Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-13
THEATERS
ENGLIsH,s-"DADDIEs. >,

ENGLISH
Somewhere in everybody's heart, there
is a something that Is chock full of love
for the touch Of a youngsters hand, or
the prattle Of the baby tongue, no mat
ter how stony and bitter hearts might
be toward the little creatures. And if
there is any one today who saw that
opening performance Of 'Daddies" last
evening at Bnglish's and they are not
real for sure, human beings they never
will be, David Belasco certainly pro-
duced a remarkable play when he nut
on this piece. And his choice of charac-
tiers was not overlooked in any way.
Those five bachelors, who had no love
| in their hearts for women or children,
are as typical as can be. On the ami
versary OF the birth of their bachelor
club, they gather at the home of Robert
Audrey. for a celebration. On that eve
ming Bill Rovers announces that an
orphan has been left him to care for.
This is a blow to the jolly group and
James Crockett, the more determined Of
the five men, grows bitter at the
thought Of a Child" He says they al
ways want a glass of water in the night,
and during the day they are continually
at ones heels. At the thought of the
orphan, though. Rivers heart melts a
little and his plans for the future are
all for his kiddie. Robert Audrey's
mother is one of those good-looking.
warm hearted and real mothers, who
tries to make c~ery one happy.
She suggests shat each of them adopt
a child and do something worth while.
One by one they see where it would be
a fine thing. But Crocket,-he sees
nothing but trouble on his hands, If a
child was brought TO him. However, he
! finally consents, providing 1t is a boy.
| And Audrey agrees to take q child-a
French orphan Nicholson Walters signs
up for one and emphasizes that It would
| be Just his luck to draw two, or maybe
| three. The fifth member of the group
makes announcement of his engagement
to be married, and so the story is well
on its way. Crocket's boy comes next
day, but it is a girl, and there is an
! other blow when Audrey's orphan turns
out to be a 1T-year-ol girl. Walters
! receives a good share of the drawings
and Rivers gets his little brown-haired
girl.
Lorna volare, who is seen IN the role
1 Of Lorry, Crocket's orphan, is a little
/ girl, with an immense future If she
continues as in this production. She is
surely a find" Her fascinating accent
when she talks to her daddy is her very
own. Quite original is her crying and
nagging at the heels of her daddy. Her
big brown eyes fiji with tears and
squints and she kicks and squeals in
such a pleasing manner. Aida Armand
and the Quinns are also clever child
performers. John w. Cope as Crockett
is a big portion of the play. Janet
Travers makes a sweet and capable Ruth
Atkins, Audrey's French orphan, and
| Lorna Amber is delightful as Audrey's
sister. Wfnifred Fraser is seen as Mrs.
Audrey. Charles Hammond IS the stern
| Robert Audrey, whose heart also gives
way to the love for his orphan. Others
in the cast are Herbert Fortier, g. X.
Walker Claude Brook and others
The living hall scene which is used
through the entire comedy, which is
| from the pen of John L. HobbIe, is
realistic. But Mr. Belasco had better
| see that the living room window is
fastened with more secure ropes after
this. During last nights performance,
it slipped.
The engagement will close with
matinee and evening performance to-
morrow.
= l. T.
! 3IURAT.
Although the Shubert Murat theater is
| dark at present a three-day engagement
Of Tea for Three" will open Thurs
| day. The cast includes but three per
sons, Frederick Perry, Laura Hope
Crews and Arthur Byron.
William Hodge will be seen Jan. %.
% and "A at the Shubert Murat in 1.-THE
Guest Of Honor" a comedy romance Of
New York's life written by himself. In
this play Mr.. Hodge is seen as a strug
Cling author.
T. Il l.
B. f. KEITH S-VAUDEVILLE.
When Belle Baker comes to B. T.
Keiths vaudeville house patrons of that
playhouse know that the show for the
week is good. So what's the use say
! ing so.
! Miss Baker is more than half the show
! this week, though there is an exception
ally good lot of other acts on the bill
| She sings a bunch of new songs of her
own particular variety and with her old
| punch. Included is q new Italian char
acter song that gives her a chance to
wear a fetching '"wOp" costume. After
| she gets through with her list of new
! songs the audience is treated to some of
the old timers that she made famous, not
emitting "Put 1t On, Take 1t OF, Wrap
! tt Up, Take 1t Home" for which many
patrons called Miss Baker apparently
enjoys her work as much as any Of the
audience and it is this that has done
much to strengthen the hold of this hand
full of feminity on indianapolis theater-
! goers.
Mary Marble and company offer a
sketch OF the stage, telling the story Of
a woman who left her husband and child
because there was not enough excitement
in the small town Miss Marble, another
young woman, and two men make up
the cast. The skit is filled with wit and
! sobs.
! Countess Verona is an instrumentalist,
who brings down the house with her rem