Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-20
THE CAST

THE CAST
Theseus s,...............T ID. CrittendeI
Dysander ..................A. Hllton amer
Dementrus .................. FRANK Darci
PhilOstrate ...........s.' 'buWaru al""i'
Egeus ...........s..'..' heoh Dio,fi
Ounce ................J j. Sayer CrawleI
Snug Observation-Disclosures Percival Seymou
Bottom ..........'..'''' - Den - -
Flute .................... heumOnu rioo'
SnOut .................. 'Leuai noDisoi
StaryeIing ................ Earl q Sn1dei
HipOllyta ............. Grace massey hiiI
Hernia OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES irene .P movh'
Helena ...'....'''.' .''.'''''' nioie' ,," -,
OberOn ...............'.'. Mluon nVsne ps.
Titania Observation-Disclosures. Ruth NiVia-
Puck ..................,: Ueurse IVA
Also PeasbIossom, Mustardseed, Cobweb
Moth and Fairies.
With the fairyland scenes accentu-
ated and the commonplace antics Of the
clownish ,Athenians well subdued
Shakespeare's Midsummer Nights
Dream" was given a wonderfully beau
tiful presentation at the Auditorium
last night.
The Ben Greet players have been
seen in Los Angeles before, so the
charm of their dramatic work was al
ready we'll known, but the life and
spirit of their acting last night was
lifted into marvellous grace by the
magic music of the Russian Symphony
orchestra, while the pictures and poses
each became tableau of lasting beau
ty in that atmosphere of lifting ten
der melodies penned by Mendelssohn
the master melodst, and sung last
night by the violins, flutes, clarinets
hautboys and brasses of a marvellous
orchestra.
1t was a possibility that this fairy
tale might not be so well adapted tc
the custom of these players in dispens-
ing with the elaborate scenery with
which it has long been presented, but
on the contrary the very simplicity OF
the hanging tapestries made the fairy
like effect the stronger
Nothing more beautiful has been
seen on local stage in many moons
than the forest revels of Titania and
her fairies, where lights were shaded
to exactly the harmonious hue, cos
tunes of soft rainbow tints, half con-
cealed and half revealed the supple
girlish forms, and ravishing music
added rhythm and melody to complete
the charming whole.
The play has been cut so that it;
scenes could be made coincident witt
much of the Mendelssohn music, ant
each character finds appropriate musi
cal movements with which thei
speeches and actions may be blended
The introduction of the Spring Sont
| from the "Songs Without Words,
danced by Ruth Vivian and her bale
of attendant fairies, will live long il
the memory of those who witnessed i
last night as delightful personilca
tion of "Springtime" with all 1T
youth, joy, music and flowers.
Miss Vivian, as Titania, gave beau
tiful rendering of the role, contrivine
m l-n
guised as the ass, less unpleasant thar
they usually appear, while her dancing
and later scenes with Oberon were de
lightful.
Ben Greet, in the part of Bottom
the weaver was sufficiently the low
comedian that the part demands, ant
the appearances of the rest of his com
pany of "tragical comedians" wer'
mercifully shortened as much as pos
sible.
George Vivian was a delightful Puck
and sped, light as thistle, dowr
across the stage upon his errands o.
mischief, to the delight of the spec
tators.
The Russian Symphony orchestra, un
der the direction of Modest Altschuler
attained immediate success with thu
rendition of the first few strains o.
Mendelssohn's Midsummer Nights
music last night. Composed of ex
perienced players thoroughly in sym
pathy with their leader and in entire
harmony with each other, the melodit
achievements were conducive in large
degree to the auspicious opening of thu
engagement here in connection witt
the Ben Greet players.
The orchestra has perhaps its best
opportunity in this play for the intro
duction of actual incidental music, and
it is evident that the accompaniment
of such music as that provided last
night went further to make the play
enjoyable than would the most eXpen-
sive and elaborate scenic effects.
In fact, the absence of scenery, with
it's necessary long stage waits, will
prove a delightful innovation to those
playgoers who choose to see the play
straight through without interlude OF
lowered curtain, rather than to bt
obliged to spend one-quarter of the
time in gazing at brilliant audience
however attractive that view may be
while waiting for change of stage
scenes.
The midsummer Nights Dream
will be repeated Friday evening and
Saturday matinee. The bill tonight
and tomorrow matinee will be "Romec
and Juliet" while the orchestra will
play Gounod and Tschaiskowsky music
Watching the audience gather il
seemed as if even the great Temple
Auditorium might prove inadequate to
house all who were seeking admission
and it was indeed a fine showing they
made, these Shriners and their friends
their wives and the sweethearts.
The floor of the house was practic-
ally filled, as were also the lower bal
comics, and enthusiasm constant anc
contagious swept up from below anC
descended from above until one for
got that there was an empty seat In
the house.
The attendance was one to make the
composite heart of AL Malaikah temple
throb with pride, not only because
there were so many of him." but be-
cause friends came in such numbers to
extend the glad hand.
1t was a handsomely attired crowd
too, with here and there fez to en-
phasize the dominant note.
Among well known people present
were:
Messrs. and Mesdames Edward L. Doheny c.
Modni-Wood, l.. B. Miller, F. Walton, ID. II
Davenport, Perrin Johnson, Harry Chandler
George Steckel Ross T. Hickcok, Henry Per-
lee Farquhar. c.. c. Parker Charles McFar-
land Dan l.. Mcfarland, Roland Bishop, VIII
let's ]. Hole, w. c. Patterson, Andrew ].
Copp, George Drake Ruddy, Merrill Moore
Grigg A. G. simmond. Frank Burnett, j. J.
Aiken, d. M. Shanks. M. b. Smith.
Messrs. and Mrs. Perry L. Weidner, Robert
Train, Charles Veazy. ]. II. Haskell. Garrett
r,t.o.tos rshoroneon Charlaa Sulznnan 0sca