The herald., 1897-02-16
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
( At THE THEATERS :
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LOS ANGELES THEATER.- Fanny
Rice is back again in At the French
Ball, which has been to certain extent
made over, and so far as the supporting
company Is concerned, much improved.
There is Charles H. Drew, the former
comedian of the Carleton Opera COM
pany, George Broderick the we'll known
opera singer once with Emma Abbott,
and there is Kate Michelena, who
has sweet, full soprano voice and
facile power Of execution, pleasing in
deed, with the possible exception of The
Last Rose of Summer for an encore.
John H. Terry, the Shoemaker in the
cast has capital voice, which was heard
here some six years ago, when, as Jack
Williams, he sang in st. Paups choir.
The other members of the company
are well suited to their respective parts
and while they have but little to do,
compared with the work that falls upon
the plump little star, they do that well.
AS to Fanny Rice, she has improved to
the extent of having discarded some of
the more prominent mannerisms and af-
fectations that formerly disfigured her
acting, but she has not yet acquired a
settled idea of perscnating such char
acter as that of Nancy Patch. The
piece being at times seriously meant to
teach lesson that there may be con-
tentment in poverty, and that the rich
have their troubles there is certain in
fusion of comedy that is spoiled by
such inane actions as the antics at the
breakfast table, where Miss, Rice as the
wife buffers the bread, seriously using
her husbands shaving brush instead OF
knife. Other items of unnecessary
coarseness, similarly unfunny, mar the
WI f,o,
lesque in such swift changes that the
attempt to interweave thread of plot
and to- impart some interest in it as a
drama OF domestic life is ridiculous
failure. The burlesque part of the show
with the introduced specialties is good
and appeared to please the audience. Ii
the piece were made burlesuue
throughout 1t might he much improved
AS 1t is. the person who concocted it
must have very confused ideas of con-
struction. Even an absurdity should be
consistent with ITSELF but the French
Ball belongs to no recognized order of
pieces. And does Miss Rice think that
any civilized woman in the, world would
put on train skirt hind part foremost
and attempt to wear it in that fashion?
And where does the fun come in in so
doing? There is good deal of fun in
the acting, however. and the piece goes
with plenty of snap to it, The same
bill tonight.
BURBANK THEATER.-The drama
entitled A Fair Rebel, produced at this
mouse last night is one of the numer-
Gus plays based upon incidents in the
war of the rebellion. and the important
incident in this one is founded upon the
historical escape of federal soldiers
from the Libby prison.
or course there is love story inter-
woven, and every advantage is taken of
the military element of the piece to
produce sensational effects in which
bugle calls, rifle bullets, telegraph sig
nails and score of other details are
brought in to aid the effect. The seem
cry is appropriate and correct while the
acting is fully up to the standard of the
company as shown in other pieces. Jes-
sic Welburn distinguished herself as
the fair rebel by some excellent work
and got large share of the applause.
Katie Pearson had a good part as Can't.
Johnny and made the most Of it. Mr..
Montserrat was seen to good advantage
as Col. Ezra Mason, while Frederick ia
der made hit in the character role of
Major Stillman. One of the sensational
incidents of the piece which met with
much applause was the shooting of the
member Of the federal telegraph corps
as he is in the act of sending message
a portable instrument
The audience was liberal with it's ap-
plause and A Fair Rebel will doubtless
draw we'll for the rest of the week.
ORPHEUM.-The new features intro
duced last night were highly acceptable
to the crowded house, the chief success
being scored by the Frantz family, six of
whom materalized and gave an aero
batic performance that was really WON
derful of it's kind. Three women, two
men and boy went through a series of
evolutions that showed marvellous
strength and great ability as acrobats,
not the least startling part of the per-
forma>ce being the ease with which the
Women, clad in long dresses, seemed to
be perfectly unconscious of such encum-
brances and performed their feats with
a grace and facility that made the en-
tertainment doubly pleasing. Heating
and Walker, the minstrel team, may be
famous" but it cannot be on account
of any snap in their performance, for it
Is a very tame team. The singer, Miss
L'Ombra, has a fine soprano voice which
1t is a pleasure to listen to. She also
takes part in an instrumental duet with
Manuel Manzo in which the odldity of
the performers playing on each others
violins was more remarkable than the
music they succeeded in evolving.