Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-04
ADJUSTMENTS.

<AISk " DC AVA e W -
The notable event of this week will be
the production of Gillette's latest COM
edy success, Mr.. Wilkinson's Widows,
at the opera house this evening, by
Manager Charles Frohman's comedy
organization. 1t has just closed very
long and profitable run in New York,
and proof of its genuine success may
be found in the fact that it will return
to the metropolis for run after the
close of it's Chicago engagement. Mr..
Gillette's comedy is said to be in many
particulars the very best play of
its kind that our stage has ever shown.
Constructed on the basis of plot sug-
gested by the coarse cleverness of Alex
ander Bisson's Feu Toupinel, the new
piece has been SO altered, improved and
enlivened by the American author that
the entire success of its production is
due more to the ingenuity of
Mr.. Gillette's adaptation than to
the humor of the original story.
Mr.. Gilette's drollery as shown in
his newest comedy is confined almost
wholly to the amusing cross purposes
and perplexing dilemmas into which the
French author has led his characters and
through greater, but less risky maze
of which Mr.. Gillette has continued
them. The action in the present in
stance turns upon the fact that the late
Mr.. Wilkinson kept double establish
ment, and left two widows, each of
whom is in ignorance of the others ex-
istence. The ladies get married again,
and by accident take adjoining apart
ments in London. The ultimate dis
covery of the deceased Wilkinson's per-
fidy is brought about by series of high
ly diverting Incidents, in which med
ding friend, a saucy servant girl, and
couple OF portraits play prominent
parts. Its success is dependent entirely
upon the quickness of its action, the
confusion of its contretemps and the
liveliness of its performers.
#**
The Texas Steer will be at the Los
Angeles theater for five nights, COM
mencing on Tuesday next. The follow
ing is what is said of the piece:
In the Texas Steer Mr.. Hoyt has
given the public play with which
there is sensible and sufficient reason
for being highly amused. He has SUBJ
ordinated the farcical element to COM
edy, giving the latter the leading place
in each act. There is nothing intrin-
sically improbable in the character of
Maverick Brander, the Texan, who is
elected to congress, as the "over-true
tales" of the doings of certain mem bers
of that august body have shown. Mrs.
Brander, too, and Bossy, their daughter,
translated from cattle ranch in Texas
to fashionable hotel in Washington, do
in kind what might be expected of any
two women under like circumstances,
and if the degree be exaggerated that is
allowable under the playwright's Ii
cense.
If there be any fault to find with these
three characters, the leading ones of the
play, it is that Mr.. Hoyt has made
| them more verdant than was necessary
| to develop the satire which runs through
! the comedy. That the scene in the
second act, where the visiting states
men dine with their congressman, when
they fire their pistols off, is overdone.
may be conceded, but it is kind OF
extravaganza many will laugh at as not
inappropriate to Messrs. Yell, Brag and
Blow.
A Texas Steer marks a notable ad-
vance in composition and in literary
ability of Mr.. Hoyt. The ideas, while
not novel, are handled with much fresh
ness and vigor, the little loye-making
which is introduced is all in keeping
with the play, and the evolution OF the
Brander family is natural, easy and
wholly consistent. The same excellent
cast of last season, headed by Mr.. Tim
Murphy and Miss Flora Walsh, will be
here.
x*x
The box Office will open at the new
Los Angeles theater this morning for
the two coming attractions at that
house-Mr. James O'Neill, who opens
Sunday night in his famous Monte
Cristo, and Charles Hoyt's Texas Steer,
which will open Tuesday night for a five
nights engagement. 1t is needless to
comment on either attraction, as both
are so well and favorably known. The
Texas Steer has been doing big busi-
ness in San Francisco and will undoubt-
edly meet with the same reception here.
x*x
Tyndall, the mind reader, concluded
his engagement last evening at the
opera house by successfully performing
a number of tests, the best of which was
telling the number of bank note.