The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-04-02
SPIDER IS ONE
wow OF A HIT
} ON BROADWAY
New Mystery MeIodrama
II Seems to Be Latest
Sensation.
BY Dixie Hines

as n wow of success, and that
one Spider" by Fulton Oursler and
Lowell Brentano.
Spider" was created, rather than
written, and one strongly suspects
that the practiced hand of Albert
Lewis of Albert Lewis and Sam II.
Harris, the producers, is the real
genius that built about this primi-
tive melodrama one of the most eff
fective and ingenious plays of the
season.
q It is original in the manner of it's
presentation, beginning, as it does,
in the form of a vaudeville enter
tainment much as other vaudeville
entertainments begin and continue.
When, however, q certain great ma
gician and mind reader is offering
his number, an alteration occurs
between the performer and the es-
cort of a young woman sitting in
the audience.
The lady in question has handed
, . the performer, as is customary,
! a certain locket, which he is to have
l. Identified and described by lis blind
4Roded assistant. The escort of the
4 lady resents her act. and a dispute
between him and the performer en-
! sues, This rapidly develops into a
real alteration, and as the two men
grape the lights suddenly go out,
shot is fired, and thereafter the
play is taken UP with the solving OF
the mystery.
The theater suddenly swarms with
policemen. Men and women who had
been seated quietly enjoying the per-
Torrance suddenly become alive and
one begins to look askance upon his
next door neighbor with the suspi-
cion that he may be one of the in
volved parties.
= 1t would be unfair te,-relate the
mysterious story but it may be set
down that it is a gripping and simple
melodrama, with much pictorial eff
feet, plenty of real thrills and some
mighty fine acting by John Halli-
day, Thomas F'indlay, Roy Hargrave
and a score of others. The scenes
represent the stage of a vaudeville
theater and other parts Of the thea
ter. and the whole atmosphere is
that of first-class vaudeville theater
in an uproar.
About IL o'clock the mystery was
solved and the most improbable
character in the play is shown to
he the murderer 1t is, as stated
above, WOW" of a hit.
"The Crown Prince"
THE Crown Prince" is an adapta-
ton Of play by Ernest Vajda, adj
apted by Zoe Atkins, produced by L.
lawrence Weber and skilfully acted
NV Basil Sydney, Mary Ellis, Henry
mcpherson and others. Notable,
Too, are the settings designed by
Watson Barrett. Attention is called
to the fact that the play is based
upon actual facts, dealing with the
intrigue at the court of the late
Franz Joseph when his son defied
him, sought to challenge the right
to the throne and otherwise had
Austro Hungary by the ears in ex-
element.
1t is an interesting play, romantic,
sentimental and effective, and il
there be still interest in the romano
es of the Zenda period, this play
will find a large coterie. Nothing
khas been left undone to make it
plausible and attractive to the play
lgoer, and it's fate will rest entirely
upon the whim of the public. If
ella Of ella Mt d &c
one meets all the demands.
Basil Sydney is, of course. the
crown prince and Mary Ellis his mis-
tress, the attractive Venetian for
whom he was willing to sacrifice his
right of ascension to the throne.
There are scenes of real beauty in
the play, and while full credit is
given all concerned by press and ap-
,parently by the public, it's reception
appears to be luke warm.
A new version of Gay Paree" has
been opened at the Winter Garden.
Ben Bernie and Sophie Tucker are
the special attractions.
"Old Ironsides," the magnificent
motion picture, the saga of the
American navy, is one of the out
standing feature films at the Rivoli.
A magnificent picture, a well knit
story, splendidly picturized and
it continues to achieve sue
yess.
New Plays
THE New Yorker" now at the
Edyth Totten Theater, has added
Jean Southern to is cast and revi-
sion is now under way to snap up
the present version and prepare for
a second edition which will be ready
in few weeks. It is still one of the
cleverest of the revues, new one
being in the offing under the guild
ance of Rosalie Stewart.
Metropolis" another feature
film, showing at the Rialto Theater,
has for one of its added attractions"
the dancing Of Julie Parker, one of
the most talented of young Ameri-
can dancers. Miss Parker is the
feature Of the presentation special,
and when this film has finished it's
New York engagement she will take
a tour OF the principal Public thea
ters East of the Missouri. Petite in
form, graceful in movement and
talented in her art, she is real de-
light to the eye.
Clara Clemens will present in New
York next week a dramatic version
of Joan of Arc" by Mark Twain,
whose. daughter Miss Clemens
chances to be. This version, pre-
sented in narrative and dramatic
form, has been seen before, and is
a gripping, sympathetic and effec-
tive drama of the life of the famous
Maid of Orleans. 1t is time some
serious attention was given to this
great character, as she has all but
faded from the stage for the past
twenty-five years except as pivot for
George Rarr,o ri Ghau, ~ SbOot n da ~