The herald., 1898-07-31

long enough to win place in the regard of
their audiences, is a matter of regret At
the same time the law of change applies
inexorably to theatrical companies as it
does to other things, and the actors and
actresses who find 1t both pleasant and
profitable to fill in the summer months in
California have now to hurry back and
soon attend rehearsals for fall productions.
During their stay here, audiences have
been richer in opportunities to see good
work, and that is fact that has not been
generally realized. Still, none can have
seen Miss Oliver, for example, without
realizing that she is an actress of tonsd-
cradle power and in most instances far be-
You'd the many comparatively petty parts
she has had to play. Whether it was Clio
riana or Lady Isabel or Eliza in Uncle
Toms Cabin" she has always shown her
self an artist and has given all the value to
the portrait that the surrounding limitations
would permit
Lester Lonergan has been another valu-
able acquisition, his talent, refinement and
George Osbourne, the veteran stage man
ager, also goes, and of him I have already
spoken at length.
But, for the encoura cement of audiences
to come, it may be cheerfully said that
there will be a good company remaining
at the Burbank, and of their individual
efforts more will be said anon.
Clement Scott, in the London Daily Telc-
graph, points out that Sir Henry Irving, in
his management of the Lyceum theater,
has followed very closely the precedents set
by Charles Kean during his memorable di-
rection of the Princess's theater. Thus far
Sir Henry has reproduced the following
plays which figured in the Kean repertory:
Twelfth Night" 1.-The Corsican Broth
ers," Macbeth" ''Richard III with Glib
Der by Kean without Cibber by Irving),
Faust and Margaret" THE Courier of
Lyons" ''The Iron Chest" Louis XII"
"Henry VIII" Hamlet" Much Ado
About Nothing" 1.-THE Merchant of Ven
ice" and king Lear" The revivals of
Charles Kean yet to be seen a. the Lyceum
are: 1.-THE Gamester," MERRY Wives of
Windsor" king John" "Sardanapalus,"
"Pizarro," "a Midsummer Nights Dream"
1.-The Tempest" Henry "" 1.-The Jealous
Wife," and Richard H. of which the
last will be seen at the Lyceum next win
ter.
The great opportunity for spectacular dis
play in 'Richard H. is the entry of Boiling
broke into London with the captive king
In his train, the conquerer mounted upon a
fiery charger and the poor king upon an in
significant palfrey. which were conspicuous
features Of the procession as arranged by
Kean. Long before the procession passed
the stage was completely filled with a great
crowd of street folk. among whom were the
Norris dancers, the jongleurs and merry
makers, who kept the stage lively with
their music, their antics and their brawls,
while from the windows of the overhanging
houses the old women and the maidens
looked down upon the scene. A heavy pea
of church bells announced the coming of the
procession, and the horsemen and footmen
passed across the stage in apparently inter-
mnable length amidst the tumult of the
noisy crowd. Every costume and suit OF
armor worn was fashioned accurately, ac-
cording to the mode of the period, and no
later revivaist can surpass Charles Kean
in accuracy, while few may surpass him in
the splendor and richness of his stage ap-
pointments. Kean was the first great
iconoclast of stage tradition; he brushed
aside the revered precedents of the theater
and went straight to the fountain head for
his authorities upon stage mounting, ac-
cessories and costumes. In these particu-
lars no one had ever approached his perfec-
ton of details. and he it was who may be
said to have awakened and stimulated the
desire in the popular mind, which grew to
be an exaction, that the great plays should
be worthily treated and put upon the stage
with decent regard for accuracy as to
archaeology and costumng.
Robert Mantell, who would not venture
from San Francisco on three nights en-
gagement in Los Angeles for fear he would
not pay expenses. has now Joined the vaude-
Vile ranks for the summer and appears in
"A Lesson in Acting" by T. E. Mccain at
Keiths
O o o
Jessie Padgham- Conant is so we'll known
here and universally popular that note of
her doings will be appreciated She is en-
gagged to play the part of prima donna in
George H. Broadhurst's new comedy, "Why
Smith Left Home which is to be produced
in Chicago about August %. Mrs. Conants
voice is said to have greatly improved, and
to be sweeter than ever. Mr.. Broadhurst is
known to fame as the author of what
Happened to Jones'" highly successful
farce. The cast for the new play includes
Maclyn Arbuckle, M. B. Snyder, Fred w.
Peters, Frank L. Hatch, Ed D. Tyler Harry
Rose, Annie Yeamins, Blanche Chapman,
Dorothy Usner. Sadie Kirby. Rose Snyder
and poor Bernice Wheeler was to be tho