The herald., 1895-08-09
AT THE THEATERS

Another packed house at the Los An
geles theater last night by fashionable
audience to see what an Ideal Husband
might be. according to Oscar Wilde, or,
as tho advance notices 6iscreeslv put il.
'the author of Lady Winde ermers's
Fam" If anybody was disappointed it
was not the fault OF the play nor the
players. Both were all that the most ex-
acting critic could ask. The motif OF the
former seems to point that in order to be
happy one must be honest as we'll as vir
tuous. and that early vice will out like
murder, and is its own dishonor, even as
virtue is its own reward. But II the
moral of the play he slightly hazy to the
average mind, it is not noticed nor de-
plored. since everything else is SO brill
liantly. dazzlingly clear. The little fads
and follies. every single little weak spot
in society's armor. Is hit off and touched
up and given the home thrust with such
infinite cleverness. such exceeding nicely
of touch, that one grows almost weary
with the vigilance needed to keep from
missing some one of the delicious tid-bits
with which the play is crowded from the
first sentence to the last.
scenes in every act. and from curtain to
curtain incisive, crisp, epicrammatic
points and counterpoints fall from the
lips OF each character as often as they are
opened to speak. A number of new faces
were seen last night, and one familiar
one that was especially welcome. Mrs.
Thomas Whiffen, who made up as one OF
those unspeakably plain English women
that one always meets as one takes dose
of unpleasant medicine, was inimitahle in
her one short scene. Miss Katherine
Florence. the ingenue of the company,
was very arch and charming as Mabel
Chiltern. and her little love episode with
Herbert Kelcey in the last act was deli
cious.
Miss Irving was a graceful, matronly
little Lady Chiltern and her tender de-
votion to her husband, Sir Robert. in his
time of need was most natural. Miss
Irish had opportunity last night for the
and as Mrs. Cheveley, a designing. un-
scrupulous diplomat and woman of the
world she did some extremely clever
work; she was beautiful to look upon
and her points were made with most tell
ing effect Mrs. Walcot's Lady Markby
was one of those cheerfully idioic So
cety moths that tlutter about making
life burden not only to herself but to
everybody else; she depicted type, one
that is not unfortunately confined to
London, and in Mrs. Walcot's hands it
was made distinctly realistic. Stephen
Grattan did much better work last night
as Sir robert Chiltern than on the night
before and Herbert Kelcey and Mr.. lie
Moyne showed themselves. as usual, ac-
complished gentlemen AMI finished art
lists. The rest OF the cast was excellent.
Again the staging was most beautiful;
+l,n txvxl ,,a,t nt,1 thn
whole play was rare Intellectual treat.
Tonight the Amazons. by a. w. Plnero
author of Sweet Lavender, and tomorrow
night, The Wife. E. NJ. C.
Los Angeles Theater-Tte presentation
of the great Shakespearean play, AS You
Like 1t, that will be given ON Monday
great expectation by the society ladies' OF
the city. The cast is an entire female
one and some of the prettiest, most tai
ented and prominent young ladies OF the
CITY will take tle various roles. The re.
hearsals. under the direction Of Mr.. T.
J. Duggan. are progressing; very satiafac-
totily. Ample time has been given, to
make the production one that will reflect
credit upon those taking the various parts
and the gentleman under whose direction
the comedy will be presented. Following
is the cast: Rosalind, Miss Lizzie Will
son; orlando. T.. N. LOOMS; OIlVer,
Miss Minnie Woodward Celia. Miss Edna
Willman; Banished Duke, Miss Mai
Rohde; Duke Frederick. Miss Hette Bur
CESS; Adam, Miss Georges; Charles, the
Wrestler. Miss Virginia Bowman; Syl-
vius. Miss Alice Barrett Jacques, Miss
GriFn: Touchstone, Miss Hall; William.
Miss Wilmont; Audrey, Miss Burgess;
Leabean, Miss Barrett; Jacques de Bois,
Miss Bowman. Bishops celebrated glee,
What Shall He Have That Killed the
Deer, will be given by a double quartetts