Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-08-27
DOWN LIMERICK
WAY AT GRAND
Fiske O'Hara VIII Open Theatrical
Season in DecOrah Thursday,
Sept. II i'm New Irish
Comedy.
POPULAR SONGS
ON THE PROGRAM
This Play is the Most Pop-lar One
That OHara Has Appeared in
in Several Years

The following is taken from the
Minneapolis Journal, where Fiske
O'Hara opened with his new play at
the Metropolitan. 1t comes to De-
corah to open the Grand on Thurs
day, Sept. IL.
There was no sugar shortage when
Down Limerick Way was written.
Anna Nichols has devised this latest
play Of fairies and Ireland and ro-
nance and Our Hero with a pen
dipped in treacle. 1t oozes sweetness
Just as did the Rachel Crothers and
Hartley Manners plays on which it
obviously is founded And because
Miss Nichols now has her dramatic
tailoring establishment we'll under
way, she has fitted Fiske OHara
with the best place he has had since
he trusted himself to her guidance,
The ancient story of the guardian
who falls in love with his ward is
tricked out with new furbelows and
irish greatcoats in his merry three
act comedy now at the Metropolitan.
There is the arrival of the little lassie
in her seedy black and her curt dis
missal by the hauty sister to the
kitchen. But will Our Hero stand for
such treatment of the redhaired Ell
len? Not he. 'She shall Sleep" he
declares with wave of his hand to
indicate the magnificance OF the idea
she shall sleep in the Queens
Suite" Imagine the embarrassment
of the hauty sister! What a rousing
curtain it makes! And so we go with
the good old sentimental touchs---
even baby being dragged in to give
Our, Hero a chance to sing Dear
Little Angel From Heaven" while
; in the third act everyone has a
chance to wear their fancy dress
clothes and then OiHara comes out
resplendent in blue silk and velvet
for all the world like an English
beefeater. 1t is harmless, wholesome
foolery, written rather expertly.
Certain it is that Down Limerick
Way" will prove the most popular
play O'Hara has had in several years.
There are, of course, the inevitable
four songs which bring the majority
of the theatre goers. O'Hara, buIking
bigger than ever, sings as effortless-
ly and with the same clear, sympa-
thetic tone as in previous years.
His voice, If anything, is better than
it has been and it is heard to great
advantage in the "Acushla Machree,'
decidedly the most musicanly song
Of the four, although the popular
plaudits will go to swinging new
! number by Ben Jerome, IF They'd
Only Give Old Ireland to the Irish,"
sung with good taste in lieu of a
curtain speech. Mrs. O'Hara, red
wigged and lightfooted, is again the
playful colleen, whom Our Hero gra-.
ciously consents to make his bride,
playing with the same charm and
matter OF fact manner that makes
her one Of our most reliable ingeu-
ues. The proud sister Of this Cinder-
ella fable is done with fine dramatic
flavor and appreciation of values by
/ Nan Bernard, who looks strikingly
handsome in series of picturesque
costumes. j. P. Sullivan and James
Miller, always to be found in the o.
| Hara company, reappear and w. T.
Sheehan draws an excellent portrait
of the wandering fortune teller.
Laurette Allen is welcomed back as
the mother and the play is salts
factorily mounted Extra members in
the orchestra help to furnish pleas
ant entr'acte music.
Down Limerick Way" is happy
little sugar plum Of play. Some
time, however, We hope to get back
the good oldfashioned Irish drama
with the evictions, the escape of the
Iedcoats and love in the moonlight.
Those were the days.