Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-27
PLAYS And PLAYERS

Wednesday. The play is described as
"a straight comedy" by its managers.
Frank David and Frank Lane are the
two stars, aud are supported by Rita
Buchanan, Nannine Lewald. Frances
Stevens, Matt c. Woodward, Edgar
Baum, Edward Powell, Stephen Barry
and others.
An advance notice which the manage
ment furnishes says of the affair:
1.-THE American public has been re-
peatedly accused of fckleness in its sup
port of theatrical entertainments, but
as the prime law of nature is that of
cause and effect, there must be well
defined, if underlying, cause for the
effect. It doesn't require much of an
effort to find the cause, either. In the
first place, the majority OF amusement
managers are influenced more by the
sheen of the silver dollar than they are
by the principles of art. In other words,
when one manager presents novelty
and achieves great success and profit by
it. all the other managers Immediately
fall in line with similar attrac-
tions. The result is, that in
a comparatively short time the
country is flooded with certain class OF
plays or amusements, as they may be,
in which there is neither novelty nor
che spice of variety. What wonder,
then, that the American public, which
is famous for its spirit of progress and
appetite for change should resent such
monotony and prove tickle in its sup
port? The latest influx has been farce
comedy, and this year there will be no
less than 113 new ones in addition to
those which have been the rounds and
are coming again. Can this last? The
answer is suggested by the remarkable
success of the few legitimate comedies
which have been launched this season.
One of the most successful, and per-
haps the best of these, is the high-class
American comedy, The President"
SOL SMITH RUSSELL.
On Thursday evening Mr.. Sol Smith
Russell will open an engagement at the
opera house, in his new play, Peace
Valley.
To formulate character for Mr.. Rus
sell, which should successfully follow his
admirably artistic performance OF Noah
Vale in Poor Relation, was not an easy
task. 1t is therefore gratifying to know
that Mr.. Edw. E. Kidder, the author
has in Peaceful Valley met with success
in giving Mr.. Russell another great
character in which he has found another
artistic and financial triumph. In
this new play the admirable CO.
median has created the character
OF Hosea Howe, a native Of the
White mountains. Full of integrity,
nobility of soul, with absolute scorn of
vice, yet with keenest sense of humor
and quaintest methods of imparting it.
Hosea stands like a rock amid the shift
ing and exciting scenes. The play, it is
said, is full OF the spirit of humanity
and creates interest both in its comic
and pathetic portions. Mr.. Russell
has surrounded himself with one of the
strongest supporting companies on the
road and the play is mounted with
special scenery.
NOTES AND OPINIONS.
The play OF Abraham Lincoln is said
to be a failure. Time is the essence of
propriety.
Julius Caesar would have been an in
decent play if performed few months
after the episode at the foot of Pompey's
statue.
People would not like to see tableau
now representing General Grants death
in the Mount McGregor cottage, yet in a
century or so such play, containing
such scene, might run like Pinatore.
The Lincoln drama had better be
shelved for hundred years or so. IT'S
too fresh now.
The latest news about Mary Anderson
is that: Mary Anderson has quarreled
with her husband. Mary Anderson is a
happy wife. Mary Anderson is writing
a book. Mary Anderson is not writing
a book. Mary Anderson will return to
the stage in a few months. Mary An
derson will never play again. Mary
Anderson has had baby. Mary An
derson has not had baby.
AS to the future there is nothing Off
eial.
N.Y.
Alexander Salvini. jr., has arranged a
sort of triplet performance for his tour
as star. A one act curtain raiser will
precede two act melodrama, which
will be followed by one act comedy.
x*x
A friend of Miss Lansing Rowan says
that the young woman is as much
infatuated with the stage as ever. This
friend says that she studies all her spare
time and that nothing could induce hei
to abandon her career.
There have been number OF stories
circulated of late about Miss Rowan
stories such as gossips like to roll under
their tongue. The friend alluded to
above denies these Indignantly. This
may be taken either as an evidence o.
friendship or as proof that the stories
were not true.
x*x
Miss Rowan emphasized the force ol
gentle breeding, in her bearing, accen
and personality. These points are otter
desirable in women who go on to the
stage after training as gentlewomen
Mrs. Langtry had them, so had Mrs
Potter. 1t is seldom that society womeI
ever become good actresses. Perhaps il
is partly because they can never
entirely lay aside the characteristics
which distinguish women who have
been bred as ladies from those wht
have been bred entirely as actresses. i
is not disparaging to the other women il
the Midnight Bell company to say thai
Miss Rowan showed plainly that sh'
had belonged to different social rank
#*x
What lot of bother actors have abou
their names. A dramatic journal of re
cent date has four items in point al
follows: