The herald., 1896-06-14

NJ !>,fl|g w, w :,
Vaudeville at the Orpheum will be
about the only thing running in any OF
the theaters this week, and 1t is fortu-
nate for theater goers that this house
has an exceptionally fine bill TO oiter.
There have been stronger single features
here. but never was there a petter an
around show, with more high grade ar
lists in it than the present one. The
leading star will be Virginia Aragon, or
course She is the prime attraction
wherever she appears Senorita Aragon
is the queen of the lofty wire. That is
her one speciality, and she leads the world
at it. The New York Dramatic Mirror
says of her:
''Of all the performers who have been
imported from Europe during the past
season, Virginia Aragon is without
doubt the cleverest and most interesting.
She Is a fine type of Spanish beauty
with her pretty face, great lustrous
brown eyes shaded by long black lashes,
olive complexion and fine figure. She is
and she has earned her title by her
work. which is little short of marvellous.
On q slender wire stretched high above
the heads of the audience, she performs
with as much ease and grace as if she
were standing on the solid stage. Dur
ing part of her performance she uses
a small Japanese paraSol as balance,
but her most difficult feats are accom-
plished with nothing but her two pretty
arms to help her maintain her equilib-
rum. A mere description of her per-
formance would give only an idea of
its effect She waltzes, jumps, stands
on one foot, does some startling tricks
with hoop, and executes the split
in manner that would excite the envy
of the most accomplished French quad
rille dancer.
Senorita Aragon has been in all the
principal cities Of Europe, and she has
never failed to create sensation Wher-
ever she has appeared. She has many
souvenirs Of her triumphs-not simply
for her clever and daring feats, but Of
her conqueSts of those who We're daZzled
with her beauty
In the matter of amusement the Or
pheum had everything it's own way dur
ing ing the past week, the Burbank and
Los Angeles theaters still being closed.
The White Mahatmas did a good busi-
ness at the latter house on Sunday night
They announced that their performance
would be for one night only which was
q wise provision of a thoughtful advance
agent. as very little of such occult
ISM goes very far with long suffering
public. 1t is safe to say, however. that
those VINO were victimZed by the per-
1ormance felt themselves in a measure
repaid for the loss of the simoleons by
the spirit of fun the performance evok-
ed among the audience. 1t was a good
natured audience, inclined to enioy its
own witty. albeit highly personal. sal
lies. the gallery being especially liberal
with contributions of this kind, remind
ing one somewhat of Chicago audience
on James Owen O'Connor night II
was a happy thing for the Mahatmas
tnat such state of things existed. else
all their so-called "occultism" Wollld
scarcely have served to defend them
from personal violence at the hands of
their befooled auditors, whose feelings
couio De no better expressed than in the
words of the parodist:
%, Of all hard things to bear and grin
Inc saodest is KNOWN you've been taken in
Inc passing of Frank Mayo during the
week caused keen pang in the hearts
OF many theatergoers here in Los An
geles, who but recently had the pleas
ure OF enjoying his striking and MASTER
~ preSentment of Pedd nhead Wilson
Mr.. Mayo belonged to the old school of
players, who had mastered the details of
the histrionic art by patient and exact
ing STUDY lie was one of the best ac-
soas IN CERTAIN lines of character on the
stage, and his latest creation was a
scholarly conception that took rank with
JeHerson's Rip Van Wrinkle.
There is one artist among the Or
pheum forces who remains ALWAYS with
US and of whom the public never tires.
and that is the leader of the orchestra.
Dion Romandy. Comedy teams NAV
prove disappointing, one may have seen
petter dancers in the third row of the
pallet, singers may serve but TO recall to
our minds that plaintive ditty, They Nav
nave Seen Better Days, but everyone
VIII ADMIT when Romandy grasps his
hddle and settles himself down to play
that here at least is one person who can
never fail to crafty his hearers and
sootne them into that state of beatitude
IN winch truly beautiful music. beauti-
fully rendered. places the human kind.
Ihere Is wild plaintiVe strain running
through Romandy's music, a ripping,
pulslng melody, reminding one of the
caring, dashing race from which he
springs. There is a sadness too charac-
teflstlc of most people in whose veins
runs the blood of the Magyars. who have
"
pes, Brave as lions they were, and
wlthal strangely sensitive to the beauty
OF music and the poetry of motion, as
eVlnced by their beautiful melodies and
graceful dancing.
In playing his own compositions es-
pecially one cannot help following the
series OF pictures which Romandy places
before him There will be perhaps wild
purst OF melody suggestive of the sweep
OF the storm over wild lonely stretches
OF prairie, then dreary sadness like
unto the soughing of the wind through
the tall pines, then a dainty lightness
reminding one of the play of the zephyrs
among a garden of roses on a summer
day and anon a soft satisfying strain
that lighter falls than night dews on
still waters between walls of shadowy
granite in cleaning pass" Music
that makes one feel that il is worth
while having lived through all the trials
OF life in order to have grasped the few
happy moments that come in our way.
AS the summer days come on apace
and the poor tired historian hies himself
away to take his hard earned vacation.
criticism becomes dormant for the time
belng, and the critic reminiscent, having
time to think over some of the clever
stories he has heard during the season.
Here is one told by the late advance
when that combination was inexistence,
Mr. Walter j. Lamb, who is well known
TO most theatrical people:
Mr. Lamb was in advance of his COM
pany in some of the one-night stands
or what Is known as the northern cir
cult. There was a company playing the
town when Mr.. Lamb reached there. He