Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-30
The Theaters
"WHIM WHAM" LOTUS
EATERS MUSICAL SHOW
Pleasant Drift of Flower Songs,
Dances, Music and Melody In
Affable London
Farce
by nEMuEL PATTON

comedy OIL brlLlSu OIi6ih, - SiiS 0AASAANS
for the week of the Auditorium COM
pany. The piece Is as innocuous as Is
q pint of rain water and as pleasantly
soporihc as a lotus eaters dream. At
times you are having a cropping con-
seriousness of continuity running
through the lulling inanity of the talk,
but IL is not sufficient to hold your in
terest and you sit through itin an at
titude as quiescent and peaceful as
that of an octogenerian contemplating
a bunch of sweet peas. In fact bunch
of sweet peas tied with ribbon quite
aptly symbolizes the whole affair.
There are some pretty little girls, with
flower like faces, songs about violets
and roses, pretty blending of softened
colors in costuming and stage effects,
and some bland and affable comedy IN
terwoven in ladylike farce.
The farce bears the hallmark, imprint
and seal of Drury lane, with the British
effect accumulated by Mr.. Ben Sellar,
who sings in Worcestershire dialect,
a song about a "mowter," which "ex-
plodes," and smells.
"Whim Wham" leaves you in haze,
but, If I remember correctly, there Is
something about young playwright,
who Is coaching a bunch of girls in q
rehearsal in his apartments and is in
terrupted by visit from his sweet
heart. He first secretes the twenty
girls upstairs and then hides his sweet
heart in a closet, when he Is visited by
a stage struck lady and q manager.
Before the arrival of the latter cruel
man has come and taken away the
furniture and the playwright and his
servant substitute boxes, covering
them with couch covers. The drama
fist acts SO strangely that his visitors
believe he is acting out problem play
which he has written, and the man
ager gives him $4,000 for it, and-well,
that's about all-although there is lots
more to the show. That's the battling
thing about "Whim Wham." 1t passes
so many good stopping places and yet
keeps going right on, and when 1t does
end you are waiting for another act.
Miss Olga Stech has been steadily in
the ascendant since joining the Audi
forum company, and does some very
excellent work. Those who have been
watching this talented girl during the
last few weeks are making glowing
predictions for her future.
Ernest Crawford, manager of the
Auditorium cmpany, makes his hrst
stage appearance in Los Angeles in
"Whim Wham." Mr.. Crawford spent
years in studying for the stage in Lon
don and England. His mother, Mrs.
w. j. Williamson, is visiting him, and
occupied one of the boxes with a party
of friends last night. Mr.. Crawford
gets by very nicely as Jack Herring
ton, the young dramatist, and won
much approval, although one could not
help thinking how how more suited to
him Hamlet or some other serious role
would have been than that of the
trifiing playwright. Hugh Metcalfe also
appeared for the first time with the
Auditorium company as Alexander
Crocker, the theatrical manager.
Croker is an eccentric character role,
with a cockney dialect. Mr.. Metcalfe
masters the part admirably. Miss Swan
Wood does some dazzling dances and
Miss Maude Beatty sings several cork
ing good songs.
See the show and spend pleasant
evening drifting in an ambrosial para
disc of color. music and song.
The "Three Rubes" at the Orpheum
have attached a large tin receptacle
to the caudal appendage of dull care
which will keep him on the run for
some time to come. Mr. Beck has no
trio of harlequins on his list who use
more practical funny business than
these three bucolic acrobats with their
barn dances and eccentric acrobatic
stunts. Bowers, the fat one with the
Horace Greeley whiskers, was for
years with a circus, travelling mainly
InIOuRn
by Mr.. Beck at Ell Paso, when the
latter saw show in which he APP
peared. Mr.. Beck had the RUDE act
in mind at the time and walked down
into the sawdust ring and hired Bow
ers on the spot. There is no talk In
their act, and talk Is useless in trying
to describe it. See it.
One of the hits of the present per-
Torrance is 1.-THE Spring of Youth"
in which Harry Foy and Miss Flor
ence Clark appear. 1t involves the ex-
perience of an elderly person shipped
up from Tombstone, Arizona, to bene-
fit by the rejuvenating waters. He
carelessly drinks a whole glass of the
youth water, one drop Of which will
make person a year younger. Inc
miracle works out a quick, practical
atavism, and the man appears as
monkey. While at times the sketch
appears to be little more than a coarse
French cocotte, 1t is an excellent vau-
deville number, and the applause was
by no means confined to the gallery.
Miss Agnes and Flora Mahr do a
good Tommy Atkins" dancing skit.
and Connolly Webb contributes some
clever musical burlesque. The hold
overs are Nonette. Thirty Dollars"
Sol Goldsmith and Guy Hoppe, and
Jwan Tschernoff and his trained ami
mails.
"Wildfire," the racing comedy In
which Lillian Russell has found one or
her fhappiest roles, will be the attrac-
ton at the Mason opera house for one
week beginning Monday, April g., with
Wednesday and Saturday matinees.
''Wildfire" is the work of George Broad
hurst and George v. Hobart, and In the
leading role Miss Russell is said to do
some Of her cleverest work. She APP
parently has lost none of the charms
that made her q favorite years ago.
She still is good looking in directoire
gowns, and has this new comedy-drama
in which to disport herself. "Wildhre"
is a pleasant vehicle for Miss Russell,
and has given the authors reason to De
proud of the woman who created the
chief character in 1t.
Norman Hackett, who is appearing
at Hamburger's Majestic theater this
week in the stellar role OF class
mates" will address the students OF
the Los Angeles high school tomorrow
morning on Shakespeare and His
Haunts." Mr.. Hackett collected the
material for this lecture upon a visit
he paid to Stratford-on-Avon last sum-
mer. He has delivered 1t frequently
before schools and universities all
over the country. Here, however, II
will be given in a somewhat abridged
form. Thursday Mr.. Hackett will
speak before the women Of the "Fri-
day Morning Club"
Frederick Gilbert, favorite stock
actor who came here recently from
San Diego, was engaged yesterday by
Manager Oliver Morosco to play the
"heayy" in "Friends," which is to be