Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-27
JACK 0 LANTERN
IS L|GHTSOME FUN
Fred Stone at His Agile Best Caps
the Climax With Artistic Ice
Skating at The Playhouse.

A Droll of TIE Drolls, Fred Stone, who
stands foremost in his profession in Ameri-
ca today, appeared in all his glory and
surrounded by coruscating company,
in "Jack O'Lantern" at The Playhouse
last night, TO the immense satisfaction
of the audience. Even at the advanced
prices, due to the elaborateness of the
production, they effected an economy
for the show is worth premium prices, as
compared with the usual run of offerings,
that provide sheer amusement, untinged
with instruction, except as this may be
drawn from the example of the pro-
digious industry and activity of Jack :"
The structure of the piece is like that
of the conventional Christmas Panto-
mime;" only needing the costuming Of
TO make the correspondence complete.
At Applicable Farm-a background
in which Joseph Urban, in realistic mood,
outshines himseif-are the young lovers,
Paul and Cicely; the obdurate father
who is also the cruel guardian of Bobbie
and Babby, but is foiled in his plottings by
Jack OLantern, whose nondescript cos
tune is taken for a disguise and his
chance reply to a question for the pass
word of detective. Thus he gets charge
of the children, entertains them at his
villa and in Candyland, assisted by many
others.
Where Fred gets his property hats is a
perennial mystery He had three or
more last night OF the sort that fold. flap
and otherwise figure in n dozen different
ways, undergoing various transforina-
tlons in the process, one spinning on ITS
crown like a top.
One other bit of personal equipment
is the outfit of funny gibbering squeaks.
of which he has a repertoire These,
with his marvellous "mugging" and his
acrobatic dexterity are his stock in trade
but he does land-ofiice stage business
with them.
The serious vein that lies at the bottom
of every mummers art was In evidence
in the scene with the children at lunch,
when he reads fairy stories for them in
way that is dramatically inimitable.
His character songs as the Spanish
toreador, the Hillapman, the Russky
and The organ-grinder, with their ac-
companying lyrics, are all highly enter
tanning, especially the last, Back to
Italy"
Incidental stunts such as diving from
q bicycle through a window, rolling of
the scene in a hoop, and leaping through
the farm sign board, donning en- route
the Jack" costume, which would make"
the ordinary show, are here thrown IN as
incidentals, for good measure.
The sensational feature is the Might
mare Dance" in which Violet Zell is
tossed about like a bran-bag, in. the
quick rhythms of the dance, and the final
display of versatility comes with the
skating exhibition in the last act.
~ lsl-0 III 4ho ann.usnriaS fe
of the highest quality. Roy Hoyer as
Paul, showed much grace as dancer and
had dainty partner in Elsa May, who
was Cicely in the play .Mabelle Cedars
was very Junosque IN her various
and especially effective
in the knit, knit, knit trio with Cicely
and piuuant Ursula o Hare, whose part
was Janet. Teresa Valerie scored In the
organ-grinder song with Fred Stone.
There are half-dozen Lilhputlans In
the cast, whose work is most effective,
their good qualities being made the most
Of
Like every other feature of the acces-
sories, the chorus Is superlative In youth
and beauty as well as picturesque In
costume and practised In evolutions; and
the music is of Ivan Carylls most
melodious vintage.
Here is an entertainment for eye and
ear, stimulating to the imagination;
fairyland in real life and all without a
smudge or smear of vulgarity; a thing
that no one who is not mental dyspeptic
should miss seeing and it is here for the
week, with Wednesday and Saturday
matinees, due to the effort of Manager
Finney, of The Playhouse, TO secure, so
far as possible, the cream of current
shows for his stage; and the attendance
should evidence the appreciation and
of the public