Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-29
"classmates" at Majestic Combines
Realism and Romanticism In
Workmanlike Plot.
Staging Good
BY LEMUEL PARTON

cunning and craftsmanship in every
line, it shows also the freedom of de-
velopment, the logic and inevitable
ness that are not hedged about by too
much technique.
Last night was Mr.. Hackett's first
appearance as a star in Los Angeles.
He was enthusiastically received and
compelled to make a curtain call at
the end of the third act. Mr.. Hackett
rises fully to the requirements OF his
role, which calls for much elaborate
heroing, together with some slashing
good manly talk that lifts the role out
of the tank drama class and makes
the character a genuinely strong and
likable romantic creation.
The first act shows the campus at
West Point in the evening. 1t is a
good piece of staging. contrived with
careful attention to detail The plot,
intricate in it's beginning and develop
ment, leads up to the unique situation
of Irving, the hero, going to the res
cue of Stafford, the villain, in the
wilds of South America. Henry Fear
ing accomplishes much in the way of
real practical villainy as Stafford.
The third act, showing the two men, in
the. heart of the jungle at the head
waters of the Amazon, is one of the
most realistic stage achievements ever
seen in Los Angeles. l am not speak
ing ex cathedra, as l spent eight weeks
in one of these jungles and last night
1 could feel the red ants prospecting
around the small of my back and hear
the paraquits chattering in the trees.
But there is one detail which de-
tracts from the realism of the scene.
No man ever goes into these jungleS
without a machete. and the knives
which the explorers used in cutting
their way through the jungle would
Il. FNfN
razor at a Blackville picnic. 1t is also
difficult to understand how a piece of
a shirt sleeve stuck up ten feet on the
trunk of bongo tree 200 feet high,
could attract the attention of man
with a heliograph ten miles away.
But these are bubbles. 1t is strong
scene-remarkably strong-and it is as
effective in the acting as the staging.
Irving has come into the wilderness to
tell Stafford that the girl still loves
him and is waiting for him. Stafford
is dying when they meet, as are the
three men-classmates - who have
come with Irving. Stafford is a con-
sistently vindictive and ungrateful
wretch, and the two men declare their
undying hatred for each other as they
face death.
There is magnificent enmity,
stripped down to the last sub-stratum
of hate, marred only by the fact that
Stafford is a liar and is not fighting
fair. They are rescued, and on their
reaching home and facing the girl STAFF
ford's treachery is revealed and Irving
gets the girl. The girl is Sylvia Ran
dolph, charmingly portrayed by Miss
Doris Mitchell. Miss Mitchell has
abundant personal attractions and no
happier choice could have been made
for the part. However, she strikes a
note of evenly sustained intensity which
might be pleasantly varied by a few
more of the delicate nuances of ex-
preston, of which, at times, she shows
she is capable.
The comedy is supplied by Bubby
Dumble. fiubby person with sense
of humor who wins out niftily in his
love affair with Staffords sister. Will
lard Louis gives an admirable charac-
terization of Bubby, as does Miss Mae
Berton. as the sister. The support is
uniformly strong.
Without taking time, like Daniel
Webster, to sleep over it, we would say
that this is by far Mr.. Morosco's best
offering, so far, at the Majestic.
Lillian Russell and her company spent
Yesterday in Los Angeles. Last night
Miss Russell occupied a box at the
Belasco, where she applauded with
much vigor the telling situations in
George Broadhursts play, 1.-THE Dollar
Mark" Mr. Broadhurst is one of the
authors of "Wildfire," in which Miss
Russell will be seen at the Mason next
week.
"The Tales of Hoffman" is being re-
peated with much financial and artls-
tic reward at the Grand opera mouse
this week by the Ferris Hartmen COM
pany. Two large audiences yesterday
enjoyed the excellent work or MISS
Nv Arli
the others of the Hartman organiza-
ton.
Richard earle and Ferris Hartman
renewed boyhood recollections IN the
formers dressing room at the Mason
opera house Saturday afternoon. Botn
earle and Hartman were youthful
friends in Chicago long before either
had any idea of becoming comedians.
One result of the talk between the
play-managers was the relinquishing
to Hartman of all of Carries comic
opera successes, including the eminent
ly successful Spring Chicken" The
Mayor of Toxic" and THE Storks."
The two former pieces will be present.
ed before Hartman concludes his en-
gagement at the Grand opera house,
while 1.-THE Storks" will in all proba-
bility be used to begin his season in
this city next October
The fourth week of "The Dollar
Mark" at the Belasco begins tonight
and promises to be as successful as
any of the previous weeks of the
Broadhurst play. The advance sale of
seats for this week is said to be the
largest for any similar period, and the
Belasco actors are wagering that the
play will establish long distance at
tendance record for local theatricals.
The new bill at the Los Angeles the
ater opening with a matinee perform
ance today will present six acts, each
of them new to local audiences. In
Guided in the list are Frank Mayne
and his company in a slang playlet,
1.-The Tipster''; the country choir; Che
falo and Capretta. necromancers;
Ralph tombstone, trick cyclist; Art
Adair, musical eccentrique; and a
playlet, 1.-THE Sections Dream
Arizona" opened it's second tri-
umphant week at the Burbank theater
yesterday afternoon, Manager Oliver
Morosco's popular stock house being
packed at both matinee and night per-
Torrance of the play. This is the last
week of the Augustus Thomas work,
the federal courts for the district of
New York having forbidden its pre-