The herald., 1897-04-30
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LOS ANGELES THEATER.-Of all
the forms of dramatic entertainment in
vented to please the tickle taste OF an
exacting public, 1T would appear that the
romantic play has in it the most-promis-
ing elements of success Given certain
dash and swagger in the action. plen-
tiful sprinkllng Of catch words, and
some fervent lovemaking; serve the
whole with handsome costumes and
calcium light effects-it must be poor
play indeed not to be successful.
Otis Skinner has secured play OF this
type, written by Clyde Fitch, not un-
known to fame as the author OF some
successful attempts beside the present
one, which is entitled. with curious dis
regard of English construction. His
Grace de Grammont." If the name is
not invented as a sort of badinage, in
which case 1t is but of a clumsy kind,it
shows ignorance of the custom which
applies to the use of titles. seeing that
the Count de Grammont could not be
decked with His Grace" which Is
prefix belonging to a higher order OF no
bility.
Mr. Skinner was happy in the selection
of this play for his opening performance
last night, for the reason that aside
from its literary merits or dement's, II
affords legitimate opportunity Tor
showing himself and his company to the
best possible advantage. The curtain
went up on a minuet danced by eight
people in the costume of the court OF the
Second Charles of England. and the
scene was very pretty. The rich cos
tunes. the stately music and the quaint
and dignified movement OF the dance
combined to produce an exceilent nrst
impression. Added to this, the ladies'
and gentlemen wore their clothes as II
they were used to them. point by no
means beneath criticism, seeing that the
average actor is usually dreadfully self
conscious and stiff when attired In
strange apparel.
Mr.. Skinner as the Count de Gram
mont, is a butterfly of the court, sort
of early Beau Brummel, who. after
series of escapades. falls seriously In
love and consequently into trouble. Mr..
Fitch. the author, had evidently in mind
the play he wrote for Richard Mansfield
when he begot this one, as, barring the
difference in period, there are numerous
points of similarity. The character OF
the mercurial count is just suited to Mr..
SINNERS temperament and abilities;
he brings out the light. dashing, suscep-
tible and impudent young courtier, the
envy of the men and the terror OF the
women who worship him. He shows him
at the height of his success as gallant
and then he depicts him overtaken by
for a girl who Is both beautiful
and who, in contrast to the other beau
ties Of the dissolute court, is good.
The king Is smitten with a passing
fancy for the same young lady ana IN
the unequal struggle of the two men for
the possession of the object Of their pur-
suit is contained the interest of the
play OF course ii ends happily so fay as
De Grammont and his lady love are~on-
cerned and the king, after being num-
erously and conspicuously insulted, con-
sents. in comic opera fashion, to treat
it all as a joke, and De Grammont in
stead of having his head chopped off. as
was the custom of those times, has the
curtain fall on a tabeaux in which MISS
Durbin reposes her lovely head upon the
fourth in order of the rich costumes he
has worn during tne evening.
Miss Durbin makes charming In
genuous character of Mistress Hamil-
ton and it must be said that in this piece
the author has given the larger share
of the responsibility outside Of the title
character to the women. 1t must also be
said that they support their roles with
distinction and grace, not to mention
beauty, which is a gift of nature. There
has seldom been seen on this stage
sight that approached the attractiveness
of the picture presented by the court la
dies. In addition to Maud Durbin, al
ready mentioned, Sarah Truax. as the
Lady Castlemaine, and Eda Aberle, as
Mistress Middleton, were especially ef-
fective, contributing in no small degree
to the success of the scenes in which
they took part Rose Thurman was a
pretty Mistress Warmeeter and even
the little part of Hester, the maid, was
well done by Naomi Roberts
The men, as above intimated, did not
have so many opportunities afforded
them by the author and yet worked in
the spirit of the play and filled the pic
ture admirably. Exception might be
taken to Mr.. Mosby's King Charles, who
was depicted as a saturnine gentleman
entirely without those characteristics
that earned him the title of the merry
Monarch" The author is, of course,
largely responsible for this view and to
sum up it might be said of Mr.. Clyde
Fitch's play that it is much better acted
than written. 1t might also be said that
none other than an actor with the in
tensity, earnestness of purpose and ca
pabiity, qualities such as are possessed
by Otis Skinner could have made it SO
successful as it evidently was last night
in the estimation of the considerable
audience gathered to witness the per-
formance.
By the way. II the characters would
kindly accent the word WHITEHALL 'on
the second syllable, instead Of on the
first, they would be one step nearer per-
fection.
The play tonight is 1.-THE Merchant OF
Venice" with Otis Skinner as Shylock.
Mosley as Bassanio, Sarah Truax as
Portia and Maud Durbin as Jessica. To
be followed by Katherine and Petru-
chic" condensed into two acts.
ORPHEUM.-At the Orpheum last
evening the feature was the reappear-
ance of the famous French tenor, the
Chevalier Guile, who was very cordial
ly received, every seat in the house
being taken, number Of his country