The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-11-25
ADJUSTMENTS
''The Better ole 81

The Better ole.
The spirit Of Jack Falstaff is in the
fun and the inimitable Characterization
BY De Wolf Hopper of the part "old
BIZ in "The Better ole" the swash-
buckling ~eomradeship Of THE Three
Musketetrs' permeates the adventures
Of Old BIZ, Bert HAIRY MNauEhtonl
ahu an tNlctor DYER, and throughout
me play, which was presented at the
Lyric Monday night. there runs ths
llne conception Of duty OF the British
syioleF not without, now and then a
tOuch OF satire on red tape which has
Z Guoert and Sullivan smack Anv
person who doesn't believe the British
nave a sense of humor should sill
through the performance Of this classic
ana be convinced that previous ideas
81 density Of the denizens OF the eight
ltue isle have been dynamited by the
explosions from the pen or typewriter
o. the author, Capt. Bruce BARNS
An epitome of the wal is .'The Ret.
tef ole'-an epitome of the experiences
on those boys who went through the
nell over there" Old Bib is a world
charaeter-one that viii survive recol.
lections of D~udendorff. Won Tirpitz
et al True, Old Bill is a Cockney, but
NN ~ DiHs up ITO0N from
the ranks Of the mule drivers from Mis-
souri, and Kansas, the cowboys Of
Iexas, the farmer boys of Indiana the
mountain boys Of Tennessee, the plains
men and woodsmen of Canada and Ans
rama, and from every land which sent
Tor a decent world.
Two thousand francs" says Old Bill
wneh ne dupes the German spy who pays
that price for the supposed return OF
q map. "Blime me, that's so 'CAlid.'
80 Guild means 5000 mugs OF beeri',
Wnat l~ong-haired 'pussyfooter' would
step in the way Of Old Bill and his TO-
zoo mugs OF beer IL he wanted them?
va Bill wins the cross Of the legion
OF honor, is cited for the V, c. but
lhe human old boy is happier to settle
DOWN at The Better OLE the "Pub''
Maggie, his wife, bought while he was
away, and have his flagon of ale, his
peer, his port and his good friends for
the rest of his life.
someone has written that censors in
some or the pink shirted, censored
states have forbidden the depicting OF
saIoons and barrooms in picture shows
sta 'nGaters' II Kansas, or any other
state' should bar THE Better OLE for
ms reason could wish no worse
ave on a mortal enemy than to tell
MN 10 die n go to Kansas.
Mr. Honpers voice and his big heart
are deep as the rocky caverns" from
mnlch the d~eep-voiced %neighboring
cents disconsolate, answer he wall n
the lorest,' but the authors concep-
Ton of the symphony Of the trenches
ooes not end with old Bii.'
Inc tenor of Victor Dyer's Juvenile
sort 81 a part and the baritone Of the
brings a trio of human harmony 10 he
heart strings not unaccompanied by a
Oiue note, however, o and then or
d yelloW one to cause a laugh.
me reed section Of the instrument
p pRUn ia which Captain %Bairnsfather
war workers had they appeared IN
al their pulchritude on a real battle
ned, would have ended the war forth.
Win. or else demoralized The army to
an lgnominous defeat with the shafts
from their starry eyes. The steam OF
praise, pops through the valve of the
governor, or whatever 1t pops through,
When attempt Is made to do Justice to
tne femininity with which Mr.. Hopper
surrounds himself.
Marcia Able must be a French girl,
LOT she rolls the purling notes of her
own Vernacular and her broken English
through a pair Of lips which sent dream,
ing the eyes OF many lads in uniform
Monday night, and made many old
neads wish. they had been drafted and
S'N .CNSt ~ cNGl IL IL u1eNeT led 10
anything greater than getting shot and
IVictoire. ""0
Marguerite st. Clair as Angelo. Lou
Use Davidson, captain OF the Women
war workers, Kinda Hand as Barthe,
u the sparkle into songs, lines and
situations like that old LIQUID 10y me-
dium, now almost extinct, maiufac-
tured by the brothers Mumm of Rheims,
France.
Cut it,. Should an attempt be made
to describe the Dianas, A%phrodites,
helens, Joans, ad, lib. of Mr.. Hopper's
company, this notice would run over
on the market or sporting page and
that wouldn't be nice,
The music of THE Better ,oler is by
Herman Darewski and Percival knight,
Songs which work we'll into the action
Regiment Of Our own" with a short
coyey OF squads is a bright spot, Car
rylng On" and I'VE wish we Were in
Blighty," by the trio, Old Bill, Bert
and All. received the greatest praise.
Mn Hopper renders Venus de Milo
IN the "Hopper-esque' style of Wang,
Dick Dead Eye and other parts,
II. F.. Woodley's rich baritone in the
song, When You Look Into the Heart
or a Rose penetrated into the being
of everyone and gave to the musical
ksettlng its theme. If such 1t be called.
mr., Hopper, Of course, gave 2 cur
show without one, and in this as in his
odd Bill he has grown better, mel
lowed with age. So quaint were his
remarks and so imbued with humor,
touched with pathos (never really out
even the gray and bald headed, had the
temerity Of ever thinking Of calling for
Casey at the Bat"
THE Better OLE will conclude the