Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-30
ROBIN HOOD IS
MUSICAL TREAT
THE CALlF0RNlANS'" DEBUT
NOT PERFECT
Usual Premier Disadvantages and
Mistakes, but Worth Of Company
Is Plain, and Good Show
VIII Result

Surprisingly good for a first night on
any stage was the production Of Robin
Hood" by the new opera company, The
Californians, at the Auditorium last
night. 1t was not perfect by long
ways; much work of the most strenuous
sort remains to be DONE and ii will take
hard rehearsals and considerable drill
before the company becomes a compact,
coherent singing organization. But,
considering all that it was necessary to
go through, the wonder is that SO
generally good q performance could
have been given as a large audience
heard for its premier. Many travelling
organizations do not put UP as good
show after weeks of actual playing be-
fore the curtains.
Be it remembered, first, that The
Californians never gave a performance
before last night that the chorus is
absolutely a bunch of amateurs that
several of the principals are; that these
principals never sang together before;
that the company itself was debarred
from the Auditorium stage until Sun
day, and that all that night and yes
terday it was practicing-when these
things are remembered it is hard to
believe that even the degree of excel
lence attained was possible. AS it was,
one got the worth of ones money; by
tomorrow or next day. one ought to see
delightful opera, well sung and clev-
erly acted
The Californians have a chorus that
will some day be a wonder. Made up
of fresh young voices, pretty girls and
good looking men, its volume of musi-
cal sound is now excellent OF course
it's amateurishness is painfully to the
fore the girls are all supremely con-
scious of their Delighted legs, and their
gestures are wooden and perfunctory.
But these faults time will eliminate,
and when they are gone there will be
Neft a singing body hard to beat. Last
night it was often laughable if looked
at but always delight to the ear, and
individually to the eye.
In principals, the company will be
strong when the line of demarcation be-
tween the professionals and the anna
teurs is more nearly wiped out This
was so evident at the opening that it
sharply divided the singers into the two
CLASSES. Then, too, many did not know
stheiv lines and this made matters
worse But even at that several very
good delineations were given, and it is
easily to be seen that great possibili-
ties exist for a clever line of work later
on.
Richie Ling shone last night as Robin
Hood He has a very good light opera
he is more of an actor than is the
average tenor, who is usually stick.
Harry eastman as the immortal sher-
iff of course, is well known for his
work with the Ferris company. His
voice is far better than anyone believed,
and when he learns his lines he will
be a delight. LIE Roy Joseph as the
guy-like Guy of Osborne is a light
tenor comedian OF excellent parts who
acouits himself well. Robert Hosea
has a good barytone, and does Little
John satisfactorily. E. E. Beamer as
viii Scarlet made his first stage ap-
l-nPpearaflce; he has strong voice and
Men he learns the rudiments of stage
F'irl will be fine. F. j. Waelder as
rfar Tuck works hard to make the
lie funny, but not with much success;
ne lacks that righteousness which was
so large an element of the quaint out
law priest.
Among the women, first honors are
easil claimed by Blanche Auber as
Maft,r Iarian. She has fine figure,
hiahr fight soprano which she knows
ho1yBso use, and a good stage presence.
Her every appearance is delight. Lu-
oille Saunders has a rich contralto
voice. and though she is not ideal in
the habiliments of Alan-a-Dale, es-
pecially in the atrocious garb she uses
in the first act, her voice redeems the
thin soprano which answered we'll for
Annabel, but she is not at home on the
stage in acting. Grace Marvin is not in
the part of Dame burden at ALL
The opera is splendidly costumed and
beautifully set 1t will doubtless run
two weeks, and certainly should; when
it is fully in working order, it will be
delight.
1t certainly gives promise of being an
attractive feature of early summer
theatricals, does this company and it is
hoped that all will turn out as we'll as
the auspicious opening seems to justify
one in predicting. OF course. to one IA
miliar wit hthe old Bostonians, whose
success robin Hood" was, it seems
like sacrilege to present it with any
other principals than Jessie Bartlett
Davis, Tom Karl, Henry Barnabee,
Will Macdonald, George rockingham
and the rest of that immortal crowd,
but there is yet a possibility that The
Californians will be not unworthy sue
cessors-and no higher honor could be
asked. Tom Karl made a pretty cur
tain speech.