Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-14

o u [ InJuns.
And how you will love this tipsy and
harmless old liar. But shining out
under the locks of his white hair that
hangs down on his forehead, is q pair
Of eyes which is an index of the mans
character. Lightnin' wouldn't harm a
fly, but gosh, how he loves to tell about
KILN mis- partners>4n business. And he
Leven brags that he frightened one man
to death befaFe he could kill him.
"Lightnin' " was introduced to US last
night by Milton Mobiles, because Frank
Bacon, after playing three years on
Broadway, decided to take "Lightnln'" to
Chicago. Bacon Is there yet and will
be for many, many moons to come
Mobiles is playing the role on the road
preparatory to going TO London, England
for a run.
Milton Mobiles has no difficulty in
playing the role of Ligh min Bill
Jones. He did not create the part, but
last night at English's he got right into
tie very hearts Of that enormous aud
ience. Mobiles has not made Bin Jones
theatrical, he has made Bill a living
character. His Lightnin Bill is as
hnisbd as I desire 10 see or have the
RICH to expect to see
Bill comes shuffin' along ia Il tipsy
gait into the cabin Of John Ms-.4 BIZ
had been helpin the boys ak up
camp and not wantin' to ap...ar IN
susible," had imbibed too freely Of dre-
water. Old Bill when he first appeared
last night on the stage, he was carrying
some hOneysuckle shoots done NJ in
brown paper. The honeysuckles were to
/ be planted Of the grave Of Maryin's
mother
Promise me you viii not drink an
other drop tonight" said Marvin to BIZ
after Lightnin had "swiped" a>>bottle
Of hooch from Maryins table.
Guess l haven't any use for the bottle
now said Bill after he had promised.
but he vook the bottle home (took it
home unopened) anyway.
So Bill goes on his tlpsy way home
/ the hotel of Ma Jones One half is built
on the California line and the other half
/ in Nevada and because Of this fact there
were two desks-one for short-time
| guests and the other for the six mont rs
guests who wanted to be on the Reno
| side OF the fence.
| When Bill is late getting home, she
knew that Bill had been drinkin again.
| And so he had. Ma and Mildred Buck
! ley, a sort of an adopted daughter OF
BIN and Ma, discover an unopened bot
! tie of booze. There Is lots Of comedy
afforded when Bill tries to find he bot
| tie. He even searches through the legs
Of his pants for the bottle
Ma and Mildred got mixed up with two
slick city fellows who plan TO trim them
Of their hotel 50 railroad company
could get the hotel and waterfalls cheap
/ Marvin is able to make Bin see that the
/ city chaps are planning to cheat them
out of the hotel and gets a promise from
| Bill that he won't sign the deed Bin
! brags that he has never gone broke on
I his word and when ma declares that
Bill must sign the deed or get out
Bill grabs his hat, picks up his bottle
and opens the door. He goes to the old
! soldiers home.
Ma IS induced to apply for a divorce
! by tAe city cheaters so the property
can legally fall into their hands The
court scene is the big scene Of this play
1 For real comedy, for tears and laughs
nothing equals this scene IN my expert
ence of covering the theaters. Marvin
| shows up the city fellows as a bunch
| Of crooks and ma realizes that she doesn't
want a divorce after all. So Bill and
Hma go back to the hotel again And Mi.
| dred realizes that John is the. best man
| IN the world.
Il fixed that, too" allows Bill as Nil
bred creeps into the arms OF John,
This Is my way of telling about
"Lfghtfn'."
! All We have heard about this play is
true 1t is the finest heart food I ever
have taken. 1t makes you chuckle and
then makes you howl with JOY and then
a tear or two will follow the chuckle
with the howl
Mr.. Mobiles gives us a real Lghtnin
| Bill. In his hands on the road
"Lightnin' is becoming a national in
stitution and in London, Bill will become
International Mr.. Mobiles is magnificent
/ ly wonderful as Lghtnin'. Dolly W.
Mobiles gives a splendid portrayal of Ma
Jones. Her work is natural and finished
Bessie Bacon, the daughter Of Frank
Bacon, is Margaret Davis In MI. Mobiles
company. AS the actress wife who comes
to the Nevada section of Ma Jones hotel
on clutches to get Il divorce, she is one
of the high lights of the show. She is re-
sponsible for some Of the real Zig comedy
moments on the courtroom scene. Her
work is of the highest order. The re-
mainder OF the cast is more than COM
petent-there is not weak member in
the cast.