The herald., 1897-11-09
I AT THE THEATER :
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| BURBANK THEATER.-The per-
formance of Edwin Milton Royle's play,
entitled "Friends," as given last night,
was one Of the smoothest and most
pleasing Of those presented by this
clever company during the past six
weeks.
The play is largely made UP Of situa-
tions taken from other successful
dramas, but its foundational idea, that
of the strong and self-sacrificing friend
ship that may exist between two men,
even when there Is q woman in the
case, is very cleverly kept prominently
In the foreground, and gives a whole
some tone to the whole production. The
first act, with its horse play Of Jack
dressing up as a woman, Is incongruous
and out of harmony with the rest of
the piece. but Mr.. Hallock as Jack car
ried 1t or as well as could possibly be
expected. In fact, Mr.. Hallock showed
an amount of vivacity that gained him
great deal Of applause. The part has
most OF the good lines, seeing that Mr..
Royle wrote 1t for himself, but he did
not play it with more effect than was
produced last night by Mr.. Hallock
Another excellent piece Of character
work was the old German musician.
Hans Otto. a wreck from habits of dis
sipation induced by remorse. Harry
F. Adams, the best character actor in
the company, made a very strong pic
ture, and played with much force and
feeling; the dialect was forgotten once
in a while, but on the whole the per-
sonation was virile. and even touching.
The makeup was good, with perhaps
tho nyContfNn thnf ,1, ,,
in confinement for a week would not be
able to preserve a clean -shaven face.
Guy Bates Post as Adrian Karje, the
pianist and the favored suitor Of the fair
Marguerite, played his part with gen.
tlemanly ease, and might improve it
with the infusion of more earnestness
and passion in the scene where he sus-
poets his lady-love. The exhibition Of
repressed feeling is in good taste. but
the underlying intensity must also be
plainly shown, and this il where Mr..
Post may make a point in which he did
not altogether succeed last night. In
other respects he was fully up to the
requirements of the part.
Mr.. Clary made an acceptable at
tempt at the character of Jacks father,
and Mr.. Drew made the Harold Hunt
ing correctly and directly unpleasant.
Of the ladies in the cast, Miss Truax
as the heroine. Marguerite Otto, was
delightfully."- we'll suited with a charac-
ter in which her refined and cultivated
personality shone to the greatest ad-
vantage. Her reading of the exquisite
little poem in the first act, which gives
the keynote to the love interest in the
play, was spoiled by the mistake of
delivery that was little hurried, and
by the fact that most of it was lost in the
wings, where the actress was practically
''out of sight" In the drawing room
scene, where in attempting to sing
Good Bye" Marguerites overwrought
feelings cause her to swoon and fall,
Miss Truax made the most effective cli-
max, and brought the curtain down to
great and well deserved applause. The
other ladies have in this piece quite SUBJ
ordinate parts, but all are we'll filled.
Miss Henry has the most to do among
them, and acts the landlady's daughter
and the waiting maid in her own dainty
way with charming effect.
The piece is well staged. and, being
capitally acted, will prove a strong
drawing card for the remainder of the
week.
LOS ANGELES THEATER.-That
melodrama of the good, Old-fashioned