Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-06
PLAY At MASON
IS REAL TREAT
CLEVER PLAY, DELIGHTFULLY."-
AND ARTISTlCALLY DONE
Mason at Last Comes Into Its Own.
Miss 5usley Winning Little Star.
Belaseo Players In "Zenda."
orpheum's New Bill


1t is impossible to review I'm the
Bishops Carriage" the play based on
the novel of the same name, whlch
opened at the Mason last night, with
out referring to its dramatic parallel,
Leah Kleschna," which Mrs. Fisk
produced in Los Angeles a year and
a half ago. The reclamation of Leah
Kleschna" by q man determined to
put his theories into execution is the
same idea that develops in the play
now on exhibition at the Mason.
Nance Olden is taught to love the man
for whom she abandons a Ire Oh
crime. The same influences are
brought to bear in each case, wherein
a sentiment supplants what is tanta
mount to instinct.
In each case the interest of man
whose love is the sequence Of concen-
trated thought is presented, and while
the situations differ, the idea came
from practically the same suggestion
In each case the love of the woman
grows into her life in the protection
afforded her by the man. The Austrian
girl thief returns to the lettuce fields
of her early home; the American girl
thief seeks honesty in the life of a
vaudeville performer. Ambition to re-
form, to be good, to be worthy the
love Oh Jne Hldll, 10 IliS hey yllOIS VI DOlu
the Mcclellan and the Pollock plays.
In the current bill Tom Dorgan, the
criminal mentor of Nance, is caught
while trying to rob the house of the
man who has befriended the girl. In
this he is assisted by Nance. Dorgan
is sent to Jail; the girl goes upon the
stage. Latimer (the NAM, in love with
her, asks her to marry him. She re-
fuses, believing that she is loyal in her
devotion to Dorgan. The escape of
Dorgan and his appearance at her fiat
removes all uncertainty from her
mind. She discovers, to herself, her
love for Latimer.
Latimer's appearance saves Nance
from an attack by Dorgan and he is
again arrested. He denounces Nance
in the police station, where all are
taken, but upon her plea admits that
she Is in no way connected with his
escape or his life. The last curtain
descends upon the understanding that
Latimer and Nance are to marry and
leave New York.
Thus the play differs much from the
book, but its difference makes for
strength and consistency. The accum-
ulated result is a play of absorbing
moment, intense though quiet
strength, and a heart interest that is
thrilling, gripping and absolutely de-
lghtful in it's results. 1t is exception
ally fine and marks a line for plays
coming to the Mason from now on that
they will seldom reach and still less
often cross
There is a good line of comedy in
troduced, if the adjective may be ap-
piled to an exhibition of harmless ine-
briefly, and there are many characters
brought into the working out of the
scheme Of the play wherein artistic
balance has been obtained.
The compassif SIS one, chosen to rep
resent dramatic values and it would be
hard to pick flaws in a production
based on the spirit level Of capacity.
The central interest attaches to Miss
Jessie Busley, naturally, and she fully
impresses herself as young woman Of
exceptional talent, who is equipped
with nearly all-if not all-of the the
ater necessities. Her work is marked
by sincerity and understanding.
She has most attractive personal
ity, fetching, ripping laugh, ten
derness in the more serious passages,
and she wins her audience from her
first appearance.
Byron Douglas as Latimer-The
Man-is good, but not quite all that
one would WISH He has been in
stock so much that he persists in the
Staginess the stock company work so
often requires, and his delivery of his
lines Is bit mushy. But he is ever
and cool in danger as was Sherlock
Holmes, whom he much resembles in
playing. Sam Reed, who does Ram
sey. is an old established fun maker,
and even though he is required to i'm
personate good natured drunkard all
through, he never once becomes vul-
gar, which is high praise. James
Keane as Tom Dorgan the burglar, is
too vociferous at times and does not
simulate the caution that should mark
the trained and expert criminal, but
this Is captious, perhaps, in that he
does most of his work excellently. e.
c. Joy actually gives us a newspaper
reporter that has some of the ear
marks of the craft about him.
Miss Rose Etynge-dear old Rose
Etynge-is a delightful grand dame;
Kate Jepson and Mary Faber do moth
er and daughter roles acceptably; La
vina Shannon is clever as Mag, and
the smaller parts are all filled to
everyone's satisfaction. The settings
are good, and the whole play goes
with an artistic atmosphere and a vim
and surety that we have sadly missed
from everything that the Mason has
offered so far this season. If Mr..
Wyatt has any more Bishops Car
riages" up his sleeve, let him spring
them; we need them to take away the
bad taste left by his late dis-attrac-
tions.
The engagement is for a week. TO
be followed by Louis James in "The
Merry Wives of Windsor"
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