Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-04-12
Welcome homei

| welcome nome
! That seemed to be the message in the
applause of a magnificent audience at
English's last night which greeted Greg
DRY Kelly. his wife and other members
Of his company in Clarence"
Il don't know what you people out
there think about, it." said Mr.. Kelly in
answer to the applause at the close of
the third act but we back here think
this is the greatest event.in history since
the French revolution
That was all Gregory Kelly said to
the big audience as he stepped for n
brief second out of the character of Clar
ence, the soldier hero beetle expert OF
Booth Tarkingtons master comedy.
Indianapolis for long time has want
ed to claim Gregory Kelly as a citizen
and hundreds of real Indianapolis peo-
/ pie were on hand to welcome the
Kellys back home. For several sea-
sons, Kelly has been missing from the
summer stage In this city, but now the
curtain is up on the first season Of the
Gregory Kelly stock company at Eng
lish's.
Three things were apparent last night
at English's:
First-That Mr.. Kelly has surrounded
| himself with a capable and sincere com
pany Of players of much experience.
Second-That Mr.. Kelly is determined
TO give us worth while entertainment this
summer.
Thlrd-That Mr.. Keuy's production
would put to shame some Of the road
companies seen on tour in the last three
years.
A stock company must have a cast.
Some plays do not give all players a
fair chance to show their ability, but
! Clarence" comes pretty near It, Mr..
Kelly has surrendered the spats and
cane Of Bobby Wheeler to take
I the title role The American public
loved Gregory as Bobby Wheeler as
much as they worshlpvw, laughed and
even sympathlzed with him when be
was Willie Baxter in Seventeen" Mr.
Kelly gave a polished performance of
Clarence and he showed he could
play scenes with feeling and with
restraint and sincerity, but ! am sure
/ that no one was willing to give up the
delightful memory of Gregory as Bobby
/ Wheeler Personally, / think Bobby
! Wheeler is the most important role of
| the comedy with the exception Of the
Cora role.
/ To me the big triumph Of the open
! ing performance went to Ruth Gordon
as Cora Wheeler / have always thought
| that Ruth Gordous work as the tickle,
chatterlng and love at-first sight demon
strator and champion sister Of the age
/ IS one OF the finest characterizadons be-
fore the public today. What more can
/ I say? That covers everything.
/ 1t is needless to discuss the work Of
/ Byron Beasley as Mr. Wheeler He is a
. ST 1tpc In
/ Now for the new ones. II IS necessary
/ that / base my opinion OF personal
! values on the work done last night by
/ other members OF the company. 1t
seemed to me that Angela ogden IS Mrs
/ Wheeler came nearer making the big
! triumph of the evening among the new
/ ones of the company. I consider Mr..
( Kelly, Ruth Gordon and Mr. Beasley as
I fixed and standard values Of long stand
1 ing. II is going to be immense 10 See
/ Miss ogden in the many other roles
during the summer. She brings master
( rul touch 10 all scenes
/ Percy Helton buckled down to the
/ Bobby Wheeler role-the character which
Mr.. Kelly re-eudearcd himself TO Amer
/ ica--with a fire comedy spirit which
aided in the general satisfactory impress
Z sion. IL was big task Mr. Helton,
and you got away with it in fine style
T Vera Fuller Melllsh was bound 10 make
an interesting aud competent Miss PIN
/ ney. She Is not only a good looking
woman but q capable actress.
/ Beulah Bondy was seen as Mrs. Martin :;
( Florence Murphy as Della Harry Soth-
I ern az Dinwiddie and Willard Barton
as Mr. Stem. All wero satisfactory
( The setting in the first act. was
adequate and the second set, which IS
used for three acts was a beauty
! Opinion; Gregory Kelly Is offering a
gold mine Of real entertainment for the
money. II is hard to see how he can
/ offer so much from a quarter up TO a
/ dollar for tho best seats rs a bargain
/ in real entertainment values.
/ Again, we say to MIR. Kelly-Welcome
/ home.
| Clarence" remains the bill for the
| balance OF the week at English s-W. y.
/ Il
= = l.