Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-26
AUTO COMEDY
ON FOR RUN
"THE LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR" IS
A SUCCESS
HAS BEEN GIVEN AN ELABORATE
PRODUCTION
Dick Ferris Returns to the Cast, and
with Miss Florence Stone Pro-
vldes Much innocent
Merrlment
ny stpLE LAWRENCE

II is altogether probable that 1.-THE
IdebtnIne Conductor" who is ringing up
fares at the Auditorium this week, will
continue on the job for fortnight or ten
days. 1t is likely, too, that the theater
during that period will show marked
resemblance to West Second street car
during rush hours. And 1t is quite pos
sible that the conductor will be compelled
to drop that little sign in front which on
street cars reads, ''rake the Next Car"
and in theaters Sold Out"
The automobile comedy was given its
first presentation in Los Angeles last
night and like the automobile 1t did not
always run as smoothly as it will later
on when the chauffeur becomes trifle
more expert. In the first act the stage
hands missed their cue and on fully
lighted stage as pretty vista OF Riviera
scenery as you could find in the south OF
France went sailing off heavenward, until
Miss Florence Stone beckoned 1t back to
place Then, in act three, the Lightning
Conductor urove his touring car into the
side of a chateau at Blois, a feat which
scored a triple hit by bringing down cha
teau curtain and house alike. These
little things. however, were merely incl
dental There were other accidents, also,
several Of them. in fact Even the or
chestra found few accidentafs in their
music.
Smith in New Field
'The Lightning Conductor" however.
needs no unrehearsed comedy to make it
ENJOYABLE. In adapting the Williamson
story Harry B. Smith has retained many
of the brilliant lines that helped the book
10 large success and has proved his skill
IN another field than that of a comic opera
librettist. Moreover, he has condensed
the chief incidents of the story into four
briskly moving acts and he has drawn
his characters with surety of touch that
found able exposition last night at the
hant of the Ferris players. Barring an
obvious uncertainty as to lines. and the
several accidents already mentioned, last
nights presentation of this comedy was
as good as anything the Ferris company
has given us this season. 1t is all fun;
and 1t is all good, clean, wholesome fun
The play has been given a typical Fer
ris production. The four scenes shown
are each of them excellent in their way
/. and the moving picture device used to
simulate an automobile trip along a
French road, the actual machine with
living occupants forming part of the
picture. is very cleverly managed, though
. somewhat exaggerated In coloring.
Ferris in the Cast
Dick Ferris plays the title role the
part of young Englishman who as
eunes the character of a chauffeur so
that he may drive about the country
young American girl who has piqued his
curiosity and whom later he comes to
love- Ferris, as you know, has driven
his own car IL half the states of the
union. He knows how to auto as he
ought to, and he knows how to act as
be ought to in an auto play. The result
Is q performance that makes you regret
his rnodesty-or is it a surplus of other
duties-that keeps him so often out OF
the cast.
Miss Florence Stone gives us a delight
fully natural portrait of Miss Molly Ran
do1ph, a portrait that is convincing in
its quality of feminine Americanism. Her
Molly is an altogether charming girl
with a will of her own and very fem
mime disinclination to heed advice OF to
Admit herself in the wrong.
Joseph Kilgour, forsaking the leading
role for a character part" plays Jabez
Barrow, the unlettered but wealthy
British brewer, with a cockney accent
and an insular appreciation of his own
Importance that makes this snob a very
real personality, somewhat pompous and
always ridiculous.
As for the others. Carrie Clark Ward
is very funny as the fussy, fiattery-lo
ing aunt, and Henry Duggan presents
I'renchman whose French bellies his
name. The cast is a long one and the
minor parts are all in capable hands, but
the two gendarmes look like a comic
valentine joke. 1t should be easy enough
10 get a super whose physique is fairly
well fitted to the clothes provided him,
but for some reason or another it Is
rarely done.