Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-21
ALICE OF OLD VINCENNES"
AS INTERESTING AS BOOK

The task of making over for the stage
story that has found great popularity
with the public that reads 1.-The best
seller is not an ordinary one by any
means, and in most cases the work of
the dramatizer is futile, but in the case
of Edward e. Rose, who made the
stage version of Maurice Thompson's
novel, "Alice of Old Vincennes,'' the
writer for the stage has come out VIC
torious, and the product, as shown at
the Belasco theater last night Alice of
the Indian village is even more fas-
cinating and captivating young woman
than the heroine of Mr.. THOMPSON s
bound volume.
Perhaps much of the success of "Alce
OF Old Vincennes," as revealed for the
first time on Los Angeles stage at the
Belasco theater, was due to the intelli-
gent and wholly admirable portrayal
of the interesting young woman by
Eugene That's Lawton: certain it is
that the performance at the Belasco
last night was a success and easily sets
record for stage versions of stories
that have swept the country and given
their authors ephemeral glory.
Most of the audience at the Belasco
last night had read "Alice of Old Vim
cennes" in book form. They quickly
recognized that Dramatist Rose had
eliminated all of the incidents prior to
the Indian massacre when Alice fell in
love with gallant John Beverly. The
play opens with a scene in Alice's home
in Vincennes in 1878. Thereafter fol-
low in rapid succession most of the stir
ring scenes that Author Thompson has
made so familiar to the readers of his
book The stage version is not one
whit less interesting than was the
story tween covers. and last night S
Belasco audience found great deal to-
enthuse over. The four acts of the
play developed plenty of stirring scenes.
especially the climax to the third act
which was given so realistically that
the large audience demanded curtain
after curtain call. The love story be-
tween Alice and young Beverly is par
ticularly well told and the historical
interest, as well, is splendidly retained
in the stage story.
In the same part Eugene That's Law
ton fairly eXcelled all of her previous
work at the Belasco She was in
genuous, willful, capricious, loving,
womanly, imperious i'm turn and gave q
really beautiful performance of a part
that severely tried the talents of such
a prominent actress as Virginia Harmed.
To say that Miss Lawton gave a fine
performance last night is stating the
truth in a very mild form. Her work
was very much in the nature of an
artistic triumph.
Mr.. Galbraith as Beverly was merely
Galbraith in continental garb. The
Belasco leading man doubtless imagines
that he is forever playing light farce.
At least much of his work of last night
was attuned to farce and he missed
many of the fine points of the role.
This Is to be regretted, as in the past
he has showed an ability of a rather
fair grade, but his recent performances
are somewhat below his average.
Miss Brissac, in a role quite unlike
her Midge of last week, comes out with
colors a-hying and accentuates her
great work of week ago. The other
members of the Belasco company are
all we'll cast and contribute to make
"Alice of Old Vincennes" a notable
Belasco offering-in fact one of the
most enjoyable of the entire theatrical
year. The production is one OF the
most elaborate this company has ever
offered and Is an eloquent tribute to the
resources of the houses staff of stage
carpenters, artists and electricians.