Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-07

things.
He has written something which he
calls comedy but brand it satire. In
writing "a Prince There WAS" Cohan
created three parts-Bland, valet; Mrs.
Prouty, a New York boarding house
keeper, and Jack Carruthers. magazine
editor.
Gregory Kelly in casting this Conan
affair placed the three right people in
| the three big roles. Byron Beasley gives
a polish TO the role of Jack Carruthers
which brightens up the whole affair.
Wallis Clark as Bland, the devoted valet
| to the prince" has given US David
Warfield acting. Angela ogden as Mrs.
Prouty, the boarding house keeper, APP
pears to have stepped from the album of
life. so wonderfully realistic is her
work.
was one of the few who did not
relish the work of the Kelly players In
Seven Keys to Baldpate'' and last night
was little afraid that Mr., Kelly would
fail to grasp the rapid action and cum
ming satire of Mr.. Cohan. That idea was
wiped away and thrown in my mental
ash barrel the minute the play started.
The play actually moves. Gregory
Kelly as Charles Martin, the prince, q"
who invades the Prouty> boarding house
to brighten the lives of the want
| to-bes'' by giving them an opportunity
to be somebody, speeds up his work in
this Cohan satire. The program calls
it comedy but it is sparkling satire
a burlesque, If you please, on the Polly
anna craze. This play is delightful
fooling. At the close Of the first act, Mr..
Kelly opens wide the Conan speed lever
and runs away with the Cohan idea.
1t is immense to see Kelly OPEN the
speed clutch for once as it shows that he
is an actor VIII is not fitted for just one
sort Of a role Conan has given Mr.
Kelly a bully" role
Miss Ruth Gordon as Katherine Woods
hasn't so much to do but her rapid and
pretty work aids in putting over the
play. Elizabeth Black as Comfort, the
youngster, who opens fairyland to the
Prince" is charmingly effective. She
does not overact the role and that is
saying a whole lot.
Another breezy bit Of work is that
Of Wallace Ford as Short, the cheap
movie actor. who thinks he Is a detec-
tive. Mr.. Ford grasps the Cohan idea
and speeds the satire along to a merry
finish.
"A Prince There Was" to my way Of
thinking, is Cohan's idea of Kidding"
the actor and the playwright. To me 1t
is cunning and mart satire on the mush
and mild comedy drama.
The audience last night acted 5eauti-
fully and lavished their applause on Mr.
Kelly, Miss Gordon, and above all
Angela ogden, Byron Beasley and Wauis
Clark
And the prettiest part Of the show was
the great satisfaction that Mr.. Kelly
In h. II he b
Of other members of his company.
opinion-"A Prince There Was" is
bully satire and rapidly presented.
On view at Enghsh's all week.
W. D. II.
l. l. l.
GEORGE sOMNEs WINS
BIG HONORs AT MURAT.
George Somnes this week again is prov
ing that he is made Of the stuff that
actors are made Of
Somnes' big opportunity is offered him
In the THE World OF His Wife" the
play that Stuart Walker is Offering Cor
indianapolis approval at the Murat The
ateF as his current bin In the stock sea
son. 1t is the dramatic treat Of the sea
son-sffe It is TO go even farther without
fear Of challenge-Rnd say Il is the dra-
matte treat of several seasons. even in
Guiding the regular big time" shows
that make the city. indianapolis knows
full well what these walker players can
do, and this week their acting makes
the little tingles fairly run up and down
ones spine.
There's this man somnes, there's
Blanche Yurka, there's George Gaul and
Elizabeth Patterson and John Wray and
with Edwin Noel and James Morgan
thrown in for good measure. The last
named have only bits, It IS true, but they
do these bits just as they should be
done.
To get back to Somnes. He's cast as
Julian. the wronged husoand-wronged
not by his loving wife, nor by the friend
he has trustingly taken into his home
but by the lying tongues Of his kindred
and of his friends. Of 1.-The world as
his wife as the lines Of the play put it
He is called upon to run the gamut OF
emotions and never once does he strike
a false note. It is a difficult character
he is called upon to play, but he meets
every exacting demand without faltering
Miss Yurka is fedora, the apex of
the perplexing triangle, and she plays
with beautiful restraint, while George
Gaul. Is Ernesto, the innocent cause OF
all of Julian's and Teodora's woe, well.
he's George Gaul. which is Just about
all that need be said.
The principal character never puts in
an appearance. He, or It as you pre-
fer, was referred to as They" but
They" didn't have to be there in the
flesh for They" had eloquent and capa-
Bile ENJOYS present In the persons of
Mercedes. wife Of Severe, Julian's brother
and their son Pepito. Miss Patterson
was Mercedes and Bowker Severe. And