Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-24
ADJUSTMENTS.

A new farcical comedy, The Story
Teller, by Edward Frieberger, Chicago
newspaper man, received its first
production at the Los Angeles theater
last night. The characters were dis
tributed as follows
Barney Burns, necrologist and story
Joel Henry Bumolebee' Chicago factory
Mr.. Bloomer, St. Louis merchant
Will Bumbiebee, Mr.. Bumblebee's nephew
.............-........ Henry Napier
Washington, a servant ...:...... Fred Richtar
Ariana Bloomer. promised bride. Mile. Azula
Mildred Burns Bsrney's only daughter
Mis-. Lydia Bumblebee victim OF. 49,.
circumstances .............. Rose Watson
The Story Teller is play in which
there are but few iarcical elements. 1t
is in reality comedy with farcical
features tackled on as amendments. AS
a comedy it should be judged, and the
judgment on the whole must be favor
able one. The action is laid in Chicago,
and the plot turns on a manifold series
of blunders growing out OF mistaken
identities, and SO ingeniously do the
characters work at cross purposes, and
so humorously involved does the plot
become that the audience last
night was completely convulsed with
that finds favor with the groundlings,
tible of intelligent humorous reading.
Like all new plays on first production, it
needs condensation. The diction at
times hampers the idea with the weight
of redundancy. This can be remedied
easily, and should be, for The Story
Teller otherwise possesses all the ele-
ments of success, and should have moth
ing to clog, in even the slightest degree,
its successful future, for in plot and gen
eral conception it is one of the cleverest
comedies presented here for years.
Mr.. Sully, in the vital fun-making
role of the piece, of course, can take in
finite credit to himself. His impersona-
ton of Barney Burns gives a rich Irish
character, of distinctive type, to the
stage. 1t is that OF the elderly Irish
scholar; the decayed gentleman OF belle
lettres; the old-fashioned bohemian,
once the brilliant wit OF Dublin college
mayhap, but now in the sefe and yellow
leaf, from the vicissitudes of an
ungrac;ous fortune. 1t is the old
Irish scholar, with his mind full
of the classics, and his heart BIOS
soming with the finest flowers OF
sentiment and poesy. Mingled. with
the sparkling flashes of wit in Mr..
Suly's impersonation that so PROMPTLY
excited tears of laughter, came the
tender touches OF pathos, that at times
struck the deeper chordssof feeling. In
truth Mr.. Sully has all an Irishman's
versatility and earnestness, and he can
we'll be proud of his mastery character
ization OF the Irish scholar.
Mr.. Dulaney, as Bumblebee, and Mr.. |
Williams, as Bloomer, both gave excel
lent interpretations. Mr.. Napier, as
the nephew, and Mr.. Lynch as the sec
rotary, both gave high measure of |
satisfaction. Miss Arzula, as the
whimsical and selfwilled St. Louis girl,
and Miss Watson as Mrs. Bumblebee,
gave two most excellent characterize
gentle and loving and entirely satisfy
ing. The minor roles were acceptably |
filled. After the performance vote was
taken in the audience on the merits of |
the play at the request of the manage
ment, and unanimously favorable vel
dict was the result. 1t will be repeated
tonight. The Story Teller has made an
unqualified hit.
Much interest is felt by our local play
goers in the engagement OF Edward S.
Willard, the English actor, at the
Grand opera house next week, and the
inquiry for seats promises to be brisk,
when the advance sale opens today.
The repertory for the week is announced
as follows: Monday, Tuesday and Sat
urday nights and Saturday matinee,
The Middlman; Wednesday, Thursday
and Friday nights and Friday (New
Years. matinee, Judah. Mr.. Willard
appears as an old potter in the former
play and in the latter young clergy
man. The theme of one is revenge, and
of the other love versus religious integ-
rity. 1t is said that these two imper-
sonations lifted Mr.. Willard, during his
career as an actor-manager in Londors
into prominence as great as that enjoyed
by Henry Irving. Miss Marie Bor-
roughs, who heads Mr.. A. M. Palmer's
excellent supporting company, has