Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-06

the Pumpkin. But they don't insist
upon it. You can laugh at their antics,
whatever be your theoretical ideas on
the subject of wit. 1t isn't question
of Judgment It's purely a matter of
digesting your dinner.
And they are good digesters.
The Belasco will celebrate its fifth
anniversary at two performances today
of 1.-The Squaw Man." by Edwin Mil
ton Royle. Besides the return of
Lewis S. Stone as leading man the
event will be notable for introducing to
local playgoers Frank E. Camp, new
second man; William P. Freeman ana
the new stage director, Harry An
drews. Margaret Langham (Mrs.
Stone) will return to the stage after
an absence of three years, assuming
the Indian role of Nat-U-Rich. Alto
gether 1t promises to be an interesting
occasion.
"A Wife's Peril" new society melo-
drama by Harry Earl, stage manager
of the Grand opera house vas pro-
duced there last night. Further mem
tion of the play will be made later in
the week.
Monda Glendower and Raymond
Manion headline the Los Angeles bill
which opens this matinee. Other acts
are by Jack symonds. monologist;
Gaynell Everett. Harry Tyler, Scott
| and Davis and Ross and Shaw.
| An accurate and creditable produc-
tion of "Strongheart." William c. De
Miles drama of Indian love and re-
nunciation. opened the week at the
Burbank yesterday afternoon. 1t was
notable for the individual impersona-
tion of Mr.. Beasley in the name part,
for the excellent support accorded MN
in a majority of the minor roles, and
for the popular ovation which greeted
David NJ. Hartford on his first ap-
pearance at the Morosco playhouse.
"Strongheart" is a typical De Mile
drama. with all the theatric glamour
and idealized sentiment with which
that playwright knows so ably how TO
infuse a situation. Its method is the
method of the older American school.
1t wastes time sometimes in triviali-
ties, but 1t arrives at length at a gen
uine climax which holds the attention,
if it does not ALWAYS persuade the
heart and mind. In "Strongheart" the
playwright took markedly modern
theme, and the result was better play
than his earlier ones-and a better,
also. than such of his recent offerings,
as "The Warrens of Virginia.
"Strongheart" is really dramatized
idea: the idea of a heroic member OF
a defrauded race renouncing the way
to love and ioy. as he saw it, in an
swer to the pitiless call of the blood.
1t is for his people that Strongheart
Yields his claim to the white woman
who loves him and whom he loves.
And sacrifice is the cleW to the drama.
as to the character.
It was an enormous handicap that
Byron Beasley braved when he at
tempted to portray an Indian char
acter, With all the arts of the dress
ing room piled to the utmost, Mr..
Beasley did not look like an Indian
even an educated one. And it was not
until one got used to making this men
tai allowance for the impersonation
that this facial disparity between the
actual and the real ceased to amaze
one. In the description of the game
| in act II Mr.. Beasley did not seem to
be really seeing what he narrated. In
the third act. when the action rose to
| its first real climax. we forgot to cavil
| at so slight a thing as featural deti-
! cheney in our admiration for the per-
| fcction of the accent. AS the Indian
| lover turned upon the group of his
late friends in eloquent defense of his
| rights as a man. little by little the pre-
else, artificial utterance acquired by
wears of breeding and study slipped
off like some gossamer veil, and he
spoke again as did his fathers to the
| first white men who invaded their will
! derness-in broken English. Coinci
dentIy.came that flash of the old red
skin hate and cunning, BY which he
| COMPROMISED the reDutation of his
rival. while believing him innocent in
order to gain time to face the future.
Here for a brief and clairvoyant mo-
ment the De Mile art touched the
borders of realism.
! Another veracious element in Mr..
Beaslev's work was his lavish employ
ment of the simple. sweeping gesture
with which an Indian is wont to illus
trate his speech. 1t is just such a
| trait as would survive the comforting
of innumerable degrees and much ar
tificial refinement. IT survives be-
| cause it is itself the refinement of sim
| plicity.
Mr.. Hartford acted with distinction
as Stronghearts rival. and with keen
| insight in the scene in which he clasps
hands with the indian in farewell Mr.
Gilbert added another to his long LIST
of rational and human villains, and
WayIand Trask filed comedy role
with credit Mr. Yerance WAS not inn
pressive as the Indian-neither his
voice nor his hands snfacked of the
| tepee Warren Ellsworth, as the coach
failed to dominate the dressing room
scene as any competent football 'direc-
tor would have done. He shouted, and
yelled. and implored. At no time did
| he command And in the ensuing COM
motion over ThOrpe's tfeachery he was
quite literally lost in the shuttle. The
same lack of grip on the situation ap-
plies also to Mr.. Mestayer's acting in