Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-16
BY sIDLE LAWRENCE

UNHEER. Boys. Cheer is an Eng
lish melodrama. 1t didn't re-
quire the programs announce
ment to apprise yesterday afternoons
audience at the Burbank of that fact.
The piece is as English as a monocle.
1t proclaims it's British origin in each
of the four acts and in every one of the
twelve scenes. 1t is a good ten min
utes' work merely to read the cast of
characters. There are forty-four of em
listed, in addition to the reception
guests, visitors at birmingham, hotel
guests, soldiers, Matabeles, park habi-
tues, ETC." That "etc" would almost
seem to be superluous. Surely no
American made melodrama ever pre-
sented SO formidable a list of charac-
ters, but they do such things at Drury
I ane and-occasionally-a the Bur-
bank.
Robert Morris is responsible for the
production, and he has turned out a
show worthy of the Drury Lane tra-
ditions. The stage pictures are skill
fully contrived and the extra people"
have been, for the most part, we'll
trained. To be sure Lord Somebody
stumbled when he entered the Chep-
stowe drawing room yesterday after
Eoon; and the Earl of Something
didn't quite know how to wear his
clothes, but the feminine members of
the peerage were quite comme IL fait,
de rigeur and all the rest of it. Seri-
ously, Mr.. Morris has supplied an eff
fective production and he deserves
much credit for his work.
England and South Africa
The story of Cheer, Boys, Cheer"
opens in England carries the audience
to South Africa, and then transports
them safely back to England once
more. One of the scenes in Africa
shows a handful of British overpow-
cred by a raiding party of Matabeles,
reinforcements arriving just in time to
prevent the determination of all the
whites Another gives a view of the
Havilah gold mine, in Matabeleand.
The plot has to do with the engage
nent of Blanche Lindsay to marry
the Marquis of Chepstowe, who is
| tricked by his sister and her accompiice
into believing the young woman faith
less and who jilts her. In Africa he is
told of the trick that has been played
| uron him. The marriage ceremony is
performed and the marquis accommo-
oatingly dies so that the marchioness
may later marry George Hilyard, with
whom she has been in love all the time
ard who stood by her throughout her
trouble. There are, of course. nu-
merous side issues. but this is the main
thread of the story.
Drama Well Cast
The melodrama has been well cast.
blanche Hall of course, Is the young
woman who was Tilted; Maude Gilbert
and A. Byron Beasley are the plotters;
William Desmond plays the usual hero;
and William J. Bauman, sartorially
correct to the smallest detail gives a
convincing Interpretation of the Mar
ouis of Chepstowe. These five carry
the brunt of the plot
| Apart from them, Harry Mestayer
| gives an unusually life-like portraiture
| OF a British lordling-and by that l
don't mean the usual stage caricature;
II. j. CHM is good as the hypocritical
| solicitor. and John w Burton is vul-
garity ridiculous as Wolff Merkstein.
Henry Stockbridge plays a clerk-pro-
nounced clark, if you please-with so
cialistic leanings. Stockbridge is anus
| ing, but he is about as unlike Social
! istic speaker as could well be imagined
Similarly Miss Elsie Esmond is a per-
scnally charming lady's maid, but she
doesn't display enough initiative TO
have concocted by herself the breach
of promise plot which has Lord
Kesteven as it's object
The play is elaborately costumed, and
miss Hall, Miss Gilbert and Miss Duff
! fet all wear gowns that might well
serve as models for DAILY Hint from
| Paris"
| AS production Cheer, Boys Cheer"
| is worthy of his praise. AS play
we'll, it's a British melodrama, and If
you like that sort of thing you Will
more than get your moneys worth.