The herald., 1895-08-23
AT THE THEATERS
oseesesceoeeocecesecses

The Los Angeles.-Too Much johnson?
mpossible-coudn't have too much of
that kind of Johnson, and. as for the
man that invented him, there Is only one
0illette-the mould was broken immedi-
ately afterward. The play itself is be-
yond description or explanation, it is
continuous succession of screamingly
funny situations. There is q father, and
a lonely maiden who has Canadian suitor
whom she loves, and a Cuban suitor that
she doesn't love; then there IL sporty
married man, who has acquired habit
of occasionally decorating New York. al
though his home is in Ionkers; but who
is in lucid intervals devoted to his most
charming and entirely lovable wife; there
is also a mother-in-law in the Ionkers
household; a ramping, untamaple mother-
in-law; there is, too, a Frenchman whose
wife, although she does not appear, is
very much in evidence as having accom-
panied the Yonkers gentlemen to the va
rions innocent little pleasure resorts to
be found in and around New York, while
monsieur was attending to tho cares in
cident upon importing French wine from
California.
With such material has Mr.. Gillette
woven fabric that would not perhaps
hold water to philosophic mind; but
who wants to phiiosophize, when series
of deliciously clever and Whimsical cross
purposes are told in sparkling, clean cut
lines, and acted by a company OF which
each one is particularly we'll adapted for
his or her part? The curtain rises on a
well-staged steamer cabin; the action of
the play begins imm ediately, continues
without let or hlndrance through three
acts. the last two of which are laid in a
CUBAN plantation, and, although in the
first scene things look as if a crisis were
ir,p If in6apI hu1 alroaAv
arrived. yet through a special dispensa-
tion of Providence or some otner equally
unusual and unexpected cause, the hair
is not severed and the sword doeb not fall.
Even at the last curtain the suavity, the
debonair nonchalance. the exquisite i'm
would fail of disturbing. was still exud-
ing from every pore of that ingenious
thoroug ghbred who was called Augustus
Billings, alias Johnson, alias William
Gillette, the clever playwright and accom-
plished actor.
He was perilously near detection sew
eral times, and had some pretty narrow
escapes. and his loving wife could still
trust on another instance of ignorance
being bliss.
Miss Maud Haslom made a charming
ana graceful trusting wife, and most
obedient daughter to Mrs. S. Upton Bat
terson, the mother-in-law, and in the
tremely clever piece of work.
Mr.. Ralph Delmore made capital
Joseph johnson, the roaring Cuban pro-
prie;or and lover.
Mr.. Charles j. Bells delineation of
Monsieur Leon Dithais, the French i'm
porter and outraged husband, was brill
liant piece of character acting; Miss Lor-
raine Dreux was dainty and womanly
Leonora Faddish and all the rest of the
com pany were more than acceptable. In
addition to the other delights Of the even
ing, Dion Romandy appeared as con-
ductor of the orchestra. He has infused
some of his Hungarian fire already into
the men under him, the numbers were
all good, and the rich sweet tone OF
Mr.. Romandy's own violin made most
welcome and attractive addition to the
rest.
Too Much Johnson will hold the boards
the rest of the week, including matinee
on Saturday.
The audience was very large. the house
being crowded to the doors by the wealth
and fashion OF the city. E. NJ. c..
Los Angeles Theater.-The notable
event of the coming week will be the pro-
ductiOn of Gillette s latest comedy snccess.
Jane, at the Los Angeles theater, for
three nights, commencing Monday even
ing next. by Manager Frohman's COM
edy organization. 1t hao profitable run
of 400 nights in New York. Mr.. Gil.
lette's comedy is said to be in many par
tculars the best play of its kind our stage
has shown. Constructed on the basis of
a plot suggested by the coarse cleverness
of Nichols aud Lestoof, the new piece has
been altered, enlivened and improved by
the American author so that the entire
success of the play is due more to the
ingenuity of Mr.. Gilette's ada sptation
than to the humor of the original story.
Mr.. Gillet.e's drollery as shown in his
new comedy is confined almost wholly to
the amusing cross purposes and perplex-
ing dilemmas into which the French
author has led the characters and through
greater, but less risky maze of which
Mr.. Gillette has continued them.
the sale of reserved seats scommenced
this morning.
Professor Gleason continues to draw