Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-15
BIBULOUS RIP GETS
LITTLE SYMPATHY
"GRETCHEN DONE RIGHT"
SAYS WOMAN MORALIST
Thomas jefferson Gives Good Por-
trayaI Of Historic Irving Crea-
tion-Weird Sailor Man
Appears
BY LENrUEL PARTON


The last ten years seem to have put
almost as much of a crimp in Rip Van
Wrinkle as it has in Old King Alcohol
and the mash vat A very severe lady
with an empress dowager coiffure, in
the third row at last nights perform
ance at the Majestic, remarked very
audibly that Gretchen done just eX-
ackly right when she chased Rip out
into the rain at the end of the second
act, and a number of other women
were heard to agree with her. The
men weakly acquiesced. Poor old Rip
couldn't seem to get bit of sympathy.
That shows what local option and suf-
fragist agitation will do.
Thomas Jefferson, rather oppressive
ly overshadowed by his fathers name,
gives a finished and artistic portrayal
of the historic Jeffersonian character,
carefully drawn in points of detail,
but by no means so appealing as his
fathers creation. Miss Rosalie De
Vauxs Gretchen is excellent, as is
William Freeman's Derrick Won Beck
man. With this one trinity of chalk
marks, the score in favor of the pro-
Guction ends. The rest are blanks. In
point of staging and cOStuming the
show seems to have been an adapta-
ton for the kerosene circuit of about
twenty-five years ago, certainly de-
signed with small respect for the intel
ligence of the audiences for which it
was intended. If Heindrich Hudson.
the sailor who comes home and
straightens things out, had been
dressed in a stiff ruff and martin
gale, his costume would not have been
more of an anachronism than the one
in which he appeared. Heindrich
prances shamelessly out in the uniform
Of oh Of fnd1xy
with the letters ''U. S. S. Alabama" or
his cap. This for Rip Van Wrinkles
time! The mountain gnomes are got
ten up with the subtlety of a depart
ment store Santa Claus.
The Ferris Hartman company frisks
gayly through "The Ameer," the third
of Victor Herberts musical creations
to be given in Los Angeles within the
last two weeks. The production is de-
cidedly the liveliest and most spirited
of the recent Hartman output. Miss
Christine Nielsen showed herself a val
liable addition to the cast. Miss Mel
sens assets are a clear girlish voice,
pleasing personality, a rakish sWagger
and fascinating grin. She uses them
all to advantage and was glad-handed
joyously by the audience, somewhat
bored during the last few weeks by the
Emil Kruschke, while apparently linn
tied in his range of histrionic interpre-
tatiOn, shows unmiStakable skill and a
clear perception of the requirements Of
good character acting in his sketch of
tho fussy old chamberlain, Heezaburd.
Walter De Leon contributes an enter
tanning bit in his song, 81 Want to Find
New One" and the CLANCY" song
by the Ameer and male chorus was
more than pleasing in its mellihuous
blend of heart wall tenor and barber
shop bass.
The costumes and staging of the play
are the best so far of the Hartman
engagement.
"a Stranger in New York; will open
for a second week tonight at the Be
lasco. The farce is enjoyable and in
the hands of this versatile company is
played with dash and finish. Lewis S.
Stone, Florence Oakley, Charles Rug
giles, Fay Banter and other members
Of the company have an entire change,
and will render new songs.
The sale for the Los Angeles kth-
letic club minstrels, which is to be
given at the Mason opera house Febru-
ary 1S and 10, is now on, and from
present indications they will be greet
ed by an enthusiastic and appreciative
audience on both occasions. The sale
opened Saturday morning.
The Burbank stock company began
second week of Faust yesterday
after a highly successful run last week.
A. Byron Beasley has scored one of
the hits Of his career in the play, and
scenically it is one of the best Of Mr..
Morosco's productions.
Arthur Aliens play. "The Master
Power" will be given it's first pro-
duction at the Mason opera house to-
night. The author is a man of wide
experience as a dramatic writer and
playwright. and the play is said to De
one Of the strongest of recent years.
The Auditorium management prom
ises dazzling pantomime in cali
Baba and the Forty Thieves" which
will open tonight. The Auditorium
productions have been steadily improv-
ing, and the production should be good.
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