Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-05

/
version, differs from the ordinary melo-
/ drama as a bomb differs from a penny
| squawker. The ordinary melodrama Is
ali sound and fury, with every act and
motive overt and obvious. No words
are wasted, even in hiring the haunted
house. But the Doyle-Gillette product
is subtle Externally, wo-thirds of the
time the action is deliberate and would
seem fnconsequential, were it not for
the atmosphere of suppressed terror
which impends. Then, with the rapid
| ity of lightning and Gillette, the tensity
is broken by a sudden denouement Tor
which the hidden mechanism of the
action has been preparing. 1t is THIS
external calm over a smoldering crater
of incident which characterizes the
Gillette play. To depict it successfully
requires perfect self control a sharp
staccato utterance of the lines and a
constant high-power pressure upon the
emotions While the average melo-
drama leaves nothing to the imagina-
ton, the Gillette play, in a sense, leaves
everything to 1t, until the bolt out OF
clear sky, which explains all in IN
instant, while the plot moves as quick
ly to another silent preparation for
another climax.
Only one player in the Burbank com
pany caught this note yesterday-Mls
Margo Duffet. She had a small part,
almost a negligible one, but in her
brief breathless narration of the at
tack on Foreman, the butler we caught
that fleeting but vivid sense of tragedy
caught it more keenly than in the
more tragic events which followed her
exit. Mr. Desmond. as Holmes, occa-
sionally animated the character with
some spark of the Gillette fire, but for
the most part he was too SNUG and well
fed a person to suggest the cocaine
nurtured analyst of Baker street. 1t
was a dress plate Holmes whom he en-
bodied, neither blase enough in his
moments of enforced leisure nor fiery
enough in the crises. His utterance
lacks the dry, bullet-like quality of Gill
lette's enunciation, particularly in the
first act. Even in the later scenes his
impersonation fits the clerical garb too
naturally; he seems a sort of compro-
mise between the priest at leisure and
the dilettante. In the interview with
Moriarity Mr.. Desmond for a moment
touched reality in the grim humor with
which he surcharged his lines, but even
here his voice was too often thin with
out being sharp, and the necessary
thrill was absent.
Mr.. Beasley's Moriarity was too faith
erly and sepulchral in that second act
in the underground office. He did bet
ter in the interview with Holmes, and
gave a good portrayal of the criminals
impotent rage at its conclusion. EX-
cept in one scene when Mr.. Duffield ap-
parently forgot his lines and Mr.. Des-
mond adroitly saved the situation, the
other members acted passably WE'LL a
word of praise being due Mr.. Mes
layers character impersonation and
Mr. Gilbert's readily recognizable viii
lain. Mr.. Heap did a good bit of work
as Parsons, and is becoming a valuable
To ,1-1
and Mr.. Edwin filled minor parts with
understanding. Miss Taylor was much
too sweet and confiding for the type of
woman who abuses helpless girls for
financial profit. Miss Hall, in the part
of the imprisoned girl, added little of
worth to a rather crudely conceived
role.
The staging is fairly good, except for
the mangling of the gas chamber scene,
in which the comedy OF the cigar chase
was hopelessly obscured. One note
worthy gain from the first Gillette
presentation is the doubt which is left
at the close as to whether the detective
marries. In this respect MoriaritY' s
prophecy of trouble to come for Sher-
lock is faithful to the original Doyle
idea.
1 would advise the members Of the
Burbank company to sit up late this
week reading the Doyle tales. So do
ing they may assimilate some of the
spirit in which the play also is writ
ten-a spirit which yesterday blazed
up fitfully only to flicker and go out.
"a Girl of the Streets" another Nor
timer melodrama, opened yesterday aft
ernoon at the Grand. Comment upon
its production is necessarily deferred
until later in the week.
"A Night at the Circus" the Orpheum
headliner this afternoon, is attracting
great interest and promises to be the
most eagerly anticipated act at that
theater in many weeks.
A holiday matinee at both the Mason
and the Belasco today will present
"The Umpire" and "a Day and Night
in New York" respectively to those
who enjoy musical comedy.
Mike Donlin and Mabel Hite have de-
cided to refuse the Klaw & Erlanger
offer TO star in THE Follies of 1903"
in New York this summer preferring
their already arranged European tour.
Not one member of the Belasco COM
pany had a wink of sleep last night.
Reason? Regular performances and
uTeSS GeDedlSdlS. 16SltIudy the D6ldoIy
players gave two regular performances
of 1.-The Lion and the Mouse" and
hardly had the audience left the theater
last night when they began their siren
uous all-nieht rehearsal of "A Day and
Night in New York"
Sheldon Lewis, the new second man
of the Belasco company, leaves New
York for Los Angeles today. Helen
Holmes, who will replace Florence Reed
during the latter's stay in the east, will
arrive here next Friday and make her
first local appearance in stock in THE
College Widow"
When Lewis S. Stone returns to the
Belasco stage August g. on the occasion
of the fifth anniversary of the theater,
he will be seen in William FaVersham :
part in THE Squaw Man."
The Los Angeles theater will open the
current weeks bill this afternoon with
seven new acts, headed by Weston and
Young i'm THE New Reporter" and
Nadje the Partisan model.
Monda Glendower and her husband,
Raymond Manion, both well known to
local theatergoers for their excellent
work a few seasons ago with the Bur
bank company, will soon appear at the
Los Angeles theater i'm their successful
sketch, "Christmas on the COmstock."
~ -
Should Be Proud to Die
NEWPORT, r.. l., July 4.-"You