Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-16
SHORE ACRES IS
THRILLING DRAMA
: CURTAIN SPEECH FOR FIRST
TIME AT BELASC0
Audience Rises and Calls Aloud for
Barnum - Wonderfully Well
Staged and ArtlstieaIIy
Played

the Belasco theater a curtain speech
was made from it's stage last night.
This remarkable event violated all
rules and precedents of the Main street
theater, but that audience, worked up
to fever pitch over a superb presen-
tation of "Shore Acres" would permit
nothing to trammel its enthusiasm.
Rising-literally rising-to it's feet It
demanded, insisted, cried aloud, that
George Barnum come forth and say
his say after the great third act, and
Barnum, though bashful and reluc-
tant, was dragged out to thank them
on his own behalf and on that Of the
company for the reception given their
efforts.
And then he did one of the most
graceful things in stage history here
abouts.
THE success of this production" said
he, ''is not wholly that of the players
want to introduce to you the men
who have done more than any one else
to contribute to your pleasure this
evening. They are my able assist
ants, my stage carpenters and hands,"
Whereupon the curtain fell back and
there walked forth sheepishly, but
wreathed in smiles, Carl Schlund, stage
carpenter, and Ed Buskirk, property
man, and they grinned and bowed in
unfeigned awkwardness and delight,
I'LL they UdCkGu Oll SldBt, lllpplIlS
over one another in all unwontedness.
Then Barnum made another bow, and
the wildly applauding audience calmed
itself and rested on its pride in Sc
curing what none other in the whole
career Of the Belasco has ever done
curtain speech.
And the presentation of "Shore
Acres" merited all that was done, too.
OF the play, little need 'be said; 1t is
we'll known as the best of that homely
type of New England melodrama, to
which belongs "Way Down East" and
several more. 1t was the pride and
joy of James A. Herne's heart, and in
it he played and wooed and won fame
for years This is it's first depletion
by any stock company and will likely
be it's last. The fact that Herne's in
terests permitted the Belasco players
to have 1t shows the regard in which
this splendid company is held in theat-
. rical circles. In every way, scenic
ally, dramatically and all, its presen-
tation last night would have filled the
heart of Herne with satisfaction, could
he have en- 1t.
The whole of 'Shore Acres" consists,
in the last analysis, in the way it is
played. Though 1t is a scenic affair,
and appeals to the heart very strongly,
causing copious tears to flow, yet if
poorly done, it's pathos Immediately
DeCOiHtS JULIUS, anu LIlIl uSBSll-
crate into farce. That the Beasco
players did it fullest justice goes with
out further saying. Else, nothing of
what has been recounted would have
happened. In almost every respect.
the several roles were filled to the life,
and In scenic environment, naturalness,
even down to the last prop" all was
perfect.
Again, first place must be given
and gladly-to George Barnum in the
part of Nathaniel Berry. His rendition
of this, the old Herne role, is abso-
lutely authoritative. 1t is in vivid con-
trast with his recent work in Business
Is Business" but is none the less per-
feet and artistic. His makeup is as
suredly clever. and his every action
and word reflects the artist that he is.
Close to him comes Yerance as Mar
tin Berry, and Marie Howe as Mrs.
Berry Both are typical creations of
the far down-easter, and they handle
the roles admirably Howard Scott as
Joel Gates is a little too much of a
caricature, but Lee Beggs as Blake,
is good Stone, as Sam Warren, the
young doctor in love with the Berry
daughter, shows his varied talents in
a new guise that is quite at variance
with anything he has done so far, but
is not a whit less clever than his pre-
vious impersOnations. Amelia Gardner
however, hardly satisfies, at least the
writer, in the part of Helen Berry
this. principally because she Is so ac-
customed to playing the grand lady
that she seemingly fails to get down
to the rural character. Nor does she
at all give one the idea of a girl under
1S. True the part is by no means so
rustic as are most of the rest but as
she plays it, one can hardly realize
that Helen is a country girl at all. But
she emphasizes nicely the sweetness
and sadness of the young woman, and
while this criticism may seem like
carping, 1t is offered in the good cause
of vraisemblance, and the hope of fin
ally rounding out to full completion
an otherwise admirable performance.
One must add a word of sincere praise
for a group of very clever children
and express Appreciation of the minor
roles. f~ sifts+.. ia
In the way of mountings, this play
again calls attention to the resources
of the Belasco management. The sur
roundings are as true to life as If they
had been imported from down-east
Yankee settlement The farmyard
first act is especially good. The tur-
key dinner is all that was expected,
and the odor of the genuine roast bird
floating out over the audience made
an appetit sit up and take notice.