The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-21
CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK

VI OdTQS.
The discussion as to the future of The
blank verse play. of which 1 made mention
lately, is still being carried on in the coli
umns of that bright New York weekly, The
Criterion.
One writer, referring to the claim Of SUI
perority urged in favor of German au-
diences in their appreciation of blank verse,
says:
However inferior he may be to his new
fellow citizen in some respects, the natural
lied German who crowds the Irving Place
house to enjoy such works as 1.-The Sunken
Bell has brought with him from Europe
an inherited love of the poetic form of
drama. At home, he had been laugh; to
love his Goethe and his Schiller.
shakespeare is more familiar to him than
to the average Englishman or American
In short. he is more cultured than :hc
bright, impatient, hurried and frequently
TOO superficial, American playgoer. Be
fore Hauptmann can be widely popular in
New York or Chicago our public Will have
to be educated up 10 the level of the audi
ence one finds in Germany. And that
may take some time. Not very long.
though. For we learn quickly and we
have few prejudices.'
This is all right, excepting the comment
that American audiences have few preju-
dices. 1t is because of their prejudices
founded for the most part upon lazy ac-
ceptance of anything that will tickle their
palates for the moment and being thus
dulled for the enjoyment of higher order.
that it has become impossible to raise the
standard of theatrical entertainments.
The same writer proposes to cure public
Indifference to the poetic play by
putting on more poetic plays, which is
as much of remedy as 1t would be to pre-
scribe a course of high living to person
suffering from indigestion.
1t is admitted that Shakespeare is
usually murdered by our imperfectly
trained actors and actresses and this
being the case, how is the public taste to
be educated up to higher plane of literary
appreciation when there are no interpret
ers to do the work?
The real remedy. then, lies In the train
ing of actors and actresses, so that they
can first discern the difference that exists
between prose and poetry and then acquire
the facility for making their knowledge
patent to the public.
Let f1annel-mouthed elocution be abol-
ished and let us have actors who can make
their audiences appreciate the poetry and
erature.
Edith Lemmert's appearance tomorrow
night in "A Prisoner of War is expected
to afford her an excellent opportunity TO
show the patrons of the Burbank the ex-
tent Of her powers as an emotional actress.
o o O
London, which received Mr.. Gillette and
George Broadhurst's what Happened to
Jones" an even more solid recognition.
The farce came into town ION rubbers,"
playing first at Croydon. and then trying
an experimental run at the Strand, where
1t threatens now to run for a year."-t,ri-
terion.
The last named play will be presented
shortly by Harry Corson Clarke at the Los
Angeles theater.
The Bacon company at the Burbank will
continue its season somewhat longer than
was intended by reason of the fact that
the new management succeeding John G..
Fisher has not BEEN able to arrange for the
Frawley company, with which 1t was hoped
to make a four weeks contract. The
F~awleys cannot come to the Los Angeles
theater on account of Henry Miller's en-
gagement at that house coming into the
middle of their open time. Theatrical COM
petition is carried to such a point that
some managers when they cannot get an
attraction for themselves will do their best
to prevent 1t from going to rival house.
and Managers Perpich and Shaw intimate
that this is the cause of their inability to
present the Frawley company here.
Tie public is the chief loser, as it is de-
%t,a v.1a ~ e11{o 4
company in modern plays at moderate
prices. The Frawley stock company is
looked upon as California institution, and
1t seems a pity that 1t should be rendered
unable to play an engagement in the SEQ
ond largest city in the state.
o O o
mistakes Will Happen" new farcical
comedy by Grant Stewart, will be pro-
duced by Jacob Lift at McVicker's theater,
Chicago, In September. After Its Chicago
production, the play will be taken to the
Baldwin theater, San Francisco, and after
making a tour of the coast will visit the
principal cities Of the country, playing at
the best theaters exclusively. The COM
pany will be very strong one. headed by
Chas. Dickson and Henrietta Crosman.
o. q o
Julius Cahn's official Theater Guide for
1882 is received. 1t is an imposing looking
volume of upwards of 700 pages and con-
tains vast amount of statistical and 9TH
er information about theaters in every part
of the country. The portion devoted to
Los Angeles is very full and explicit but
unfortunately contains number of glar-
ing errors some of which are repetitions of
similar mistakes which occurred in the
edition of 1897. The publisher was advised
Of these errors and promised to correct
them in his next issue, but evidently forgot
all about his promise. If one may judge
the unknown from the known and conclude
that similar percentage of errors exists
In the rest of the book. Its value as work
of reference is not nearly as great as it
might be with the exercise of more care
In Its compilation. -
O o O
Mr.. Mansfield. the obliging treasurer Of
the Burbank theater. leaves this city to
take the management Of John c. Fisher S
opera house at San Diego. During Mr..
Fishers absence as director of Modjeska' S
protected tour Mr.. Mansfield will have en-
Ire charge of the San Diego house.