Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-19
THE CAST
kIHyHELMA," the novel. has been
damned enough by those serious


a critics who persisted in treat
ing it and its writer, Miss Corelli with
seriousness, but it has never In all
it's time been treated as badly as by
the person responsible for the dramat1-
cation presented at the Auditorium this
week by the Ferris players.
Actually the story, even with lts I'M
possible situations, ought to offer
fine vehicle for Miss Stone, for the
scenes are picturesque and many or
them might be most brilliantly elab-
GRATED for the use of a star so talented
in portraying intense emotion as is the
leading woman of Mr.. Ferris company.
With the exception of the second scene
of the third act, however, these oppor-
tunities have been woefully sighted
by the playwright, and the closing
scene with its dark stage continuing
throughout the act is a most unfavor-
able and unimpressive finale.
Soenically Mr.. Ferris has always
given his patrons the best which mon
ey and art can produce, and ne has
presented several Views of the fiords
and crags of Norway, each with typi-
cal light, in splendidly picturesque
fashion for this weeks production.
The openig scene, showing the mid
night sun shining over the water and
mountains, was rich and grateful
setting for the characters, but the last
act, while undoubtedly very effective
from a mechanical standpoint with its
dull grayish blue atmosphere, was
most trying both to the optics and
nerves of the spectators.
Miss Stones Success
Miss Stone, in the title role of the
piece, once more carried the entire
weight of the performance on her
shoulders and it's success with the
10. x1rl,f 1H cd 10 CT
night must all be laid to her COM
pelling personality, which is always
appealing no matter what the occasion.
In her one possible scene, where Thel-
ma decides to go back to her father
and her Scandinavian home, Miss
Stone works up strong incident, but
it is solely through her own ability
and not due to any help which the
words or suggestion of the playwright
have given her. Later, in her final
scene. where the reconciliation with her
husband takes place, the deep gloom
which envelops the stage weakens the
effect of her work.
The scenes in London gave oppor-
tunity for some beautiful costumes, al
| though the grace with which she wore
the simple dress of the Norwegian
peasant girl in the opening acts of the
play proved conclusively that her art
| Is in no way dependent upon the mag
nificence of her wardrobe, nor her
beauty for she made lovely picture
as she fitted, about through the grim
caves and rocks of her native land.
Miss Everhart, Also
Fanchon Everhart, in the role of
Britta, won instant favor b., her make
up, and her dialect was as near the
real thing as anyone but the actual
sons and aughters of Scandinavia ever
attains. To be sure, there was little
or no excuse for the introduction of
| this dialect, since everyone else in the
piece spoke excellent English, even the
old bag, whose curses for Thelma aIBl
most of the rest OF the dramatis per-
sonae were delivered in vehement but
unbroken English.
Rita knight as the wicked and vul-
gar actress was eloquent of her posi-
| ton in a dress, hat and shoes of scar
let, and she still further testified to
her viilainy by opening a dainty gold
cigarette case. striking the match upon
the sole of her own Louis Quinze shoe
and puffing contentedly away upon a
cubeb The olfactory senses resented
the introduction of this asthmatic sug-
gestion when the optics had prepared
one for revel of wickedness.
| Florence Barker's youthful pretti-
ness and Innocent manner adapts itself
| lily to the subtleties Of the adventures
and she was but half convincing in