Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-05
BY w. HERBERT BLAKE

If Sergeant Kitty" had dared to be
an outright comic opera instead OF the
skeleton of one thinly disguised with
the flesh and blood of some rather
thick musical comedy humor, the new
Morosco musical company would nave
won hands down what they had to
struggle for with all their might last
night at the Majestic. Every SONG
number except one tripped right into
favor with the audience, with les
tive chorus stepping merrlly on the
heels OF each stanza. We all took an
other reef in our good nature, and
then!-why, then, right through hrst
act which is far too long and Keeps
Harry Girard and Henry Stockbridge
back of the scenes while we're aching
to see them come on and break up
things, we sit and suffer some Of the
weariest, most inane comedy which
ever crept into the book of musical
show. At the end of the first act last
night the fate of the new company
seemed to hang in the balance. AT the
end OF the second it was saved by Its
own undaunted merit, by the inter-
polated antics of Mr.. Giblyn and Mr..
Stockbridge and, most of all, by the
mutually cooperating voices of Mr..
Girard and Agnes Caine-Brown.
The greater the pity because the
play has a good, we'll built plot with
a network of complications that inter-
wind and disentangle almost miracu-
lously, after everybody is quite thor
oughly engaged to the very girl whom
he doesn't want to marry. But the
alleged fun-such fun, l mean, as the
leading players didn't invent in the
desperation of the moments as heavy
and sodden as an 1880 almanac, from
which, l fancy, some of it was bor-
roWed. That the Morosco company
squirmed and wriggled their way from
under this incubus and sent US away
happy is a finer tribute to their several
abilities than the most brilliant pos
sible success in a really humorous ve-
hicle, which l believe is theirs for the
asking.
In the first place, it's a good acting
company-better than Kolb and Dills
and it keeps moving. Miss Maybelle
Baker-the only actress, by the way,
in the opening ensemble who really
wore an 1880 costume-is fighting her
way to the front in a way that is good
10 see, by hard work and an honest
willingness to learn. Mr.. Yerance,
Miss Royce, Mr.. Giblyn and Miss Mel
son all bring to their work a quality
of dramatic ability which strengthens
the company measurably. Mr.. Hunt
ly's work seemed frantic and unappeal-
ing last night, but there was pitifully
little in his lines to nelp him out. Mr.
Giblyn, in a Dick Deadeye makeup
fairly forced fun out of the meagerest
imaginable lines and Mr.. Stockbridge
made the utmost out of his too few
entrances.
From the musical standpoint Harry
Girard sang Il Want What l Want
When Want 1t" with good swinging
rhythm, and took the principal mill
tary role with distinction He sings
Prairie Land better each time you
force him to, and, considering the sew
eral million recalls he already has suf-
fered, that is about the acme of COM
pliment. Miss Caine-Bro outdid heI
success in The Chorus Girl" at the
Burbank. Love Is Gladness" and
kitty are her best lyrics and she
led well drilled and richly capari-
soned military ballet with spirit and
aplomb in "Hark, the Drums!" Mr.
Bronson used his tenor voice to ad-
vantage in the main, although there
was sad disharmony in the trio il
which he, with Miss Marvin and Miss
Baker, adventurously essayed to dis
pcnse with the orchestra.
The chorus is good singing assert
ment and some few of them add to thi!
qualification the fairly imperative re
qulsite of personal charm. They arr
Well trained, and in the main well cos
TUNED, although the gorwns worn il
the opening ensemble showed an ap
parent attempt at economy which is,
think, of doubtful wisdom. In some 0
the chorus numbers, too, there was aI
unpleasant punching effect of skirteC
femininity which can be remedied will
little practice and with a better ar
rangement of the more graceful dan
GERS.
Sergeant Kitty" needs much re
Namping and some radical comedy in
terpolations in the first act It's shee
musical excellence carried il to sue
cess last night, and with intelligen
overhauling it ought to be made int
good show. BY next week l trust W,
may be able TO Judge the faithful
players who presented it in more fav
orable environment. It's exhilaratins
to watch people win out by utter plucl
and merit, but eXhilarating is apt to bc
tiring.
The Burbank stock company settled
so naturally into the pleasant farce.
comedy atmosphere Of ''When knight,
Were Bold" last week that the same
delightful frame of mind appeared tC
have remained with them Yesterday
afternoon. Applied to a medieval fan,
tasia, it was excellent as method. but
in Sherlock Holmes it is as much o.
WECT0k 0coop In 0coon M,ILo-