Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-07
VAUDEVILLE FUN
FOR ALL TASTES
ORPHEUM TRAVESTY BETTER
THAN REAL CIRCUS
LOS ANGELES THEATER BILL
BEST IN RECENT WEEKS
Former Los Angeles Mans Opera
Llbretto Is Accepted for an ln-
presslve Presentation In
Berlin Playhouse
BY w. HERBERT BLAKE


novelties on the Orpheum vaudeville
shelf this week, the ginger and the
jam are still supplied by Claude Gil
lingwater and Miss Mabel Hite in thelr
respective acts on the holdover list.
Judging from the oVations ACCORDED
both last night, the Orpheum would De
quite safe in smashing all eXlstlns g
booking schedules and keeping "A
Strenuous Rehearsal and 'Steauhg
Home" for a month or more. With MT.
Donlin's kind permission, OF COURSE
pending news from McGraW.
OF the new attractions, the Novelty
Dancing Four, arrayed IN al tho
colors of the rainbow and eXnlpltlhB
an assortment of dance steps that are
almost melodious in their rhythmic
accuracy, are the most valued addl-
tion There is a toe dancer clad III
red and a German maiden IN piue,
and Johnny Hughes and ms male
partner in harmonious purple All
dance swiftly and with a precision
that is a, treat to see. The two men
also sing a song to the effect that
everybody is happy when the sun
shines, which seems so obvious as TO
make one marvel at the recondite orig
inality of the man who thought II ali
out But that's trit1e.
Miss Ella Nowlan looks like an am
mated block of neapolitan ice cream
as she whirls through the ara plur
of black bodice and pink skirts, dainty
face and arms-in the big circus act.
She has some able collaborators, TOO,
including the boys who sit on the PACK
seats and dutifully topple over while
a weird and elastic performing horse Is
twisting himself into a sort of huge
dachshund The best single thing that
happens on the tanbark that must De
there is the Ladies and Gentlemen
classic of the ringmaster, George
Raidy. He's hoarse and he's bieary-
eyed, just like the most important per-
sonage of your youthful memory, and
he slices the panorama of the ring
right in two by reminding you OF the
big concert that comes afterWard. And
when you turn your head away Tor
moment and glance back, there's still
Nat Ellis and some capable tumblers
and acrobats to divert your attention.
It's better than a real circus because
it doesn't last long enough to remind
grandfather beside you how much bet
ter the shows of his youth were back
in Schenectady or Oskaloosa. Also, the
activities of the clowns are discreetly
minimized, for which one is grateful.
William Foran is admirable master
of the lingo of the ring, in his muck
raking exposure of a political Whlted
sepulcher, and his benevolent bit of re-
call legislation makes one wish there
were a few like him in the real political
life of state and nation. Maurice Will
kinson, who has the part of the candi-
date of "A Spotless Reputation"
should accentuate the note of distress
in his portrayal of the unmasked
hypocrite. AS it is, his acting is little
more than that of a well groomed foil
for Mr.. Foran's wit. That helps whit
tie the moral to a keen edge, but it
isn't characterization.
CHERRY" Simpson is pinkly prim as
nd CT cir in
tc recall her glorious outburst of mel
ody in the "Biff Bang" song from
king Dodo," first and best of the long
train of Savage musical shows. l can't
help feeling it's something of a tragedy
to see her in yaudeville-and 'ad-
Vanced" society vaudeville! Won't
oliver Morosco recklessly rescue her
from those encumbering skirts by en-
gaging her for his new Majestic COM
pany?
Billy Van put line or two of ques-
tionable by-play into his bout with
the orchestra leader last night which
he would do better to omit. Double
entendres are occasionally to be pal
liated in an actor who can't get the
hands without them. They're a cheap
form of wit for a comedian with repu-
tation for clean originality.
The Vindobonas' canary chirped more
blithely than a week ago, and was tho
duh act The motion pictures are, as
usual, we'll chosen and entertaining.
Every actor playing on the local
stage is invited to the professional mat
inee at the Majestic today.
One hundred and fifty members of
the visiting Texas State Bankers as
sociation will attend the Orpheum in
body Thursday night.
While members OF the Majestic mu-
steal company We're having their pic
lures taken at Moionier's yesterday
Percy Bronson (autOmobilist, If you
please) noticed William Yerance car
rying away suitcase fun Of costumes
"Throw it into my car, Bill" he cried
in a spasm of generosity, land I'll lug
it over to the theater." Bill gratefully
acceded to the invitation. Later when
he arrived at the theater a few min
utes before time for the raising of the
curtain. he found no trace of costumes
or suitcase. Bronson was found and
protested that they hadn't been put in
his car A hurry-up trip to the Audi
torium, as a random hope, disclosed
the clew that an autOist had found the
missing 1nery in his car and had left
suitcase and all in the office of a ply
sician in the building. The janitor re-
fused to admit the anguished actors to
the clinical room until they were
vouched for by telephone from the Ma
jestic. Thirty minutes late, the breath
less Thespians arrived at the stage en-
trance, having made more accidental
comedy in an hours frantic chase than
is contained in the entire original book
of Sergeant Kitty's" first act.
An entirely new vaudeville bill with
out a hopelessly dull number is that
furnished at the Los Angeles theater
this week Four of the six big acts
are of first rate Caliber and the only
feature which opened poorly, the song
and dance speciality of Kessler and
Dunn, redeemed itself by a whirlwind
finish.
Saona's best living pictures are those
of Carnegie and Gen. Robert e. Lee
Mark Twain would scarcely recognize
his counterpart, l fear. The imperson-
alton of Grant, with the dirty coat.
blazing cigar and generally villainous
air, resembles the mental pictures we
Of a new generation have formed from
the anecdotes of his soldiers. 1t is
leagues away from the Grant of the
school histories which is another argu-
ment for its accuracy.
Miss Alice Lindley is the life of the
skit in which her company appears
entitled Her Own Mother" There are
too many angles and too little human
ity in Mr.. Siebert's enactment of fine
woman hating uncle. GaVine Dorothy
oVeracted at times and pitched the sane
moments of the pretended lunatic in too
shrill key. The sketch is lively one
and affords much enjoyment.