Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-16
BY W. Herbert BLAKE

Burlesque paid a rare tribute tc
William Shakespeare last night at the
Auditorium: it made him the climax
of a registering musical comedy, and
with all its raillery it treated the rare
old lines of his greatest tragedy with
a certain involuntary reverence which
the most f1ippant and care-free per-
son in the big audience could not but
feel. Even Eddie Foy, veteran jester
as he is, seemed sobered beneath his
mask of gayety as he came on in the
familiar black costume of the maddest
and saddest figure in modern dramatic
literature. The lines that followed
were uproriously slangy, but here and
there the burlesquing authors appeared
TO pause, and we caught for a moment
the words which have survived in
Vulnerable travesties and lent them
selves with equal patience to countless
serious efforts which were better de-
noted by that title.
1t was humorous and the big crowd
laughed, and laughed again. But be-
meath the merrment there was a glim-
mering of surprise at the grandeur
and the beauty of this thing which
lifted its head in the very portals of
hilarity and asserted the eternal sway
of genius over the human spirit.
Drury Lane and the Mermaid, too,
have felt the spell of this potent in
fluence-the thing which is big enough
and true enough to dare banter and
even mockery as did King Lear-and
yet retain the bearing and the con-
tour of a king.
1t endured for a moment and then
relentless modernity swept it into the
wings. Ophelia got the hook and
Hamlet took the count. l believe that
is the correct and up to date phrasing
The show went on and, strangely
enough, We enjoyed it all the better
for the interlude. Some day the world
of modern theatergoers will discover
the true value Of that interlude and
then the modern manager will dis
cover Shakespeare. Perhaps Mr.. Foy
may be heralded as a voice in the will
derness crying-somewhat discordantly
that message to the sorely driven
modern stage.
"Mr. Hamlet of Broadway" is a big,
hearty, nondescript musical comedy.
1t is presented by the best appointed
and best marshaled company which
has visited us since THE Merry
Widow" cast amorous glances upon
her prince and went her way. Chief
among the cast, if not always the
center of attraction. is Eddie Foy.
His voice is thin and humorously dep
recatory. His manner at times is that
of one who seems to plead for appre-
citation for the sake of days long past.
But his knack for turning the most
trifiing swerve in dialogue or action to
advantage is unimpaired. His grip on
his admirers is still sure and facile and
his talent for gTOtesque comedy is in
dubitable. 1t is the same Eddie Foy.
If you have liked him you will always
like him, for his hold on the public
affection is that intimate and personal
hold which years cannot shake. If
Eddie Foy We're to essay Maeterlnck
or Ibsen those misty and symbolical
gentlemen would receive instant ap-
probation at the hands of the public
He purveys instead a thin wedge Of
Shakespeare, garnished by goodly
sauce Of tuneful frivolity. Our appe-
tites become classic instanter, for the
waiter is a tried friend.
The support is good. Charles Halton
and Josie Intropidi do a bit Of con
tinuous marital infelicity, which rad
iates laughs, despite the occasionally
brutal handling by the author of a
naturally innocent and diverting idea
The other principal roles are we'll
taken in the main, although Mr..
Wild's Frenchman is very wild indeed,
whether clad as an Englishman or a
cosmopolitan hunter of pleasure. His
ETGnCn accent IS Il SlIdIBt lllQR,
whose habitat may be the BoWery but
certainly does not rest under the folds
of the tri-color. Miss Belle Colds
mimicry is one of the feature special
ties of the evening, and her work in
front of the big and active chorus is
a pleasure to watch. A word also is
due the bear-portrayal of Mr.. Laten.
1t is good, legitimate horse play--beg
pardon, -play-and it stops short
where many similar actors press their
work to the point of nausea.
But the musical features are the
heart of the show. Brilliantly and ar
tistically costumed, the big chorus
winds through its pretty evolutions in
mastery and mannerly style. A few
of the opening ensembles want unison,
but the work in the second act is proof
against criticism. Such numbers as
Goodbye, Molly Brown" That's as
Far as You Can Co. and Down Where
the watermelon Grows" were superbly
sung. AS a spectacle alone, the pro-
duction well repays a visit. Not in
many months shall We see a better
caparisoned company or a daintier as
soTtment Of lyrics. In this respect, at