Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-12
THE CAST
BY sIDLE LAWRENCE

A1NN.FS -~~' -
Marie, a maid ............... .Maude George
BY SIDLE LAWRENCE
<[NNY WIFE" which the stock COM
ER pany is playing at the Bur-
AiL bank this week and which
John Drew disclosed to us few
months ago at the Mason, is a highly
amusing comedy, despite the fact that
it is an American and innocuous
adaptation from an obviously risque
French original, and, too, despite a
second act of amazing clumsiness.
The story is not In the least new.
1t has been told many times before, IN
THE Marriage of Kitty" for instance,
but it has seldom been told with the
daintiness here employed by Mlchael
Morton.
Almost invariably the ada. tation for
American usage of such a comedy as
"Josette, ma Femme" proves either
disagreeably broad or else insipld. In
the present instance Mr.. Morton has
directed his pen in a safe middle course,
avoiding alike the Scylla of dullness
and the Charybdis of coarseness. How
ever, the comedy was seen here only
short time ago and its lightsome
! quality is perhaps sufficiently well
known to make extended comment un-
necessary.
In France and England, both of
which saw my Wife" before 1t was
done in this country, the comedy was
in three acts. Here 1t is p .yed in four.
The story, in brief, shows us young
and extraordinarily unsopA-isticated
girl of mixed French and English
parentage, who is under the necessity
of marrying before she is IL, in order
to inherit fortune. AS matter of
cours1 the young woman and her
rents do not agree in their selections
nd in
tremity Mile. Trixie appea' to her
English guardian, appointed under the
Ill, to save her by himself becoming
her husband pro tenn, the understand
ing being that he Is to -linquish her
later to the man she loves. This much
settled the comedy proceeds easily to
it's long anticipated denouement, when
the two who have been husband and
wife ''in name only as our celebrated
authoress Bertha NJ Clay would
phrase it, discover that they really
love each other dearly, TIL final curtain
descending upon this happy and OBJ
vious conclusion.
Mountain Trails and Play Writing
Except for its second act, the comedy
moves briskly and entertainingly.
Once Mr.. Morton lands his characters
in Switzerland, however, he seems to
have lost all knowledge of stagecraft.
re act clearly Aeveiops into sue
cession of dialogues, often of tedious
length and tedious matter. How to ex-
plain this do not know unless, per-
haps, the altitude affected our dram
atist. Doubtless you have remarked in
your own experience that all mountain
trails do not lead to Parnassus.
There is much good acting in this
play as it is presented at the Bur-
bank, and a considerable amount of
atrocious French, the chief Offender
in mispronunciations being Robert
Morris, whose Monsieur" defles pho
neticism and who refers glibly to
Mount Blank"
At the Mason a few months ago
Billie Burke fairly stole John Drew's
stellar honors; and at the Burbank
Blanche Hall repeats Miss Burke's tri-
has devoted considerable time to the
study of this role. Perhaps she real
lied that she would be judged by a
most exacting standard. AT any rate
her work is marked by daintiness,
an artistry a gentle ingenuousness
that is most delightful. There Is an
air of innocent coquetry about her as
sumption of the character that is
charming; guilelessness of blandish-
ment that carries it's appeal straight
20 feminine as we'll as to masculine
spectators. Miss Hall has done moth
ing better of it's kind upon the Bur-
bank stage. 1t will be the last role
she will play there for many months,
but the memory Of it will abide until
her return. And when she comes back
may I suggest that she return as
Trixie? Incidentally Miss Hall wears
three new and vastly becoming gowns;
that of the second act, howeevr. being |
altogether too elaborate for mountain
climbing.
Mr.. BeasIey's Acting
Byron Beasley plays the John Drew
part excellently and without in any
way aping his New York predecessor. |
Drew made the role farcical. Beasley |
does not. In one or two of his scenes |
he is a trifie too boisterous, but 1t is
easy to forgive this error in view of
the general merit of the Interpretation. |
Charles Giblyn. who made his debut
last night as a member of the present !
Burbank organization, gave US de-
cidedly humorous portrayal of the
French father excellent in elocution |
and comical in its department. Mr..
Giblyns makeup, however, was about
as bad as it we'll could be, betraying |
his recent experience upon the bur-
lesque stage.
Admirable work in minor roles was
contributed by Harry Mestayer and |
Henry Stockbridge. 1t is a curious
fact that an actress cast in the role |
of an actress seldom presents a proper |
portraiture, and Miss Elsie Esmond |
in this play provides no exception to
the rule.
The comedy is well staged. In ad- |
dition to several elaborate gowns worn |
by the women of the company Mr.. |
Beasley has seen John Drew in the |
matter of clothes and has raised him |
one overcoat.
George Barnum, formerly of the Be-
lasco stock company, will join the
Valencia stock in Ian Francisco after |
all. Originally Mr. Barnum was an
nounced to go to the Valencia when |
that house opened He did not do so.
however and it was said that he would |
remain in the east. Now the situation /
again shifts and Mr.. Barnum will ap-
pear upor the Valencia stage next |
month.
John B. Maher, prominent member
of Frederick Belasco's Alcazar stock |
company in San Francisco, is at his
home, dangerously i'll as the result of
injuries received in an encounter with
San Francisco footpads.
Florence Barker, whose home is in