The herald., 1897-05-13
r 2 !alssaeassaseaseaas.9lsHaqas,asa2sea-rEe2.a r. I
AT THE THEATERS
. =
+ r-TT.T-gs+Js-ts.fs.5s.f'.tSsTsTj j. i

LOS ANGELES THEATER.-The
performance of Romeo and Juliet"
last night by Otis Skinner and his com.
pany, while it was satisfactory so far as
the two principals were concerned, was,
perhaps, more defective IN regard to the
support and general arrangement than
any of the pieces thus far put upon the
stage in this engagement. The play Is
one that requires d goodly number Of
trained "supers" for the opening scene
and for the ball scene. These difficulties
were surmounted by cutting out the
opening scene, with it's noisy brawl, and
the ball scene had to take care Of itself
Mr.. Skinner, in accordance with the
best modern usage, restores those pas
sages in the first and second acts which
indicate Romeo's amour with Rosalne.
and serve to make the action intelligi-
bic. He plays the part of the rapid lover
with all the fire and intensity that it de-
mands Romeo is immersed in loves
melancholy, but on the sight of new
face instantly forgets his preoccupatior
and plunges fifty fathoms deep in am.
atory raptures about his new found
conquest. The actor depicts this char
acter to the life.
AC liz e'tOly OltLC lll-ldlCQ lON
ers is admirably portrayed by the two
leading people. So far as the hero is
concerned, the character Is exactly suit
ed to Mr.. Skinner at this stage of his
career He has the gallant bearing, the
expressive face, the quick gesture, the
rich, full voice and, when required, an
orotund delivery that brings out the
music Of the poets lines. His emphasis
in reading is, as rule, correct, and
therefore pleasing, although he occa-
sionally makes slip as in the line:
That may convey my greetings, love
to thee" In which he placed the stress
| upon the unimportant word to- In the
delivery of another line he appeared to
have the idea of new reading, although
it would be hard to arrive at his mean
ing. 1t was the line: (Which to the high
top-gallant of my joy in which he
made pause on the hyphen in top-gal-
lant," and started afresh with strong
emphasis on the second half of the COM
pound word. Mr.. Skinner shows evil
dences Of having given so much study
to perfect his delivery that any errors
become thereby magnified in import
lance.
Maud Durbin was a sweet and loving
Juliet, her girlish face and figure suit
ing the tender age ascribed to the char
acter. Her beauty is of the northern
type, however, and of a spirituelle char
acter which prevents the realization OF
| that perfect abandon with it's fiery dem
onstration of passionate impatience
which seems to be indissolubly associ-
ated with the character of Juliet AS
acted by Maud Durbin, Juliet appears,
even in the balcony scene, to be perfect
mistress of herself and to have a re-
serve of self-contaired force which is
inconsistent, of course, with the poetic
idea of the complete self-surrender of
Juliet's intense, highly-strung Italian
temperament. The potion scene was
hurried and the difficult art of giving the
impression of excitement and the con-
sequent rapidity of utterance, without at
the same time rushing the lines to a
hasty conclusion has yet to be acquired
| by the fair actress.
| Mr.. Moseley's Mercutio was, frankly
speaking, of very Indifferent quality, and
at the same time left an impression that
he was able to do much better had h.,
chosen to take the trouble. The Queen
Nab" speech was given in an inexcusa-
bly, slovenly style, and he apparently
| forgot to mention the part of the par
sons anatomy that is tickled with a
tithe-pig's tale" He also showed a
queer misunderstanding of the lines.
"O'er courtiers' knees that dream on
court'sies straight
Seeing that he accompanied its deliv-
cry with a milkmaid's bobbing courtesy
instead of the courtly reverence that
might have been appropriate.
The important part of the Nurse was
lacking in the force and character ex-
pected. Lady Capulet was satisfacto-
rily impersonated by Sarah TruaX, who
has versatile ability. The Frar Law
renee of Mr.. Constantine appeared to
imagine that he was preaching to an
audience, instead of meditating in solil-
oquy. Mr.. Sylvester, as Tybalt. died
in an athletic as we'll as a spasmcdic
manner. A man might comfort himself
so on being run through with a sword,
but the old-fashioned stage fall is less
likely to excite the risibilities of those
spectators who have not studied anat-
omy and physiology.
John l.. Conner made handsome
young Paris and played his little part
we'll. lue TefHdlEueT OIL the cast was
equal to the small demads of their re-
spective parts.
| Thia evening 1.-THE Lady of Lyons
will be repeated. Claude Melnotte Is
one of the best of Mr. Skinners imper-
aonations. The play is we'll mounted and
handsomely costumed. Its popularity
| is never failing and it will no doubt at
! tract large audience.
| The matinee at the Los Angeles Thea
ter on Saturday is to be of the bargain
order described in the advertising col
umns the experiment having proved Sc
successful yesterday. The play will he
Romeo and Juliet"
| BURBANK THEATER-Katie Put
nam is to appear on Monday night In
Fanchon, supported by an entirely new
company.
ORPHEUM-The italian singers
Achille Alberti and Annina Orlandi AL.
berti, late of Mapleson's troupe continue
to delight the dilletante with their dulcet
| tones.