The herald., 1896-07-01
AT THE ThEATERS

LOS ANGELES THEATER.-There
was dress parade of Angeleno society
last night at the initial performance of
Christopher jr., by John Drew's ex-
cellent company of players. 1t was a
cultured audience, and the measure of
enjoyment of the scholarly stage pre-
sentiment can hardly be told in words
AS to the play, it can be said that
Christopher jr., is one of the first bright
CLEANS of original comedy that the
stage can claim in long. gloomy ex-
panse of mediocrity. 1t gives hope and
inspiration in it's smoothly flowing lines,
its exquisite naturalness, its symmetri-
cal action and it's virile touches of feel
ing that the American stage may pre-
sent work equaling in its fascinating
intellectual vigor and charm the come
dies of the olden time. To pass from
such a delightful play to the players
presenting it is,a transition alike pleas
ing and prehensile, for there Is an ethical
affinity between John Drew's players
and this play. The true art of the player
lies in the unfolding of the thought into
coherent action, and the consummate
actor is he or she that feels that master
full touch of the sunlight of genius, if you
will, that kisses the bud of fancy and
compels it to bloom and blossom into
moving fact. 1t is in this power or gift
that the whole company presenting
Christopher, jr., show their force.
81 doubt If ever a song was sung
But the singers heart sung sweeter:
/ doubt if ever a rhyme was rung
But the thought surpassed the metre"
So sang the poet, and it is this intro
spective ideal that requires high ar
tistic capablity and intellectual train
ing to adequately portray is an evident
tangible thing of beauty But the ideals
and high standards had consummate
and charming eXpositors in this group of
good actors, and they gave perhaps the
most uniformly finished manifestation
of the histrion'S art that has been seen
here in years.
Mr.. John Drew as Christopher jr., and
Maud Adams as Dora reached the pin
nacle of favor with their sterling work.
Their ease and naturalness had all the
forceful grace and breadth of COM
posite of the glores of a Titan COM
bined with the technique of a Nelson
nier. Mr.. HARDWOOD as the stern British
father and Annie Adams as the British
matron were likewise delightful imper-
sonations. Mr.. Frank Lamb as Whym-
per was an ideal factotum, and invested
the part with subtle elements q. humor
that indicated versatility and mastery
of the nicetes of the players art Mr..
Ayling as Mr. Cliff in his lone fisher
man Characterization, was very, very
funny and Annie Irish as Mrs. Cliff, who
did her husbands thinking, was charm
ing in every sense. Ethel Barymore's
Nelly was pleasing girlish assumption,
and Mr.. Baker, Mr.. Byron, Mr.. Allen
and Mr.. Henderson were all in harmony
with their environments.
THE ORPHEUM.-Anothe crowded
house witnessed the performance last
night at this favorite resort, standing
room again, despite strong counter at
traction, being paid for and endured
The show, while in one part trihe too
personal, is clean throughout and is
given by exceedingly clever people. The
acts of Lawrence and Harrington, the
Washburn sisters, Bimbo and Tehi, Nc
Avoy and May. the Meers brothers, and
the jolly Lizzie Raymond, are all VIM
ners because highly entertaining. Then
to crown all Papinta, the graceful,
piquant dancer, who brings to her art
the accessories of f1lmy draperies, mys-
teriously harnessed electricity, and COL
ors that run riot through the entire
chromatic scale-every move picture.
each pose a poem, every single turn
prism of glorious, rich raps; groupings of
tints suggestive of morning sunbursts
the valley, noon in the glades,
and then, again, sheet of
quivering flame, an indiscribable cruel
yellow - molten, quivering, leaping,
tremulous with thirst, yet fast clinging
to the robes and form of fair Papinta, till
both are in veritable and fierce blaze
that is the Orpheum show this week.