Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-22
l. VAN nuRgN AND MISS LOWELL TAYLOR IN "s7RoNeHEART"

izing the conflict to the audience.
Again in the last act he handled with
dignity and fine effect the scene with
the Indian messenger who came to
summon him back to his tribe.
Richard Vivian was vastly amusing
in the role of Billy Saunders. His
scenes with Miss Dorothy Bernard
were played with lifelike touch that
made the comedy delightful. Ben Gra-
ham contributed an admirable bit as
the coach of the Columbia team. Sew
eral of the others, however, displayed
considerable difficulty In getting into
the college spirit of the play. Harry
Glazier, for instance, was out of the
picture most of the time. Once he for
got his character completely and cams
running on the stage after the game
had been won, cheering with the rest,
though he was supposed to have bet
heavily on the other team and was
shown to have done everything he could
to change the result. He caught him.
self in a minute, but the slip was
highly ludicrous to the audience.
There was considerable hesitation In
lines last hight, and doubtless subse-
quent performances will move much
easier. The opening, however, provided
favorable augury for the future work
both of Mr.. Van Buren, and of Miss
Taylor. More could hardly be expected.
Politics, with it's attendant tempta-
ton to graft and dishonest dealing, is
the theme in 1.-The Man of the Hour,
which was again presented last night
at the Mason 1t Is called a mans
play, yet two women have much to
do with the making of the hero. In
the opening act it is the suggestion of
! the "girP' urging her lover on to some
distinguished effort which causes him
| to accept the political nomination
when it is offered to him; and later on
1t is his mothers assurance that right
is right" which maintains him in his
announced plan of keeping his oath
of office, even when by doing so he
is threatened with the dishonoring of
his fathers memory.
Practically the same company pre-
sented this play here last year, though
there have been a few changes in the
cast. William Lamp, who has the
title role, is new in the part and was
noticeably Ill at ease last night in the
opening acts when lightness and a
semi-frivolous air was demanded, but
in the later scenes he played with ad-
mirable restraint and dignity.
Louis Hendricks made the "boss,"
Richard Horrigap, quite as brutal and
unscrupuloUs as the political grand
mogul Is usually represented to be, and
Arthur C. Hull, in the unsympathetic
role Of Gibbs. betrayed the yellow
streak with just sufficient bravado.
James Phelan Of the Eighth,
ma'am,' with the inirnitable brogue
and smile which Felix Haney sbestows
upon the part, won and held the ap-
proval of the audience. Everett But
terfeld was cast as Perry Wainwright
and s. r. Cairns had good bit as
Ingram, the doorkeeper.
n T. .,.A
of Thompson, was powerful in the
hysterical speech of the vengeance
maddened man in the final act.
The women of the company had lit
tie opportunity for acting, but all wore
handsome gowns, and Ethel Brandon
as Mrs. Bennett, the politicians
mother, was more than satisfying.
Dallas Wainwright, has a hard and
inflexible voice, which made it diff
cult for her to give her tender or in
spring speeches with the sympathetic
tone quality which they demanded.
The audience, which was hardly so
large as the merits of the play de-
served, was profuse. in its appreciation.
Soldiers of Fortune" was presented
at the Auditorium last night by the
Lewis S. Stone company A review of
the performance will appear In these
columns tomorrow.
The fashion of singing at some per-
son in the audience is one which pre-
walls with many singers. 1t is usually
a proceeding which Is vastly amusing
Ito the other fellow. Just how many
men like it when 1t happens to them Is
rot always told, but at any rate to
the audience generally 1t is not only
suggestive, but also tiresome to hear
woman on the stage coax some spec
tator to "call me your petty" A very
Frenchy looking little person did this
by no means novel business at the Or
pheum yesterday afternoon and the
light man helped out her maneuvers by
turning the spot on the man in the
audience who was singled out for her
attentions. Perhaps the man enjoyed
1t, but If he did he didn't look the part.
At any rate, the audience was not par
ticularly amused.
This scene was one of several intro
duced by the De, Haven sextet. The
others were all amusing and we'll done.
Sydney C. Gibson, the one man in the
group, appeared in several songs with
the chorus and made a decided hit with
his eccentric song and dance, my
Irene" The stage setting is picturesque
and the costumes of the five assisting
Young women are both artistic and
varied. MIS-. 4COi 50 W. 1(C lAdfcli 10
the producer of the act, which is very
we'll staged.
Eugene and Willie Howard, in their
thespian and messenger boy act with
limitations, Yiddish dialect and some
odd stories, gave their jokes little
too fast for the house, but every one
enjoyed the limitations of violin and
cello with which the number closed.
The four Baltus are strong men, who
= wi
their remarkable lifting and balancing