Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-23
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or HONOR'

"The Guest of Honor" in which VIII
liam Hodge is appearing at the Murat,
is a play that inspires new faith In thu
theater and those behind the footligbts
The play may be little talky in the
first act, but Hodges personality as an
actor soon makes up for that.
The first two acts are placed in a
cheap New York tenement house, occu-
pied by John Weatherbee, a struggling
author, who fails to fill his purse from
his books. Hodge plays the role Of the
author and with him are Jack Weather
bee, played by little Graham Lucas, a
remarkable child actor, and Mr. Warner
former newspaper man, made nearly
clind by overwork, but With a heart
full of the sunshine of life. Scott Cooper
an eminent portrayer of real living char
acters, assays the role of Warner, and
to that character is given some powerful
character touches.
The play opens with the laundress
and the landlord waiting for their money,
but Weatherbee has none. A ray OF
hope comes when a club made up of
wealthy women invites the struggling
writer to he the guest Of honor His
poem is read by Rosamond Kent, played
by Jane Houston.
ROsamoD6 comes into the humble sur.
roundings of the author, but Weatherbee
poses as the secretary to the author.
She insists that Mr. Weatherbee come
to her home to attend q meeting but
the writer is ordered out of the rich
home because he failed to prove that he
was the author and not the secretary.
Rosamond returns to the humble rooms
just as John, Jack and Werner are leav-
ing because there is no money with
which to pay the rent
Miss Kent sees a picture of n woman
and then comes the discovery that Jack.
who had been adopted by Neatherbce
after the lads mother had died in pow
erty, is the son of RosamOnd's sister
who had been literally kicked OUT of
the aristocratic home because she had
married a man below her station.
Rosamond pleads TO take Jack to her
home and while a strong scene is on papa
Kent arrives and misunderstands his
daughters visit.
Rosamond kidnaps Jack and Warner
and takes them to her country estate
Weatherbee arrives to find strong
guard around the place but succeeds
in getting Jack and Warner through
the lines. Then John discovers that
he loves Rosamond and that she loves
him.
Down comes the final curtain with
RosamonG In Weatherbee's arms and the
assurance that little Jack and the two
lovers will always be side by side on
the big estate.
The recital of the story seems sim
pie enough. but add to it the strength
Of Hodges character work and the beau
~ and dramatic, as well as the senti
mental punch Of Miss Houston and one
is assured of a good evening at the
theater.
There were curtain calls bows and n
most gracious talk of appreciation by
Mr.. Hodge and he meant every word
of It,
THE Guest of Honor" Is not as elab-
crate as The Man From Home but
it reaches the heart. The Guest Of Hon
or" will close with matinee and night
engagement Saturday
ENGLISH'S
Fred Stones advice to any one want
ing to do or be anything Is train for
1t. Fred Stone, playing In Jack O'Ian.
tsrn," at Englsh's this week Is one of
be topmost stars of the day, and n man
whose career has been developed by hard
4 Tcrk from the trery bottom to the very
Op.
81 George White, wac viii present at
Engiixh's next week his Scandals Of
E# asa ~.