Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-09
"IN THE BISHOPS CARRIAGE" is
PRESENTED
MISS HALL APPEARS AS NANCE
oLDEN
Play Is Dramatized Adaptation by
Charming Pollock of Miss
MicheIson's Story of
Girl Thief
BY sIDLE LAWRENCE

Jessie Busley presented In the Blsh
OPS Carriage" at the Mason. Conse-
uuently yesterdays presentation OF the
same play at the Burbank oners great
temptation toward comparisons-par
ticularly as regards the leading roles;
temptation, however, which shali
resist to the bitter end.
The Charming Pollock dramatization
of Miss Michelson's fascinating story
already is tolerably well known to d
considerable number Of Los Angeles
playgoers. 1t is a psychological melo-
drama; study of young girl VINO
wasn't given fair start in lire; VINO
knew neither father nor mother, ana
who became q thief through force OF
circumstances and environment Taught
to steal in the Charity" a thief after
she came out of tlat institution be-
cause of the love of the game" and its
appeal to her imag agination; and an In
crate and thief later on, under the In
huence of Tom Dorgan, Nance Olden is
yet shown as superior to her surround
ings; a philosopher without education;
battling for her very existence In the
surf of modern Cay society.
The Meat Of 1t All
The nub of the play Is found in the
brief colloquy between Nance and Will
liam Latimer, near the close OF the hrst
act.
IT wonder" muses. the attorney,
what q man in my position could 90
for a girl in yours"
Reform her." retorts Nance. Teach
her how to get diamonds honestly"
"Yes," comes the reply, "or to go
without them.
The subsequent acts show Latimer's
answer to his self-propounded query;
and the regeneration of the girl thief.
The play teaches lesson of charity
without preaching. It's instruction is
given palatably, in homeopathic, sugar
coated pellets of wisdom, so that 1t
does not interfere in the least with the
matinee girls enjoyment of the choco-
lates she abstracts from the little box
in front of her. with the aid of ten
cent piece. Which, of course, is good
thing for the confectioner and the den-
tist.
There are three roles in the play of
Importance in the telling of it's story:
William Latimer, attorney and crimi-
nologist; Tom Dorgan, thief and bully,
and Nance OIden, thief, vaudevillian,
and finally-woman. I venture to say
that highly interesting sketch could
be written around just these three
characters, put forward only in the sit
uations selected by Mr. Pollock for his
dramatization. In the play the char
acter of Ramsay also is of Importance,
but only because of the cleverness with
which it is drawn.
Her Futile Profanity
Miss Halls Nance olden is alter
nately disappointing and effective; dis
appointing in the earlier acts where
the actress fails to realize the devil
may-care character of the girl she is
depicting; and effective later, where
Nance discovers that the Tom Dorgan
of her early life is the exact aptithesis
of the hero her imagination had made
him; and where she pleads with him
to give her chance, chance for hap
piness with the man she loves. Miss
Halls badness is always very obviously
acting. AS Nance she swears roundly
and not infrequently, but the oaths
have about as little effect as a politely
worded request to the waiter for three
Jumps and no cream. Her profanity Is
amusing, but it is neither startling nor
shocking.
Mr.. Mestayers Tom Dorgan wants
only one thing to make 1t an excellent
Characterization. 1t wants shade
more of brutality. Were Mr.. Mestayer
to take the role as he plays it, imagine
himself playing Bill Sykes, and then
strike a happy medium between the
two, the result, imagine, would great
Iy enhance the artistry of his perform
ance.
William Latimer Desmond
The William Latimer of Mr.. Des-
mond is an exact and pleasing portrait
of william Desmond though to be sure
that is not necessarily dispraise. as
there is no reason in the world why
Latimer should not have been just that
sort of man. John w. Burton's Ram
say is somewhat overdrawn in the mat
ter of intoxication, but it's always
funny. Like the poet, Mr.. Burton is
suddest when he sings. If only he
could be induced to enlarge upon that
little chanson the audience doubtless
would laugh itself comfortably through
the entire intermission-and the entire
acte waits yesterday afternoon were
overly long at that.
AS for the others, they matter little.
Tt would be well, however. for Mr..
Stockbridge to remember that while
Journalists invariably use note books.
newspaper men-even police reporters
Just as invariably do not. They use
copy paper. the back of an old en-
velope, part of cuff or anything else
except a note book.
'Tn the Bishops Carriage" should
have a big week at the Burbank. IT
is finely interesting play, we'll pre-