Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-15
NOTES BY THE
MATINEE MAN
- VERYBODY'S yelping about
the square deal for every
s..f..s.;


EIr vERYBODY'S yelping about
r, the square deal for every
i body, but there's one man
that's getting worse deal every year.
I'm protesting"
He is an earnest patron of the Grand
theater and the melodrama is peculiarly
interesting to him. He had just come
from a matinee at which things had
happened from the moment the curtain
went up.
ITS no more than right" he con-
tinued, that something should be said
in defense of the villain in melodrama.
Goodness knows, he is mean and low
down enough, but he has some rights
which the public should respect. He
has to go to the trouble to get into a
pair of top boots and velvet breeches;
he has carried riding crop about the
country for years, perhaps. In all JUS
tice he should be allowed to do some
thing, say few sneering words before
the Kisses begin. Give the villain a
chance.
''In the show at the theater the other
night the villain had hardly shown
| himself on the stage when the audi
ence broke into Kisses. The man hadn't
spoken word. He hadn't even looked
vicious or threatening. He walked up
| the lane, pleasant appearing sort of
chap, smiling, but the instant he
reached the gate and came into the
yard where the audience could see his
legs the truth was known. The boots
and the breeches betrayed him for the
villain he really was, and S76 geese
could not have made more noise than
the boys and girls in front created
when they discovered the secret.
30, the villain! He simply smiled
feebly. He was used to it, But how
can an actor do his villainous work
with any spirit when the crowd lands
on him before he's even crossed the
stage? It's all wrong Give the viii
| lain square deal"
-, Los Angeles managers are unit in
saying that Ruth st. Denis, the latest
eastern favorite, has put herself into
the hands of scientific publicity agents.
The process by which Ruth st. Denis
has been doomed is a curious illustra-
ton of fashions craving for new di-
version and the general public's readi-
ness to follow on. The exploitation
of Ruth began with subscription mat
inee last week for women only, patron
lied by a dozen ladies of modish
wealth, and with admission to the
theater denied to other than personally
invited visitors. At a second matinee
this week every seat In the house was
sold at Broadway dramatic prices, al
though she gave the whole show ex-
cept for musical program. Thus she
is started with much momentum on
her way to cash up a celebrity which
some people will regard as vicious
notoriety and others as artistic fame.
| AS Franklin Fyles says, she makes
triple appeal-in art as an exponent
of oriental grace, in religion as a de-
picter of worship as conducted by
priestesses in Buddhist temples and of
sensuousness as a two-thirds naked
dancing girl.
The new Main street theater, which
! is to open a week from today has been
| named the "Hecla," after the famous
Arizona mine The name was the re-
suit of a contest in which more than
500 women took part. The new house
will occupy the building that the Star
tbeater formerly was in, but the char
acter of the house will be entirely
changed. The management, according
to Manager Cluxton, will cater to
women. The interior of the little thea
ter has been remodeled. The opening
matinee, which is to be given week
from today, is to be free for women and
their escorts. This is to show the
theater goers of the city the class of
attractions that may be expected.
There's talk of internal dissension in
the Belasco Stock company. 1t IS
Stage Director George Barnum against
the bunch, and most any day there
will be pyrotechnics. Such is matinee
gossip.
They do say that "The Little Min
istetr'' has about broken the camels
back. The camel is, presumably. the
manager, and the last straw was the
difference between Miss Margaret
Lanham's ideas on how the role should
be played and Mr.. Barnum's views.
Perhaps the sequel will come next
! week.
Los Angeles expects soon to have
Gus Sohlke, the well-known stage
manager who has been so successful
with "The Isle of Spice" San Fran
cisco reports are that the Easter at
traction, "The Show Girl" which is
also under Sohlkes direction, is looked
upon as one of the seasons events
there. Sohlke has all week been busy
with the ballets, songs and ensemble
effects, and when he comes here the
same conscientious work may be looked
| for.
An interesting probability before the
end of next season is the joint ap-
pearance of Mrs. Fiske and Nine. Ka-
Itch in new play that will furnish
roles of relative prominence and fitness
| for two such artists, supported by
| actors selected from the Manhattan
company and the Kalich company. Mrs.
Fiske herself has suggested this artistic
coalition, which will comprise two
weeks engagement in New York and a
brief tour of the leading cities.
| At the opening performance of I'm
the Palace of the King Sunday after
noon a most beautiful basket of carna-
tions was sent over the footlights to
Miss Hall. Concealed under the blos-
SONS was gold bracelet studded with
diamonds. There was no card attached
and the whole force of the Burbank
theater have taken it upon themselves
to discover the sender of the beautiful
ornament.