Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-04
BY W. HERBERT BLAKE

NRANCOIS COPPEE'S tender little
drama of love and tragic sacri-
4 fee instinct with the expression
of the French national genius at it's
best, was enacted at the Majestic last
night before an appreciative audience,
whose numerical paucity is a crying
reproach to the vaunted culture of this
city, "The Violin Maker of Cremona"
is the finest and most delicate fabric
of dramatic art which has been pre-
sented in any playhouse in Los An
geles within the last two months and
yet the house it drew was pitifully
smaller than even the audiences which
witnessed the last expiring local strug-
giles of "Three Weeks at the same
theater.
Four sympathetic and capable artists
presented the Coppee play, struggling
with admirable spirit against the
leaden despair which a look at the
meagerly filled orchestra rows inspired.
The intelligent enthusiasm of the elect
who were there alone mitigated the
disappointment to those who partici-
pated in both the musical and dramatic
parts of the program.
Mr.. Nowland, in the role of the
kunchback who sacrifices the reward
of his genius as a violinist for the sake
of the woman he loves, and who loves
and in the concluding moments of the
play embodied the part with a whole
hearted sympathy which his painstak-
ing impersonation of the first scenes
did not entirely convey. In the climax
of renunciation his work was strong
and assured, and in the passages with
Miss Hilliams their joint endeavors, by
sheer conviction, overcane the handi-
cap of empty seats and evoked the
fragile illusion of reality, an effect
which only the utmost fidelity to nature
can wiring from dramatic method at
once so simple and so subtle as that Of
Coppee.
Miss Williams portrayal of the young
French girl for whom the deformed
musician surrenders his laurels was ac-
ourate and keenly responsive to the
motif of the action. Mr.. Bainbridge
and Mr.. Harris filled the two less i'm
portant roles intelligently.
The musical part of the program, in
cluding Mr. Nowland's two violin So
los, Mr.. Harrison Williams exquisite
piano selections from Chopin, Beatrice
Hubbel Plummer's Well-modulated
vocalization in three songs, and Harry
Girard's vigorous rendition of prairie
Land" and "The Rosary" was alone
worthy of a larger audience. Lucille
Nowland Semnacher acted as accom-
panist and the orchestra played the
Lucia SeAI6L anu d ScltCllOll llpllt Ii
nanf more than acceptably.
The entire program was well
arranged and executed entertain
ment - entertainment of the finest
kind and in the best sense Of
that abused word. IF all the people
in Los Angeles who are fond of dilat-
ing on the iniquities of a commercial
ized stage had been present it would
also have achieved the financial sue
cess it merited. Art? The very ushers
at the Majestic know that Los Angeles
is Indifferent to 1t.
Articles of agreement have been
signed by Ollie Mack e. P. Root and
Walt M Leslie, forming the Ollie
Mack Amusement company with
paid-up capital of $4,000, to operate road
attractions The new firm will send
out three musical comedies in August
and September, besides "A Night on
Broadway" which will continue on its
present tour through next season. Mack
will be starred In "The Boy from
Yankeeland," a new piece, which will
open September IL in Boston. Miss
Bessie Tannehill will be featured in
we'll known farce-comedy, supported
by a company of thirty-two. John
Kearney will succeed Charles Murray
as Mack's co-star.
Mr. Mack announces that he has
refused a pleasing offer from tie Or
pheum circuit to enter vaudeville with
Mr.. Murray, preferring the musical
comedy proposition. Offices of the
new company have been taken in the
Mason opera house block, and a COZ
tune room has been intrusted to
Madame Dellwood of New York.
Florence Leslie, who will train he
choruses, will go to New York July %
to engage dancers. Thomas j. Grady,
now in England, will stage the various
attractions.
"The Lottery Of Love" will follow
"Sherlock Holmes" next Sunday at
the Burbank.
A real version of the Apache dance,
heralded as direct from the Moulin