Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-16

If the verdict of an audience counts
for anything The Haifbreed" may go
straight to Broadway, New York, and be
assured that the good wishes of the
many hundred who witnessed the in
itial performance yesterday go with it.
The new melodrama by Harry D. Cot
trell and Oliver Morosco, for such it is,
is notable for more than 90 reason.
First, becausce it is the second effort
at collaboration by two men who seem
destined to stamp their names among
those who must be reckoned in the list
of modern playwrghts.
Second because it Is the vehicle
through which Mace Greenleaf the new
leading man who is to take the place of
the ever popular William Desmond,
makes his first bow to Los Angeles
playgoers, and, third, because it gives
Joseph Montrose another opportunity
of displaying his musical gifts.
Seldom has he Buebank management
made preparation 50 great for any pro-
duction. and with the exception of a
few almost unnoticeabe bitches the
play went well.
The hafbreed is a new type of villain
in the American play. The scene is laid
in Indian Territory. He is a man in
whose veins the red blood flows with
the white, and in whom hatred to the
NiIlte nldn is Tire dominant note. i ne
question of racial feeling is treated in
the play, though the development comes
in roundabout way.
Until the conclusion of the last act
tthe halfbreed is often in the back
ground, lille hero and heroine sim
liar to numerous other heroes and hero
ines take the cad.
Mace Greenleaf is Delmar Spavinaw
of the red blood. tie has a GOOD voice
and a quiet, dignified manner, and
in addition possesses an uncommon
amount of good looks in face and figure.
William Desmond plays the part o,'
Ross Kennion, ma who has been
deserted by his wife six years before
the action of the play. He as a small
son, and many of the human touches
in the play are given in the scenes be-
tween him and the child. William Des-
mOnd has never been received with
more enthusiasm than last evening. In
fact every member of the company, old
and new was greeted with much ap-
plause, but all seemed bound to con-
vince Mr.. Desmond that because there
was a new leading man the old one had
not been forgotten. There were curtain
calls to such I number that it would
have taken a rapid calculating machine
to keep count of them.
Blanche Hall plays the part of Evelyn
Huntington. the heroine and the girl
with whom both the halfbreed and Ross
Kennion are II love. The halfbreed is
leader of a band of Indians bent on
harm to the white inhabitants of the
community. <ennion is suspected of
being the leader and is imprisoned for
the offense, and the efforts of his
friends and enemies to save and take
his life furnish many thrilling situa-
tions.
A good bit of chara Cter work is done
by Della Prngle as a Marianne Adalr, |
member of theatrical troupe, and
II. j. CHM, Frenchman, who falls
madly in love with her at first sight, |
also does a clever bit. |
Master Harry Glazier is the youngster
usually called Little Pal" and it is |
more than probable that the young gen.
tleman is following in the footsteps OF !
his father.
Brenda Fowler takes the part of |
Suzette Stapleton, a good hearted west
ern girl with an exterior that gains for
her the name of "Surly Sue
John w. Burton as Judge Hunting |
ton, father of the heroine, has part |
to which he is well suited, and Henry |
Stockbridge and Elsie Esmond have a |
pretty little love affair, with a funny |
side to it. All the other members of |
the company are in the cast and there |
are great many more in addition.
With less mechanical effort better re-
suits might have been secured yester
day. The rain poured so hard in the
third act that the effect of some of the |
best lines between William Desmond |
and Blanche Hall We're lost.
The incidental music by Joseph Mont
rose was a delightful feature Mr..
Montrose caught the spirit of the piece
and expressed it in many beautiful
strains
The climax to the third act is one
Of the best things in the play, though
the fourth act as whole is far more
finished than any of the three others.
The scenes have been painted with much
skill and in addition to the four scenes
there was an incidental curtain between
The first and second acts. All this time
several of the popular airs suggestive
IF the Indian were sung by a quartet
n the wings.
There were several places in which
The Halfbreed" can be improved with
4 little more thought on the part of
)laywrights, actors and mechanics, but
here is no doubt that such slight
changes will be made with little effort.