Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-30
PRMA DONNA
ACOMEDLENNE
MISS HEMMi PROVES A SURPRISE
AS BERTHA
PLAYS ECCENTRIC CHARACTER
IN "THE sTRoLLERs"
Old Piece Is Revived, and Audience
Takes Very Kindly to the
Fun Making Of the
Cast

country several years ago by Francis
Wilson, was revived at the Los Angeles
theater last night by the San Francisco
Opera company, with William BIaisdell,
the company's new comedian, in the role
Of August Lump. and Aida Hemmi as
his accomplice in merriment. Evidently
the Offering was much to the liking Of
the audience. for encores were so numer-
GUS that 1t was Ii :15 before the curtain
fell upon the last act.
''The Strollers," In its Americanized
version, is the work of Harry B. Smith
and Ludwig Englander. It is, however,
an adaptation from the German Of Krenn
and Lindau. and due credit is given to
the original writer's on the program.
The piece is q musical comedy with sew
eral haunting airs and one or two good
ensemble numbers but 1t depends for It's
success largely upon the funmaking abil-
tiles of tfe cast. There is much tom
foolery; much that must, In justice, be
termed horseplay. but 1t is funny, and
last night in the main 1t was well done.
Blaisdell. as had been expected, proved
his right to be regarded as one of the
foremost comedians now In comic opera
stock. His August Lump is an exceed
ingly amusing fellow.
Miss HemmI Surprise
The surprise of the evening, however.
was not Blaisdell, but Hemmi. The
prima donna, out of the cast last week
because of throat trouble, returned in an
eccentric comedy role, the first part Of
the kind she has ,essayed In Los Angeles.
and she made good. She played Bertha
as though she enjoyed 1T. Certainly the
audience did; and, as a matter OF course,
the few local opportunities given her by
the score were made the most of. One
song, "Parla,' was interpolated. This
Miss Hemmi gave In Italian and her
voice, far from showing Ill effects from
her recent indisposition, seemed to have
gained in freshness and vigor through
her enforced rest.
/ AS a matter of fact 1.-THE Strollers" is
difficult piece to cast. 1t has not one
or two, but half dozen eccentric char
acter parts and therefore 1t is seldom at
tempted by repertoire organizations
Most of these parts last night were well
handled and none was done badly. True,
Eugene Weiner provided little comedy
In the role of the magistrate, but the
tenor seldom is supposed to be. funny,
and Mr.. Weiner evidently did not care to
fly in the face Of tradition. George Kun
KEEL, too, failed to get out of the prince
all the librettist had intended. Prince
De Boomsky Is sort of comic opera
Baron Chevrail, but Kunkel brought to
the character no assumption of senility.
and. consequently his best scenes with
Mimi lost in effect. Apart from this de-
| feet, however, his De Boomsky was ac-
ceptable.
Cunningham as Jaller
| Arthur Cunningham made divertire
4 Tailor, funny because of his stupidity
| Cunningham's makeup was a laugh II
itself, and his one song, II Want What
Want When Want IT, was given finely
Gene Ormonde, in the soubrette role Of
Mimi, from the Folies Bergere," played
| the part much better than she sang IT.
and looked 1t better than she played It,
Miss Ormonde is an exceedingly pretty
GIRL vivacious and energetic, but she can't
sing However, she realizes that fact
and doesn't try which helps some.
One of the best-liked numbers on the
program is an interpolated song and
dance by Miss Daphne Pollard and
chorus. ''The Goo Goo Man." This is
reminiscent of ''EIinky Dee" which en-
joyed considerable popularity In eastern
buriesuue houses several seasons ago.
It is a catchy thing and the diminutiye
Miss Pollard handles it very well indeed.
Apart from the interpretations the best
liked numbers are "Strollers We," sung
by Miss Hemmi and chorus; Loretta,
by Mr.. Weiner and chorus; "a Lesson In
Flirtation,' by Miss Hemmi and a chorus
of men, and Cunningham's solo, TO whicn
refererce already has been made. :.
.DThe Strollers'" will continue their stroll
through the week. Those theatergoers
who like pretty girls In pretty costumes,
droll comedy and ridiculous character
types. with fair spninkling of catchy
music, will }find the piece an absolute spe-
cific for boredom.