The herald., 1896-05-10

N|Np v W~-7lk
The past week, theatrically, has been
one of pleasant memories to the play
goer. With Mansfield at the Los Ange-
les. new and excellent comedy COM
pany at the Burbank, and what proved
by all odds to be the best Naudevllie
company that has yet visited TINS Guy
at the Orpheum, certainly there was
feast of rare variety and eXcellehce
spread for the Angeleno to choose from
1t pays to bring good companies 10 thls
city. as was shown by the large houses
at all the theaters during the week.
= = =
1t is sometimes interesting in watch
ing the performance of an eminent actor
to pay attention to a slight detail OF the
work and follow it through to the end.
For exar4cle. one might find an absorb
ing study in the different emotions eX-
pressed by the hand of Richard Mans
field A close observer would see pc
culiarly shaped hand. very broad at the
point where the thumb juts out. The
thumb is very large at the base and
seems to have an independent action of
it's own having also the outward turn
that denotes extravaganza. Then there
are the slender, we'll shaped fingers, that
indicate the Srtistic temperament. All
these points would be very interesting to
the student of palmstry, but to the or
dinary observer what would prove most
interesting about Mr.. Manstield's hands
would he their wonderful power of eX-
preston. There not an emotion depict
ed by Mr. Mansfeld's countenance that
is not also expressed by the hands. The
love. the hate. the tenderness, the grasp
ing greed, the pride. the strength are all
there and the thought doth make us
pause and reflect. that all these things
were not acquired in a day. and then
wonder at the marvellous amount of pa
tient study given by an artist to the por-
trayal of a character. and one is more
than ever convinced that it is only by
the most exacting attention to small de-
tails that an actor can achieve greatness.
4 = 4
Beatrice Cameron is living example
of what association with and careful
study of great artist will do for an ac-
tress When Miss Cameron was here
some years ago she gave no great evil
dence of rising much above the medic
ere in her art She was, it is true rather
clever leading woman, but not any
better. than dozens of others playing
leads with famous stars-but "elle a
change tout celia" and Miss Cameron's S
work now shows flashes of the genius
that must have always been latent in
her being but which required a master
hand to call it forth Miss Cameron owes
much to the training that association
with her husband has given her, and if
her capabilities increase in the same ra =
tio IN the future she will soon occupy
nigh place among the celebrated women
OF the stage.
Ii is not often in these days of Quick
stage successes that an actress NAV be
round who is willing after having tasted
or the first intoxicating draughts of sue
cess 10 concede that there is anything
pertaining to her art left unmastered,
ana who is willing to sit at the feet of
genius and patiently endeavor to profit
ny the words of wisdom that fall from
the lips of its possessors. Miss John
stone Bennett of the Richard Mansfield
company is notable exception to this
rule. Miss Bennett was seen here some
years ago in Jane and her success in
that piece will be we'll remembered. Miss
bennet was at that time much quoted
IN the papers as a new woman. She af-
Iected masculine garments and a pecu-
l1arly manniSh style of coiffure and in
thinking of her one was apt to say. this
woman Will never get over the star craze
She will keep to such plays as Jane all
her life. content with the fleeting need
of praise bestowed on all such jerform-
ers and performances. a here today
and gone tomorreW' sort of thing. when
10 and behold, we find Miss Bennett
without any flourish OF trumpets among
Mr.. Mansfield's support, from which il
would seem that the possibilities of dra-
matte art have been borne in upon her
and that she fully understands that. al
ter all, association for a time with n
great actor may be we'll worth the time
expended and produce much better re
suits than long years of personal effort
with only ones own ideals as a goal
of tl1ap h., IL.
could do likewise.
Los Angeles ladies are becoming more
and more metropolitan in their selection
OF costumes to be worn at the theater
"A year or two ago. in looking over the
audience, one would be impressed with
the somhre appearance of the assem-
blage. Now it is quite different There
are multitudes of charming gowns and
pretty blouses in the fashionable light
eolors, and with these dainty little con-
fectionS of bonnetS are worn all of which
gives the house an air of brilliancy and
Eight which add much to the pleasure
OF theater goers one of the best dress
ed audiences of the season was present
at the Los Angeles theater 'or the open
Ing night of the Mansfield engagement.
Society was out i'm force. and the hand
some gowns and pretty faces of the Wo-
men made picture not soon to be for
Eotltll ny llbSe present.
X 4 \
Dusc saw Henry Irving act and sent
him the following endorsement signed
by all the members of her company:
Sir Henry Irving. The dramatic COM
panY of Signora Eleanora Duse, inspired
by your lofty art hold it a duty, to which
is added their personal delight to ey-
press to you their sense Of high admira-
tion and gratitude for having revealed
to the minds of aliens. through Notlt'
great talent, and by the proud flights Gt
your genius, the sweet idioms of your
Shakespeare. They pray you further t.
present to Miss Ellen Terry, your val
ued and worthy comrade. the homage of
their respectful admiration"
Los ANGELES THEATER-At the
Los Angeles theater next Thursday
night and continuing throughout the
week comes Hoyt's merriest skit A Trip
to Chinatown, with an unprecedented
run of 656 nights at Mr.. Hoyt's beauti-
full little theater, New York and a tour
of the entire country with the exception
of the great northwest covering in all
a period of seven years. This play will
have second hearing at this popular
play house. The run of this piece and
its popularity has never been equaled
before; only one other farce comedy
having nearly reached it's goal, and tha /
was another play from the prolific pen
of the same author. Chas. Hoyt The
play was A Parlor Match. which served
1t