Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-04
PLAYS AND PLAYERS.
The Companies Billed for
This Week.
Farce Comedy to Be Seen at
Both Houses.
Some Comment on Mr.. Russell in
Peaceful Valley.
The Dramatic Lesson Which His Work
Teaches-A Big Batch of Bright
News Notes.

the GranQ Opera-nO IHe ldeI CHIee
nights of this week, will undoubtedly be
signaIized by an overlooking attendance.
1t is essentially laughing chow, and is
in thorough touch with the times. The
management have the following to say
OF the affair:
"The Hustler deals with the fantastic
financial exploits of Com McFadden,
gentleman who is in a chronic state of
bankruptcy, but who rejoices in the So
briquet of the Huatler. The character
is modelled after the late John T. Ray
1nond's memorable impersonation of
Colonel Mulberry Sellers, and is played
most effectively by John Kernell, who
has been termed comedy in himself.
Brother Kernell is happily aided by the
famous Barney Reynolds, who plays a
German character role, Aniser Busch.
Gus Mills, as the mistress of the Cam
bridge Flats, elso carries off gnndly
share OF the honors. Mollie Thompson,
young, pretty, and talented soubrette,
is seen in the well drawn part of Pussy
Winks. John S. Mari, an eccentric
character actor of note, presents re-
markably clean cut portraiture of the
typical London swell. Zelma Rawlston,
a comedienne of rare ability and singu-
lar vivacity, is entrusted with the role
of the society belle of the piece. Lee
Harrison, an unctuous and agile little
comedian, plays the part OF a modern
Office boy most humorously, and Leon
ard So.ners, comedian of exceptional
versatility, appears as the grotesque
PARKWAY Jones.
"The grace, beauty and chic of the
performance is furnished by bevy of
soubrettes, comprising Misses Hilda
and Rose Laporte, Nellie Lambert, Car
RE Norton, Lille Raymond Agnes How
ard and Vesta Stevens.
much that is new, brilliant and
fetching in the way of music, travesty,
limitations, topical songs and dancing is
introduced most opportunity during the
action of the play. All of the principals
do 'specialities,' in addition to which
there are toe-evolutions and Spanish
dance by Mile. Staccione, and singing
by Harry Leighton and the celebrated
Hustler male quartette.
''The concensus of popular and crit
ical opinion is The Hustler is in it, in
greater degree than any other farce
comedy in the field"
night the Turkish Bath company will
close it's engagement. The house will
be dark the remainder of the week.
x*x
Mr.. Sol Smith RusselPs success has
demonstrated that clean and artistic
work can be made to win. The only
reason that meretricious methods are so
much in vogue is because OF the ease
AZ .oI ha AnnraxoA octQ Of
the public can be catered to. 1t is easy
to find clean play, but it is the hard
est thing in the world to present it
without depressing amount of stupid
ity. What are termed clean plays as a
rule resemble Sunday school literature,
the moral being the only quality shown.
**x
Mr.. Russells demonstration of the
drawing power of a gentle little play
like Peaceful Valley does not prove that
the public demands cessation OF the
appeals to its lower nature. Not Bit
The next company of half-dressed,
caperipg girls, whose only talent con-
sists of physical shapeliness, will fill the
Opera house to the same extent as did
Mr.. Russell. But it does prove that
genius does not need to be aided. That
the highest talent is above the neces-
sity of the association OF any clap trap,
sensational, sensuous, or sensual meth
DDS. That is all The public taste has
nothing to do with the case. The pub
lie has, always has had, and always will
have more bad taste than good; It's
good perceptions will always be respon-
sive to the good and elevating in art as
will its bad ones to the reverse. Mr..
Russell is not a success in any way be-
cause his methods and plays appeal to
. ones better nature, but solely because
he is master of his art. Personally he
is to be admired and respected for his
style OF work, for it does good, but no
reasoning can show that art has moral
or immoral principles; 1t is entirely un-
moral. And the public's taste? 1t is
based on the point OF view OF the artist
DUNLAP's NEWS NOTES.
Arthur B. Chase is building another
New York theater-on paper.
Minna K. Gales chances OF success
have drifted off into the duldrums.
William Stafford has entered a suit
for divorce from his wife, Evelyn Eos
ter.
Gossip has it that Marie Janson, just
returned from Europe, is to marry II. u
Bass, of Bass ale fame.
AEssie Tittell has made pronounced
success in Charles Frohman's Western
company, playing Mr.. Wilkinson's Wild
~ows.
Henrik Ibsen's only son Sigord is soor
to marry daughter OF Bjornstiern'
Bjornson, the great Scandinavian poe
and writer.
Major Charles E. Rice's Mccarthy
MishaD company opened this season a.
the st. Charles theater, New Orleans, t.
jammed house.
Louis James and Frederic Warde poo
issues next season and star jointly
They promise to produce the new plays
The Lion's Mouth and Memnon.
Mckee Rankin has become grand
father, his daughter Gladys, now Mrs
Sydney Drew, having presented he
: liege lord with a bouncing baby bov
The gross receipts Of Salyini's week a
tha LhIcaan and iLnrilila, reanhe.l &lk nm