between two
allegiances. His was the most difficult
role in the play and 10 was strikingly
well done
So much for the serious side OF the
play It had also a very funny side
The lines were exceedingly clever and
the Characteristic German idiOms which
The older generation employed in their
English was used with humorous ef-
feet without being exaggerated Papa
Karl aud Friend Henry fought repeated
Ally-German battles, with Mamma
Marie's dishes. demolishing the china
whenever the Allies broke through The
Hindenberg line. Mamma had a habit
of carrying away important cities when
clearing the table.
The noted housekeeping Of a German
hausfrau. who cannot bear a speck Of
dust. and the tyranny OF German faith
err. even when exercised by a kindly
man like Papa Karl, were much in
evidence. Al Shean. as Friend Henry,
gave a delectably funny performance,
with deal OF solid common sense be-
hind the fun.
Friendly Enemies" VIII be shown at
the Playhouse tonight and tomorrow
with a New Years matinee.