Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-19


Andrew Observation-Disclosures Howard Scott
Mrs. Coulter .......... Miss Eleanor Carey
Winifred .......... Miss Florence smythe
Flora HeasIey ....... Miss Katherine Emmett
Miss Hackney. Miss Adele burlington
BY sTDLE LAWRENCE
TT probably will save considerable
trouble If l tell you right here
n and now that it was all Stubs
fault. Stubs is the original goat.
There are others, but they are all imi-
tations of the genuine article which
has Stubb's picture upon the package.
and Stubs name blown in every bot
tie II it hadn't been for Stubs, Mrs.
Stubbs and Master Stubs none of the
things that happen could have come to
pass and there wouldn't have been any
farce. Therefore all credit to the
Stubs tribe, for Its All Your Fault"
is one OF the liveliest affairs the Belas-
co has presented In many a night.
In farce 1t is the unexpected that
happens; and in this particular farce 1t
happens all over the place-not inIre-
quentiy several times I'm the same
place. There are just two requisites
for success in this sort of dramatic
entertainment. First. a series of ridfcu-
lous situations; second, unceastng ce-
lerity of action. The audience must not
be given time to think. No situation
can be too exaggerated nor too i'm
probable. Everything goes II 1t just
goes fast enough. Sounds absurdly sim
pie. doesn't it? But just you try It.
EYE Quicker Than the Brain
When you see successful magician
you discover that the hand Is quicker
than the eye. When You see a success
full farce the author of that farce dem
onstrateS conclusively that your pow
ers of observation are considerably
quicker than your understanding. This
Is lust what Edgar Selwyn has done
in tits All Your Fault" You see. but
you haven't time to understand. IL
you take time you miss the next alb
surdity and the farce falls dead.
There is no very marked originality
in the play. 1t opens conventionally
enough, in a bachelors apartments,
the morning after the night before.
This is evident at glance, for our old
friend the silk hat reposes gently in
its accustomed place on the chandelier
and there are other outward and vis-
ible signs of an inward and spirituouS
turmoil. There was no dresser in last
nights set and consequently the Gal
braithian shoes failed to rub heels
with the matinal shaving set. Other
wise, however, the mise en- scene was
conventionally satisfactory.
Things begin to happen even before
the owner of that hat and those miss
ing shoes gets out of bed. And they
continue to happen with Geographic
swiftness throughout the three acts
The story can't be told under a
column. Anyway, you don't care and
/ dol want to catch that last car
home-so / shall tell you merely that
the plot concerns a boy whose parent
age Is so much a matter of dispute
that out of the entire cast of six men
the only two who are not suspected OF
fathering the youngster are very
superior sort of butler, played by
Howard Scott, and a truant officer,
fmpersonated by William Yerance:
Then, either the right man is found
kissing the wrong girl, or the wrong
man Is found kissing the right girl, OF
the right woman gets into the wrong
room, and is discovered there with tine
wrong man by the right man, or-put
YOU know the kind of farce 1t is, as
well as I do.
GaIbraith Back Again
Joseph Galbraith is the chap who
owns that hat. He has just two OBJ
1ects in life; to keep out or the eN-
cedingly hot water into which sue
cession of amazing events persist In
throwing him, and to go through life
having the bills of a certain young
woman. of course, he gets the girl IN
the end. Galbraith always is at his
best in farce. In difficulties he. Is an
exceedingly ludicruous figure ana when
it's the other fellow who is up against
II Galbraith invariably seems TO get
as much fun out of the situation as
does the audience That's one reason
whv the public likes him in farcical
roles.
George Barnum is henpecked nus
band who yet manages MS WE
He's funny, too. and he leaves his Bar
mum characteristics in the dressing
room together with his street clotnes'
Richard Vivian is a dignified and Jeal-
Gus young husband, with an INGRAM
matical habit of speech that Is not IA
keeping with the role and that should
be remedied. The lapses are not ire
auent enough to indicate that they are
Intentional, and even If they are they
certainly serve no good purpose.
Miss Eleanor Carey is the henpecking
wife. and she pecks to good purpose.
Miss Florence Smythe is the right girl;
Miss Katherine Emmett, the wrong girl
and Miss Adele Harrington both the
right girl and the wrong girl, at DIFF
ferent times.
Master Peter Clancy is the boy. This
voungster is the best actor for his age
ever have seen. Someone ought 60
write a play for him. The only obJec-
tion lies in the fact that he will have
10 grow IN and become merely good
actor instead of an infant phenom.
If laughter doesn't interfere with
vou,- phiiosophy of life you should enjoy