The herald., 1896-01-13
AT THE THEATERS

sible and mirth.provoking Fanny Rice gave
Nancy at She French Ball at the Los An
geles theater last night. The season OF
comedies that are really comic is now on,
and "Nancy" is rare combination of
propriety and situations that come peril
ously near to the borderland of the racy.
An overworked stock broker has no time
to cultivate the acquaintance of his wife
and children. At the seaside his wife car
ries on desperate filtration with gay
youth of the clan of Lothario The lady
wishes to discontinue the perilous game
and tries TO gain the ear of her husband
long enough to make a confession. That
busy worthy is too absorbed in stocks
to pay any attention to what she
has to say. The shoemaker's wife calls at
the brokers' house to deliver some shoes
that were ordered by the perplexed lady.
She gains her confidence and avows her
intention of getting the troublesome letters
that are in Lothario's possession and OF
delivering those documents into the hands
OF the now penitent writer.
Lothario is summoned to the broker s
house while the banker is away. He meets
tho wife of the shoemaker instead of the
brokers' wife; the shoemaker himself
rushes to the brokers' house to correct a
mistake in the shoes; the banker comes
home at the same seasonable hour; the
raveling of the tangled skein takes two
skeins are tangled during the disentangling
of the first.
The shoemaker's wife who began by
longing for the life of the fashionable set
was glad to get back to the quiet home OF
the poor, but honest shoemaker.
Fanny Rice, as the pretty and ambitious
wife of a poor man, was as naive as the
daintiest, unsophisticated miss that ever
fell among the pretenders of the surface
world. The brogue of her family and class
sat upon her tongue too well to be all ac-
quired; she put the borrowed dresses of the
gay prima donna to stranger uses than
their owner had ever known; in her oper-
was versatility itself, and whether she
sang dainty ballad or 1 Want Yer, Ma
Honey, the touch was true and the skill of
the mistress OF tone was apparent.
Her contagious laugh was natural as
ever. Those who heard her in The Mikado
and in The Jolly Surprise will be glad to
know that the greater part of The French
Ball requires the presence of Miss Fanny
herself.
As Geraldin, the prima dona Miss Helene
Russell, sang we'll but acted much better
than she sang.
Mr.. W. H. Fitzgerald appeared in diff
ferent role in each act, but as the Duke OF
CarRoyle he was most successful.
Mr.. Frillman also appeared in several
different characters and succeeded most
admirably as Major David Slyboots, a gay
deceiver.
The balance of the support was poor
with the exception of Mr.. John Conley as
Erasimous, the waiter. He WAS one of the
best colored walters that ever had a yawn-
ing cemetery for mouth.
Nancy at the French Ball will be given
tonight and tomorrow night only.
Los ANGELES THEATER.-The complete
production of In Old Kentucky, which cre-
ated such furore last season, will be given
in this city again for four nights and matt
nee, beginning Wednesday, January 15.
No American play produced in this country
in many years has been so enthusiastically
received. In the course of q long article
reviewing its merits, the Boston Globe said {:
sin Old Kentucky brings one nearer to
the man and woman Heaven created. The
plantation scene in which thirty or forty
pickaninnies take part is thoroughly
original and away ahead of anything of
the kind ever seen here. 1t is sure to be
the talk of the town. Then there is the
most realistic race scene ever seen on any
stage, with a troop of blooded horses and
jockeys that do not simply walk on in the
conventional way, but dash across with a
real appearance of genuineness. The stage
settings all deserve the highest praise. 1t
is evident that neither money nor brains
have been spared in mounting the play {;
even i'll minor scenes, so apt to display
makeshift expedens in ordinary produc-
tons. the smallest details are carefully
provided for.' The sale of seats COM
mences this morning.
= 4
ORPHEUM-The bill at the Orpheum to-
night will Oe great one Gilbalt and
Goldie return with a new string of Jokes,
songs and dances; Newell and Sherette,
the triple bar performers, will appear also |;
Mons. De Bissell, the great molder in clay !:
the Phoile Pinaud troupe remain and will
introduce new work into their great panto-
mime act; Hill and Hull, who have done
such clever work, the like of which has
never been seen here, and Clotilde Antonio,
the great ballerina, appears in new feats of
balancing and dancing on her hands. All
these go to make up the best bill of the
season. Such strong string Of attrac.
went at last nights performance and
therefore everything should run smooth to-
night.
THE URBANK,-Tonight will see that
sterling actor, Milton Mobiles, in his cele-
brated play, The Phoenix, which is how in
the twenty-first year of it's successful pro-
duction. This great American melo-drama
has been one of the best plays of it's kind
on the stage. Mr.. Mobiles inaugurated his
popularity in the rendition of this piece.
1t will be given this evening in all its full
est details as presented elsewhere. The
thrilling fire scene will ne feature of the
presentation. The scenery throughout is
exceptionally good. This popular melo-
drama will undoubtedly draw big audiences
throughout the entire week.
Public Employees
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