The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-04-02

crowded out of yesterdays issue on ac-
count of the extraordinary pressure on
space caused by the arrival Of tslegraph!c
war news.)
Los ANGELES THNATER--'The Mys-
terious Mr.. Bugle." Madeleine Lucette Ry-
ley's comedy in three acts, was presented
| last night with the following cast OF char
acters:
Betty Fondacre. alias Mrs. Solomon Blu
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Gretchen Lyons
Allan .Lucius Henderson
Julia Fondacre............W inona Shannon
Mr.. Tote..................... Charles Collins
Louisa Tote..................Ag Agnes Findlay
Bonaparte............... .Master Mtchaelson
Chickwell.. .Edgar norton
Burglar. ...Al3retl j. Edwards
Poiiceman............... ......Henry Phillips
Waiter. Allan Ferguson
Tom Pollinger. ...............Josepn dolland
The piece in rte construction Is COM
promise between the old-fashioned farce
and the modern society comedy. 1t Is not
therefore q "farce-comedy" as that term
ds understood The up-to-date farce-com-
edy must be enlivened with two or three
grotesQue make-ups. several young women
in short skirts, an Irish policeman with red
hair, a topical song and a number OF spe-
cialty turns In the second act. Mr.. Bugle"
has none Of these red-hot attractions and
it is quite possible that the average theater-
goer may regard II as a dish of dramatic
mush and milk compared to the fiery Span
ish tamale Of the standard farce-comedy.
Such. however. would not be the opinion
Of any lover Of the drama for its own sake.
While the fashionable audience present
last night was not demonstrative In Its
applause, 1t yet showed hearty apprecia-
ton of the humor of the situations. and a
close attention to the clever dialogue OF the
piece, all of which argued that 1t was ac-
ceptable. The author has evidently gone
to French source for her plot, which has
been carefully worked over so that the por-
tons Of IL that would be considered OBJ
jectionable IN the original form have been
changed over to suit an American audi
ence. The working-over process, however,
has not been cleverly enough done to con-
ceal entirely the joining places. The rela-
tionship existing between Betty and
Tom has been made that of q
secretly engaged" couple, the young
woman passing herself off as the
wife Of an imaginary husband; all of which
takes place at the leading hotel of FASH
icnable watering place in New Jersey. A.
lowing for the impossibilty Of the events
which are the basis of the farce part of the
piece. the play is acted naturally by all the
characters and the comedy Is found in he
incongrutty of the situations as they arise
out Of the dialogue in a series of absurd,
amusing and surprising m!sunderstand-
ings. each one of which surpasses the pre-
ceduing one. The people who take part are
costumed nationally and neither in their
appearance nor in their acting is there the
labored effort SO often seen in other farces,
where the actors are at continual pains to
label themselves. as 1t were, with an an
nouncement that they are intended to DO
funny.
Joseph Holland is capital comedian, and
is ably aided by Lucius Henderson, who
will be remembered for his excellent work
in Royle's play of Friends" Edgar Nor
ton is a good character actor, distinguish
ing himself in this piece and also in the lit
tie curtain raiser, "Old Chums.'
Gretchen Lyons really carried the weight
Of the piece on her delicately pretty Shout
ders and gave to the dialogue piquancy
that was entirely captivating. She even
succeeded in making the impossible Betty
appear for the time like probable being.
Her willful ways and fiuctuating moods
were reflected in a charming countenance,
and her delineaton was full of animation,
warmth and feeling.
The other characters were we'll rem
de-ed.
The seekers after cleverly constructed,
we'll written and well acted play of high
ly amusing character will find it in 1.-The
Mysterious Mr.. Bugle." which will hold
the boards for the remainder of the week.