Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-03
"FANTANA" IS
LAUGH SHOW
TEDDY WEBB PRETTY MUCH THE
WHOLE THING
HIS COMEDY MAKES EVEN THE
CHORUS LAUGH
Piece Has Been Well Staged-The
COSTUMES Are New, Attractive
and Frank and the Music
MeIodious
BY sIDLE LAWRENCE

The program at the Los Angeles thea
ter this week announces the presenta-
ton of "Fantana," a musical comedy;
and the program is obviously and obtru-
sively correct. There's some good
music in "Fantana," and though few
of the numbers have been Healyized
out of the score, enough remain 10
serve the purpose for which the lyrics
were written. And as for the comedy,
the piece was constructed for a come
dian and afterwards the comedians
role was "fattened' until now Hawkins,
'lilly of the valet" is pretty much the
whole show.
This role is not only pie for Teddy
Webb-its q table d'hote dinner, In
GLIDING red wine and an orchestra, all
for six bits. Webb, as a comedian,
made his first appearance In Los Ange-
les yesterday which is a pity. It's too
bad he didn't arrive sooler; and it's too,
too bad, too, that he is to leave us go
soon.
Last night Webb assumed all of the
privileges of a star He interpolated
stuff wherever it seemed to him that in
Temptations were required. At any rate
he kept the chorus in laughter most
of the time, and if it was all in the
score those girls are wasting their
time in the chorus, for they can act
who come here with regulations behind
them.
That Laughing Chorus
Now it is something of trick to
make a chorus laugh. You know, those
girls have been there before. They
know comedian is funny because he
knows if he isn't he'll be given an OPP
portunity to buy a ticket back to home
and mother. And ordinarily, when they
are required to laugh at him they pro-
woke that time IGNORED line, used by so
many comedians: What are you cry
ing for?" But last night it wasn't that
kind Of laugh. The audience
guffawed also. After the first act a
young woman, sitting in box, laughed
so long and so heartily that the house
applauded her with an enthusiasm that
might we'll have made Webb jealous,
IL he hadn't been the man behind.
OF course there are other people in the
show Little Daphne Pollard came into
her own last night as Jessie, a maid,
in love with Hawkins; and she con-
tributed to the fun out of all proper
ton to her size. This is one of those
roles that Daphne Pollard csn really
act, an eccentric comedy pat that
couldn't fit her better If it hat been
tailored to her measure.
Miss Beatty's Good Work
Maude Beatty rang the title role and,
of course, sang it WELL Her voice, par
ticularly in the lower register, Is al
ways d treat, and it is matter for re-
gret that she has not had larger vocal
opportunities during the San Fran
Ciscans' season here. In "Fantana,
too, she has role which gives large
scope to her vivacity.
| Eugene Weiner is the Lieutenant Sim
Ill l.. TTo,, VNrr 40
whether you have seen "Fantana" or
not. He's a dashing naval lieutenant,
this chap; in love, of course, and in
difficulties with a stern papa-not his,
but the girls. Musical comedy couldn't
we'll get along without him.
OF the new Corners, in addition to
Webb, Aimee Leicester-she used to
spell 1t Amy-is cast as Mile. Anita,
Partisan vaudeville artist. She has
nothing to do but look pretty and her
success at that is not open to doubt.
Then there's Pearl Girard, another
pretty girl, who has little to do. Miss
Girard can't sing, but she looks as
though she could, which, in musical
comedy is more than half the salary.
Staging Is Elaborate
"Fantana' has been staged better
than anything the Sa-- Francisco opera
company has yet given us, with the
possible exception of "The Toymaker.
The costumes are fresh and attractive,
though in the first act they are not ex-
actly appropriate. Some of them are
rather startling in their frankness, pink
fleshlings being a novelty for this COM
pany so far as its local appearances
Lave shown.
In brief, "Fantana'-with Teddy
Webb, if you please-is a good two
hours laugh. 1t would be worth while
if only to hear and see Webb's bur-
lesque of picture ballad, his song be-
ing entitled Don't Go in the Lions
Cage Tonight, Mother" The stage pic
lures are highly attractive and you
have Daphne Pollard Maude Beatty
and the rest of them thrown in for good
measure.