The Washington herald., 1920-02-13
PRINCETON CLUB
PLAYERS PLEASE
LARGE AUDIENCE

The Isle. Of Surprise" given by the
princeton Triangle Cluo al the Be-
lasco yesterday afternoon makes
one woEder IL we can longer COM
plime3t such a performance hy say
ing II 10 not amateurish. In other
words, IL was as good a musical
comedy as any Washington has
seen for some seasons and better
than many. There were so rinny
persons who handled their parts
with particular skill that ir would
be difficult to name them.
The plot-for II had n plot--is
laid in the Isle OF Hushibar, Brit
ish India. The time In the future
The first act takes place In the
courtyard OF the hotel, whore we
meet the Murad of Hurshibar, Prince
Abul Abadegg. heir by adoption to
the throne, and Vanilla Muradina
Cd Hurshibar, to whome the prince
Is betrothed. But Namonia. young
er daughter of the Murad, whom
walter Former imbues with all fem
inine Oriental charms. loves the
prince and is determined to marry
him whether or no. As IL happens
the prince. impersonated by Irving
Harris with the most finished tech
nique, does not object, and consen
TO plant the bomb beneath the
throne of the Murad that evening
go that The and his too-frequent OBJ
jections to everything in general
shall be put out OF the way. Nor
Is Vanilla-undoubted tho most
beautiful girl in the production
(Floyd Parker in disguise)-forgot.
ten in the chain OF lovers. Capt.
Gilbert Sullivan. OF His Majesty's
indian army, is denied the privilege
OF marrying because she Is a prin-
cess and he a mere soldier.
Then enters the hero, John Jacob
Topley. who has fled from America
because he didn't have the nerve to
go through with the marriage cere.
mony between himself and his below
| ed, Claribel Young.
Could he sing. could he dance. could
he act? He could. His ease of man.
ner and unquestiJnable talent will
place Russell Forgan as Topiey al
the front in Washington's thought OF
Princeton.
The hero Is inveigled into abetting
The ulot, and sworn to secrecy, tells
everyone he meets, finding that each
wants the bomb moved to the chair
OF another so that he may encounter
no further difficulties in gaining his
end. which is ultimately matrimony.
After a number OF catchy songs, fur
nishing some original and snappy bits
OF humor. the plot unfolds, while the
bomb has been moved from chair to
chair. only to land in the pocket OF
the hero.
But the daylight-saving rule has
caused the bomb to be set an hour late
and all is well. Even the King OF
England. who arrives Just at the aus
ricious moment, is jolly well glad that
nothing happened. don'tcha know, and
all that sort OF thing
The Murad has fallen in love with
Claribel. who followed her lover tC
the Isle Of Surprise, and HurshibaI
gives her the power to grant the
wishes she desires. and everybody
happy as the curtain falls.
There was an Egyptian dance which
rivalled a professional A little cho.
rus girl. ellison Gray. captivated the
hearts Of the audience with her smile
and vampiSh manner. A Washington
boy. Samuel Kaufman won much
merited applause in his role as one
OF the tributary potentatea
The musical numbers by Erdmar
Harris. with words by Edward Hope
Coffey. Harold Valley and others
were particularly pleasing. The two
former were responsible for the situa.
lions and dialogues as well
The scenery for the two acts. de.
signed by Erdman Harris and Louis
f. Latin. was both artistic and strik.
ing. and made a fitting background te
the actors and orchestra
The Princeton Triangle Club has pre-.
sented this play in eleven of the large
Eastern and Middle Western cities
and in every one OF these has beer
enthusiastically received. During tho
Christmas vacation a trip was taker
through the West. A. R