Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-10
ETERNAL YOUTH
IN SHORE ACRES
LOUIS MORRISON P0RTRAYS
BlG-S0ULED llAINE HERO
Elinor Gyms Atrocty is Due to Fol-
low koIb and Dill at the
Majestic Theater
Next Week

Nathdn1el berry LOUIS r 4hpAAAsNAi
Martin Berry, his brother. ..,....:'' =
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Dewitt {. Jehnlhss
Joel Gates, a widower. Howard scout
Josiah Blake, the postmaster 80. =
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES James ~ APpeioee
Sam Warren, young physician
Observation-Disclosures. Richard vivian
Capt. Ben Hutchings, of the Llddy Ann
Observation-Disclosures. Harry spear
Doctor Leonard. .....'....... Harry CahSs
Squire Andrews ........,..,.. Harry Fare
Tim Hayes .............,. Charles Ruggles
Young Nat Berry Master Peter clancy
Ike Richards, a farm hand Richard darcy
Lem Connant, a farm hand Ralph Delaey
Gabe Fitzpatrick farm hand .......
Observation-Disclosures. James McGlaae
Bill Hodgekins. a farm hand ...,''''
Observation-Disclosures. Lloyd Thompson
Abe Higgins, farm hand. Frank Penny
Bob Berry. Master Ronald WOODWARD
Mail carrier ............. 'Charles DUN
Helen Berry Martins daughter $3.50,
.,. E-........ Miss Florence Reed
Ann Berry, Martins daughter ....:...'
acknowledgements. Miss Ida Lewis
Mary Berry. Martins daughter.
... Miss Fay Banter
Tiddv-Ann Nye .. Miss Beatrice Moves
Mrs Andrews ....... Miss Grace Gardner
Mrs Leonard ......... Miss Jessie Norman
Perley, a servant. Miss Adele Harrington
Mandy Gates. Joel's daughter -.
.............''.a.' Miss olNe "Si'eiS
BY w. HERBERT BLAKE
'Shore Acres" is one of that scant
but goodly company of plays on Whlch
one hates to see the last act curtain
fall. 1t takes character as well as ART
to enact the big, wholesome Maine 1arin
folk who crowd its stage with the easy
aplomb of a group of Dickens types
and with a vastly closer touch on life
| was grateful to the Belasco company
last night for the unaffected pleasure
their welcome labors gave me, and IL is
very seldom that a busy reviewer mas
time for that luxury.
Coarse, in the words primitive mean
ing, as all the good, common things
of life are coarse. Coars9 as welcome
country fare after the spiced aphro-
disiacs of senile Broadway. Pregnant
with the poetry of the swelling sea and
rough, red mother earth, Fierce and
gentle as the souls of ho~Het men.
That's Shore Acres"
Everybody played as if + enjoyed it.
Miss Reed looked not a minute more
than sweet eighteen as she set the
table in Act II. Miss Farrington's af-
frighted pantomime over the missing
giblets was the flttest bit of portrayal
| have ever seen her do, and her first
recent chance at the sort of thing she
can handle appealingly. Miss Lewis
dished out that II say" repetend In
various intonations at naturally as she
poured the tea. The politeness of these
rough, honest folk is so infectious that
the feminine roles naturally have first
place in this review.
This inherent nobility of American
country people is a thing that has been
bitterly burlesqued by the average ru-
raj drama, and by many a well mean
ing stock company in this very play.
Even Way Down East isn't innocent
of the by Gosh libel Last night
the realism of the rural atmosphere
never once reached that stage-even
in the tempting dinner scene. No
farmers son left the playhouse covert
ly ashamed of his dearest memories.
That alone is a creditable achievement
in these days, when the ordinary player
will sacrifice any and all of the sane
titles for giggle from the gallery.
1t takes just such guileless folk as
Nat Berry to lie convincingly in a good
cause, and the speckled pullet died a
worthy stage death. And speaking of
Louis Morrison, 1t was good to see that
reliable actor at last in a part deserv-
ing of his conscientious talents. Nat
Is the deus ex machina' of tie play, and
unassuming goodness for once had the
limelight. 1 am melodramatic enough
to wish he had prolonged that fight
scene a few minutes more. His victory
seemed rather too cut and dried-unless
ones heart was off in the blue with the
storm tossed Liddy Ann.
Mr. Jennings has his best chance in
many weeks as Martin, and he made
the character neither grabbed nor viii
famous, but just humanity erring. Mr..
Appellee might have frightened the mi
serly traits in his part without trench
ing on the impossible. The old post
master is by no means regenerated
character. as Miss Reeds reserved
greeting in the return of the last act
assured us. It's hard to bear up
against the strain of virtue by that
Berry fireside, but a country postmas-
ter isn't reformed in four acts and two
scenes, as Mr. Appellee partly indi-
Gated. Mr.. Vivian made the most of
his few opportunities for real work, and
defined the difference between the cock
sure young freethinker and the sea-
soned westerner fairly will. Master Pc
ter Clancy was easily the head of a
clever infant class, not for a moment
forgetting that baby which cried at
just the right time so candidly that ]
looked with Involuntary suspicion in
the direction of the orchestra.
Mr.. Ccott stole the limelight away
from the bigger fry again and again.
as naturally as Capt Dillon purloins
sity threatened calamity to the serious
action in the last act, but he thought
fully checked Widower Joel barely in
time.
Miss Reeds crying is very pleasant
to watch-which seems more heartless
than intended. With that knack of
artistic discernment which marks her
for future distinction. she caught the
keynote of each situation as rapidly as
1t came, and quietly drove 1t home.
Helen Berry was almost as real as
Merely Mary Ann-not quite.
You ought to see Salvation Nell''
this week, and Jack Straw is an ex-
ceptionally good comedy. But I don't
believe that either can give you quite
the simple, honest pleasure that Herne' s
masterpiece affords any man or woman
not so sophisticated as to be immune
to the sane, clean joys of humble life
The Kolb and Dill company baseball
team will clash with representatives of
Mrs. Fiske's Auditorium cast at the
South Side Athletic park Friday after
noon. 1t is safe to wager there will be
more histrionics than baseball. hence
the announcement in this column,
Richard Bennett, who will play tho
leads with the Belasco company during
Lewis stones three months vacation,
will arrive in Los Angeles tonight and
will have his first rehearsal tomorrow
morning. Mr.. Bennett will be seen in
his original role of Jefferson Ryder in
THE Lion and the Mouse" Mr. Ben
nett has been spending much of his
time on the trip from New York to Los
Angeles studying the park of Billy Boil
ton, the central figure in 1.-THE College
Widow" which will be the second part
H. ..fa tIn al fatsp n