The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-05-31

BURBANK-From the sensational scenes
of lurid melodrama, with its accompani-
ment of patriotism, spread-eagleism ana
the other concomitants of military and
naval display on the stage, such an was
witnessed last week In the performances
of THE White Squadron" to the compare
lively mild and innocuous intrioacies of do
nestle farcical-comedy, is long step. The
great recommendation of the Belasco-Thall
Stock company. now performing at this
house, Is that its members are always ready
to cope with the difficulties of any piece
that may be selected by the management,
and almost invariably manage to give
good account of themselves.
This week the attraction Is double bill,
consisting of Jane" a farce in three acts,
which is preceded by q charming one-act
and entitled "A Man of the World" which
was acted by the following cast Of charac-
tiers:
Mr.. Clay Willard. .........John T. Nicholson
Mr.. George Ellis. Henry Napier
Mrs. Clay Willard. ......... Gertrude Ttdball
Capt. Bradley. ,................H Hugo Toiano
There is no action in this little sketch,
but 1t Is delicate conversational unfold
ing on the part of the experienced man OF
the world, of the dangers that beset the
young married couple, in whom he takes
sort Of paternal interest. 1t Is hardly the
sort of comedy to which Burbank patrons
have been accustomed, but they listened
intently last night while Hugo Toland re-
lated the story Of his life and made Its APP
plication to the couple before him, which
he did with an amount of JUNCTION that did
infinite credit to his taste and discretion,
comparing very favorably with Maurice
Barrymore, who had been seen here in the
same character. Miss Tidball as the young
wife had but few lines, but her part was
he more difficult, as she had to express
SO much in her acting. She succeeded ad-
nrably in making the character effective,
with few touches of unaffected simplicity
that seem to belong to her, and the pathos
that she infused into the scene was just
sufficient for the purpose, without being
nverdone.
The piece of the evening. "Jane," was
rendered by the following cast:
Charles Shackleton.. Hugo Toland
Mr.. Kershaw.. George Osbourne
William Tipson. George Osbourne, jr.
claude. .............,...'.... ..,Frank Bacon
Plxton.. ...,.......,.......W William HaWley
creditor. .............. .....Frank RAINING
Jane. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. .Essie I1tteli
Mrs. Chadwick. Fannie Howe
Lucy Norton..........,.....Ge Gertrude Tidball
Mrs. FlxtOn Ida banning
The humors of this piece are well known
and 1t has always been successful as afford
ing an evenings diversion. Miss Tittell
was Unexpectedly good in the character of
the shrewd iliterate, money-making and
hopelessly cockneyfied Jane She had a
rich accent and prominent deficiency of
table manners, the eating scene being ex-
aggerated, as usual Miss Tittell has been
playing model young ladies of correct de-
pertinent and fine language for so long that
1t is quite refreshing to see her for once in
full abandon to the utter absurdities of the
character of Jane.
Miss Howe and Miss Tidball made as
much as could be expected out of their
characters, while. George Osbourne made
capital sketch of the elderly guardian, only
forgetting to bring on the toys for the
baby. The baby, by the way, was the real
article, and the way In which 1t behaved,
observing the utmost complacency while 1t
was being banded about from hand to hand
and shouted over by the characters in sue
cession, was a sight to inspire envy in the
minds of fathers and mothers not similarly
blessed.
Mr.. Toland was quite equal to the exac-
| tions of the character of Charles Shackle-
ton SO far as ease and self-possesslon were
concerned, but he was not as successful as
| in the curtain raiser. The demands of the
kind of comedy require distinctness of
utterance which Mr.. Toland only attains
in more deliberate speech. When he rattles
off his lines, their meaning is obscured and
often lost. But Jane and William are the
chief fun-makers, and with regard to the
latter, young Mr.. Osbourne made very
clever impersonation. Frank Bacon as the
hoy" was also capital.
The performance went with great spirit
up to the very last scene, which latter will
be improved on another rehearsal.
The pieces were excellently mounted in
the style usual at this house, the audience
was large and enthusiastic, and a good
week seems assured.
ORPHEUM.- room only" Is
too mild a term to use in describing this
house last evening. Every inch of space
was used and every available seat was
brought into demand, even to seats on the
stage. The program was one that fully
merited so large an audience. 1t was all
so evenly balanced that it would be next
to impossible to pick one part out as ex-
ceiling all the others. The numbers were
not presented In the printed routine, but
they were all given before the performance
closed.
The first of the newcomers, the Sa-Vans,
a man and woman, did some very clever
tumbling, plentifully interspersed with
funny work" Chas ]. Jerome and Clara
Bell were seen in what was called an up
to-date comedy interlude, "a Raft of Good
Things" 1t consisted of a farce-comedy
mixture of sharp sayings and songs. 1t
was one of the chief successes of the even