Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-30

ley's impersonation-a thing which
showed the power and penetration OF
this manly actors art. The wincing as
the cold water ran over his wound, the
stagger which persisted in the walk
after the grip of spiritual crisis had
swept the cobwebs of intoXiCation from
the BRAIN the strong, sure pathos OF
his start to go in the last aCt-all theSe
are indications of the manner of man
whom we shall see at the Burbank
these coming months of autumn ana
winter. No rant. No Mysteries. Just
strong, assured acting. 1t is good TO
see and good to look forward to.
Miss Hall was at her best at every
climax If she has any mannerisms
she forgot them. and l have, too 1t
was the grim old New England con-
science which we saw battling in the
dark-a stark and ruthless thing. She
held our admira tion by the consistency
with which she invested the character
We saw the point of view, and we re-
spected it. We knew that that same
vivid. dauntless spirit had met a mas
ter, but that it had Vanquished, too.
And we could not ignore or forget that
wondrous thing which had been done
in agony and bitter shame, the rejuve-
nation, of human soul.
was Mr.. Gilberts Philip Jordan. 1t
was-a graceless role, as the play winds
on, but Mr. Gilbert filled it with re-
straint and comprehension. A little
clearer articulation at times would
have obviated its one serious flaw.
Miss Taylor rather let's the frolicsome
note in her impersonatiOn get away
from her. She could be merry and yet
demure in her good speech of the last
act. Her gown in act I was charming.
but hardly seemed fitted to the adobe
environment. Mr.. Mestayer's part was
a temptation to a colorless type-im-
personation, and the temptation was
not always resisted. Mr.. Duffield was
self-contained and testy, which about
sums up the part. The character work
of Mr.. Trask deserves note, as do the
momentary entrances of Mr.. Young and
Mr.. Stockbridge The others were ac-
ceptable in the main.
A bungle of the lighting arrange
ments marred a bit of the first act, but
otherwise the play went very smoothly
indeed for a first matinee! In the gen.
eral acclaim of the play itself one may,
perhaps, point out a singular incon-
sstency in the last act-the fact that
a Puritan mother glibly confesses to
telling a lie as to the source from
which the money for purchasing the
old homestead came. However trifiing
a breach of the code one may call il,
sundry visions of Cotton Mather and
Jonathan Edwards will persist in aris-
ing to point its incOngruity.
1.-THE Great Divide" is a play which
lifts you into the clouds of idealism
But like all the great idealists, Play
wright Moody keeps the action itself
fairly on the earth. 1t is this human
ism of his work which constitutes its
abiding charm. His first and tremen-
dousy vital drama, THE Great Di-
vide,' should live as iCng as there are
stock companies to enact it, for its
story is one of the imperishable things
of the art of all time.
Avery Hopwood and Claiming Pol
locks successful comedy drama en-
titled THE Way of the World" will
open at the Belasco theater tonight.
Miss That's Magrane, the new leading
lady of the Belasco company, will
make her first appearance with the
company tonight in the role of Olivio
Sherwood, which was played with un-
Interrupted success for two years in
the east by Grace George. Richard
Bennett will be seen as Richard Bur
bank, which will be his farewell week
with the Belasco company.
The local favorite, Nile. Loretta, and
her $4,000 posing dog Ben" and
the Dammann troupe of sensational
aCrobats will be the features of the new
bill which opens at the Los Angeles
theater this afternoon. Other acts on
the program will be Black, Frank and
company in their new sketch The
Advance Agent" John P. Reid. the
well-lnown monologist and parody
singer; Carita Day and her dancing
boys; the eccentric juggler, Sados, and
new comedy motion pictures.
Rehearsals for THE Squaw Man."
which opens with a special matinee
next Monday afternoon, will commence
at the Belasco tomorrow morning.
Lewis S. Stone will return to the
Belasco stage in THE Squaw Man."
after a three months vacation. His
return will mark the fifth anniversary
of the Belasco theater. The seat sale
for the return of Mr.. Stone in this
gripping play of the real America will
open today.
Harry Andrews. the new stage direc-
tor of the Belasco theater, arrived in
Los Angeles last night from New York
and will tomorrow take charge of the
rehearsals of The Squaw Man