Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-11
MERRY MUSICAL
SHOW IS STAGED
"a KNIGHT FOR A DAY" AT
MAJESTIC is CLEVER
PRINCIPALS AND CHORUS VIE IN
FAVOR WITH AUDIENCE
"A Society Pilot" Has Lavish Revival
at Hands of Burbank Stock
company-MeIodrara Season
at Grand Near an End

"a Knight for Day" musical comedy
in two acts; book and lyrics by Robert Is.
smith; music by Raymond Hubbell; staged
at the Majestic theater Sunday evening
October 10, 1909.
THE CAST
Nine. Woodbury., of Nine. Woodburys
Seminary for Young Ladies', 49,.
Observation-Disclosures. Isabelle WinlOcke
Elaine, Nine. Woodbury's daughter
................... Iona Nelsoh
Emile Sheldon, a university student;
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. w. Cleveland
NIarceline, the senior chef, inventor of
Marceline's meat sauce. ...;'',... ,,...-.,.,
............... ...........- FRANK Cameroh
Sir Anthony oliver, Muriel's father.
..................... Budd Braman
Iuriel Oliver, one of Nine. Woodburys
pupils ................ NHBlnla otuaTt
Jonathan JOY, an alleged lawyer, by
profession waiter. Edward Hume
Marco, a COrsican ...... Edward ID. Lynch
Tillie Day, a servant lady. Grace DeNlar
BY w. HERBERT BLAKE
A big bundle of fun and frolic
dropped on the Majestic stage last
night "A knight for Day" was It's
unilluminating label, and it brought
with it more than a memory of Mabel
Hite and Johnnie Slavin, for whom it
was originally prepared and who car
ried it to a steady success on the road.
Edward Hume and Grace De Mar, who
had the Slavin and Hite roles, were by
no means slaVish imitatorS of their
methods, yet the form and fashion OF
the comedy recalled the earlier inter-
prefers again and again. 1t was a
pleasant reminiscence.
The plot sagged and wavered through
two speedy acts much after the fashion
of a captive balloon. You felt it give,
but you knew it was there. AT the end
1t came tumbling to the ground of
reality, and everybody went home
happy, whistling when they walked out.
1t was a good show, and it didn't drag,
which about sums up all varieties OF
possible pleasure in musical comedy:
Hume and De Mar were the life OF
the piece, but they had their accom-
plices. Partners in the guilt of making
us foolishly gleeful from time to time
were Frank Cameron, in a capital 1m-
personation of a French chef; Louis
Kluge, who was funny every instant or
his brief stays in front of the foot
lights as an expressman, and rolllck-
ing double brigade of rhythmic fem1n-
inity-chorus and show girls. 1t was
the best dancing chorus 1 remember
seeing on the Majestic stage since Kolb
and Dills spring visit. Their dance
evolutions had the charm of consider
able novelty, and were executed like
an army which is on holiday lark,
DuJ retains ltS pIeClSlOH anu lllllAIdlJ y
unanimity from force of habit The
chorus is the life of a musical show.
In some recent visiting companies it
has been what the late Mr.. Coleridge
doubtless would call the life In death.
Two attractive women in the other
principal feminine roles were Iona
Nelson and Virginia Stuart. Both acted
acceptably,. if no more brilliantly t than
their frequently machine made lines
would encourage. Other members of
the company who filed their parts
with tolerable credit were Isabelle Win
locke f. w. Cleveland, Bud Braman
and Edward D. Lynch. There is a
blithe bouquet of catchy airs, but per
haps the best of them are Life is a
See Saw" my Little Girl in Blue
and '"Whistling When You Walk Out"
The latter travesties operate favorites
very pleasantly, and yet includes
snatches of them, very well sung. The
finale to the first act and the opening
chorus Of the second act, Corsica" are
good models of musical comedy en-
semble at it's brightest and crispest.
But when all is said the principal
honors fall to Hume and De Mar.
Their pantomime quarrel was thing
of art, and they made inspired idiocy
a thing to chuckle over. We missed
them every instant they were off the
stage.
II Oliver MOroScoS coming muSlcdl
attractions average as high as "a
knight for a Day" there are good
things in store.
what Women Will Do" the last Of
fering of the current melodrama sea-
son at the Grand, went on last night.
1t begins in New York city and winds
up in California. Two crowds enjoyed
it greatly yesterday. More ample men
tion of the play will be made later in
the week.
SOCIETY MELODRAMA is