The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-14
cbc Cbeatres
aWeather Beaten penson.r

| W There was something in "Beatehz wether BeRsoA at the Montgomery Theatre last night to laugh at and en- | joy. There was something in it that pleasant evenings entertainment, some- thing about the performance that sent the audience home pleased and satis-' | fad, with agreeable recollections of Mir. Weather Beaten Benson and his as- l sociates in his manufacturing enter prise in Oklahoma.
 Just where the charm came in, how ever. 1t is not an easy matter to dis
 was of the first class order. Ezra Kendall, the star, is indebted to his l company for the most intelligent, the most efficient support, but there were more reasons for the audiences enjoy
 ment of the evening than the mere | fact that tn presenting company was of high claSs. MT, Kendall is better suited as the leader or the Oklahoma Buyer and his last play is altogether
 better. vehicle than the play with the
 'The Vinegar BuyerH and Weather
 same fault in common. The handmade home-cured pun Is too much in evil dence. One has to ignore the plethora
 of puns to really enjoy Weather Beat one's nerves, and it-soes on some peo- pie's, one of Mir. Kendalrs perfor- mances is not the place for him.
 But there was more 70 the play of I last night than a string of puns. It rang true in more than one scene. The pathos was genuine, the sentiment sincere. At times 1t looked as if the
 play was merely patched up and knock
 chance to perpetrate his witticism and then again at times its humanity liter ally surged outand swept over the
 audience. Much of this effect was Ia,, 1.rA tr, NIA lin sv.ur company. There were draggy moments which were only bridged over by in- telligent and earnest stage work. But the audience thoroughly enjoyed except a speech from MT. Kendall af- ter half a dozen curtain calls at the end of the second act The curtain went down on the most realistic rain scene ever witnessed on Montgom- cry stage. The audience had been worked up to a high pitch of excite ment by the drought which was ruin ing the business prospects of the hero
 and spelling the happiness of both the hero and the heroine as well as the oth- CT members of the cast. Then the rain
 came on, real rain made out of real water, bringing happiness to every l body but the villain. Mir. Kendall has been doing some
 clever work in the act and he had been so benevolent and good that when the rain came on the audience felt so glad | about it that it insisted on Mir. Ken dall coming out and making a little speech.
 There were no climaxes of any Con sequence at any part of the perform l ance, and yet every curtain went down
 in the midst of enthusiasm. So much
 for having a fine company.
 MT. Kendall was greatly appreciated | by his last nights audience. Some
 better jokes than those he spoke last
 night might have been put in his H.. ,I~1. of his lines a little louder, but the general effect of his work was so grat- 1 flying that mere details are forgot ten in the finished whole. Mir. Ken
 dall Is an intelligent, an efficient actor.
 and if he has a fault-it is being too re- pressed, too quiet and too much under | his own control But then he gets
 effects and results and that Is what an
 actor Is on the stage for.
 was presented by Miss Lucille la Verne, playing Mrs. Piffies. She had
 the heartiest. the most wholesome
 laugh that has delighted local audi: | that laugh will finger when much of | last nights performance has been for | gotten. And Miss La Verne Is more
 than mere laugher and giggler She | is an actress.
 A graceful. refined piece of work | was contributed by Miss Alice John son as Mrs. ornsby. It was d pleas- | the womanly woman that Miss John | son played. It must be fine ttlng | to be refined. gra ceful and engaging. In the child's part Edith Taliaferro
 was ingenious and convincing. Tke child she showed was as natural and | as cute as one would care to see. l Miss Mabel Howard was a beautiful | Miss Morton and she was us good as | she was pretty
 | The stage was full of intelligent l character actors. however the best of which was probably the Brady Nevine
 of Harold Russell with Homer Gran | vile. Harry Handon and Miss Rose | Morris doing excellent work
 In spite of the freezing weather a fair-sized audience witnessed the per- ,I formance and their confidence in the good name of Liebler & Co. was not 1 misplaced.