Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-08-06
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

EUiIVhIAL CUhhcSfUVuENL
The Drama, Legitimate and Other Diplo-
macy Tony Pastor Prom Singapore
to suss-Ths Long strlks-Is Another
Bonanza Under wsy7
DEAR HERALD: After having writ
ten prosy leaders for your columns
for nearly two years, do not know
just how your readers will indulge
me AZ a chatty correspondent. A
man off on a vacation looks only
at the salient phases of city life. A
natural Incident of fan evenings
leisure is dropping in to see the
play. Three years deprivation of
soeing a well mounted, we'll acted
piece, gives one great relish for
such treat as the habitues Of the
California have enjoyed for some
three weeks past. When l left
New York in 1872 1 left Aimee
doing Opera Bouffe in Lima Ed
wins little theatre, on Broadway.
I came to California via the 18TH
mus; and, when arrived, 1 found
Aimee doing La File de Madame
Angot at the California, as fresh
and sprightly as ever. After years
spent in the Southern country I
dropped into San Francisco in July
1875, and found Mr.. II. J. Monta-
que entertaining the patrons Of the
California. reached San Rran-
CISCO in July, 1878, and found the
same Motagus at the California,
this time with o New York com.
pany, Just a little ahead of me.
DIPLOMACY.
Then he was supp orting Dion
Boucicau,t in the "Sbaugrauu,"
now he is the central figure in what
Is certainly one of the most COM
plete genteel comedy combinations
it has ever been my lot to enjoy.
diplomacy" is the product Of
Sardou's Ingenious and graceful
mind. The plot Is made to hinge
around the beautiful daughter,
Dora, Of q South American adven-
turess who calls herself La Mar
quise de Rio Zlires aud La Com
tesse Ziks, Russian adventures,
both in the diplomatic employ of
Baron Stein, sort of Russian for
eign Office supervisor of spies. The
plot has just enough intricacy to
give piquancy to dialogue which,
without being positively witty, is
certainly not jejune. Both the
Countess Z.ka aud Dora are in love
with Capt. Julian Beauclerk, the
latter marrying him after a public
and melodramatic declaration of
their mutual passion. Zka swears
revenge and proceeds to weave
around her enemy network Of
Intrigue and suspicion which |
embitters the very we'd
ding day, and almost leads
to stormy separation. The
hrothsr Of Captain Beauclerk, with
admirable finesse, after having
discovered that the Countess Zika
had been meddling with his pri-
vate papers, discovery brought
about by his recognizing in the
documents the peculiar perfume
which he had before observed on
her gloves, settles upon her as the
marplot, unravels the whole mys.
terry, restores the alienated and
distra cted couple to their previous
state Of ecstatic bliss aud covers
t he Russian adv enturess with coz
fusion and shame.
THOROUG ACTING AND SUPERB
DRESSING
But, as you will doubtless sus-
pect, l have not INDUCED in this
mere skeleton sketch for the pur-
pose of giving your readers an idea
ofthe plsy itself. What Wish to
dwell upon is the fau.tless and, in
deed, artistic acting and the eX-
quIsite dressing. Mr.. Montague is |
Que Of the prize "pretty" men of |
tho stage. He shares with the ro-
bust and kingly Rignoli the em-
pire over the opera glasses of the |
fair sex. AS a young man of
fashion and spirit he is q success,
although the honors were at least |
"easy" with the gentleman who
persesated the elder brother. The |
personation of the Baron Stein of |
DIPLOMACY is really a clear-cut |
and finely individualized creation,
which, In mere histrionic essen
tials, ranks the actor who sus-
talned the role far beyond the
graceful aud handsome gallant |
whose beauty wins SO greatly on
tho wemen. The Dora of Miss |
Maud Granger was not only thor
oughly well personated, with the
added charm Of great personal at
fractions in thu actress, but the
several situations were availed of
by Miss Granger to display toi-
lettes which are caid to have been
designed by the great Worth.
Miss Jelfteys-Lewis, who person.
ated the Countess Zitka, developed
perhaps greater hlstrionie ability
than Miss Granger, while her