Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-21

AEAUDE ADAMS engagement at the
IVA Mason, Which closed last night,
was one of the greatest financial
successes-if not the greatest-that this
house has known. The first week, when
''Peter PAN was given was phenomenal,
as every seat was sold for every per-
formance including all the extra ones
that could be crowded in, and only the
fire laws prevented heavy sale of stand
ing room. Last week witnessed the best
audiences the house has known outside
of the previous week. and, on Peter
Pan" nights, the same sod-out conditions
then observable. Miss Adams in three
weeks In San Francisco took In some $751;
00O-press agent figures She very nearly
equaled those figures in two weeks here,
it is safe to say.
All of which goes to prove just what the
writer has insisted from the beginning of
the season-that Los Angeles is by far
the best theatrical city on the coast, and
the most discriminating. 1t knows what
1t wants, and is extremely liberal toward
attractions of that sort. 1t Will not, on
a New York cachet, no matter how
strong. give up good money to see medi-
ocre attractions, even at the behest or
under the threat of the all powerful syn
dicate.
For too many of the plays this aggre-
cation has booked into the Mason in the
past have been ancient, or wretched stuff,
or done by cheap companies, or in worn
out investiture. They have come here
after going over the east with fine tooth
comb and extracting therefrom every
atom of filthy lucre available, as sort
of "last resort" with the contemptuous
feeling that ANY old thing Is good enough
for the coast" Any old thing may be
good enough for San Francisco, which
would welcome a Tom show in it's pres
ent desolation, or for Oakland and the
upcoast places, which are provincial
towns at best.
But Los Angeles is not only the me-
tropolis of the coast, but it is by far the
most cosmopolitan city in the United
States outside of New York. Not per
cent of its population is native born; most
OF the other SO per cent are city bred
easterners, lately arrived They know
good show when they see it, from long
familiarity with such; ergo, they are
equally quick to discern a bad one. Many
of the attractions" given here they have
already seen with the original companies,
scenery and costumes back east, and,
while often perfectly willing to view them
again, hey do not propose to pay out
their money for a "shne" production.
convinced that they are about to be bum
coed, they stay at home or go to see
stock company.
In the case of Maude Adams Los An
geles knew it was getting the real
goods. Peter Pan" was a novelty
wonderfully well given. and the popu-
lace tumbled over itself to go. That
made the first week record smasher
The second week dropped because old
plays were given-"L'Aiglon" and
EQUALITY Street," worthy enough in
themselves but not novelties and not
what the public wanted. Too many of
the 50 per cent had already. seen them
in the east. Had Peter Pan" been
kept on all through the second week
the house would have been sold en-
tireIy out for the whole fortnight.
There is no question about it.
OF course, no one can tell the syndi-
cate anything. 1t knows it all-not
only in New York but even unto Po-
dunk, Oshkosh and Watts And like all
swellheads, whether individuals or
companies, it's colossal exaggerated ego
costs it lot of money during the