San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-10
Thomas Jefferson Gives
z Wonderful Interpretation
Of Beloved Vagabond;
Other Theaters Offer
Good Bills.

The rule that a great father never
produced great son seems 20 have
been broken in the case of the JEFF
fersons for in "Lightnin', Thomas
Jefferson has produced classic of
American humor that is well worthy a
place beside the rip Van Winkle"
of his father, the immortal Joseph JEFF
ferson. The sons acting has all the
intimate human appeal, the spontan-
eous humor, the instant pathos, and
above all, the compelling charm that
distinguished his illustrious father :
and many tones of the voice and plays
of facial expression, are identical in
the two.
After seeing the initial San Anto-
MO performance of "Lightnin. by
Winchell Smith and Frank Bacon.
(which opened at the Majestic theater
ON Sunday night, its record-breaking
run of more than three years is cas-
lily understood. 1t is a most delightful
play from every point of view-cer-
tainly one of the best that has ever
been written by an American-and
even if it were less well acted than
it is, would be very excellent enter.
tainment.
Grips the Emotions.
The story of "Lightnin' is laid
OH and across the border line between
Nevada and California, and has TO do
With the most talked of problems Of
each section-the divorce complica-
tions of Nevada and the d-grabbins
frauds of CalifOrnia-wOven and inter-
woven into story that grips the in
terest and emotions of the audience
from the first ten minutes after the
curtain rises until it finally descends
on a most appealing as well as logical
conclusion of the several problems pre-
sented.
The acts are arranged in prologue
staged in a log cabin ina lumber
camp on the Nevada side of the line
in the "Calivada Hotel" built on the
dividing line between the two states
and enjoying the manifold advantages
of each one: and the famous scene
in the superior court room at Reno.
where cases concerning property and
divorces of the various characters
come up for trial on the same morn
ing.
Uniformly Well Cast.
1t is seldom that types SO diverse
ms the leading characters are so uni
formly well cast and so convincinglv
portrayed. The cast is a large one,
and each character is so well chosen
for the part he plays that the charac-
tiers live and have definite being al
most without the aid of words or ac-
ton to create the part. From Thomas
Jefferson, as "Lightin' who holds
the center of the stage most of the
time. down to a newspaper reporter
in the court room scene, who only has
one spoken line, but who acts most
convincingly all the time he is on the
stage, the characteriZations are we'll
nigh perfect.
While ~Lightnin' Bill Jones" is the
central figure in the play. jefferson
is by no means the anly delightful and
convincing motor in the cast. Robert
Keith, as "John Marvin" splendid
young fellow who puts his hardly ac-
quired knowledge of law to good pur-
pose: Charles +. Evans. the amorous
newly-elected judge of the Reno court :
Frank Thornton. as Raymond
Thomas" astute lawyer, and practicej
land-grabber; Helena Phillips, as
"Mrs. Jones'" the Woodworking and
long-suffering wife of "Lightnin, ="
who cooks and manages the hotel; and
Bessie Bacon. as margaret Davis
the dancer with sprained ankle who
lives in the hotel. while she , is "de-
ing time" to get divorce-are all
unforgetable.
"Lightnin" is by long odds. the best
theatrical performance that San An
tonic has had the privilege of seeing
in many n long day. 1t opened on
Sunday night at the Majestic thcater.
and will play there all week with matt
noes on Wednesday and Saturday.