Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-14
ECONOMIC BACKGROUND FOR
PRETTY ROMANCE
BELAsco COMPANY ACT WELL IN
PLAY OF PRESENT SEASON
Dickens Types at the orpheum Af-
ford Best HeadIner in Cur
rent Vaudeville for
Many Weeks

Edward Chard, afterward known as
Drake go. .........'.. Lewis ,. stoh
Matthew Hemstead, Tapper's father
in-iau. u................W William Nearanc
ALI Rumble, young engineer ....'..
....................L. Frank u. CAM
Amos Taper, in Chard's employ
.................... James IA. AppleDe
Arthur Welby, Chard's secretary -;
Observation-Disclosures. Richard NtVla
John Burbank, Chard's manager go.
........,....... Howard 9cPt
Joseph Pring, a clerk. go. Charles Ruggie
Albert Tapper's son, aged IL. 2....,...'.
............M Master George GOnzale
Mary Heron, the school mistress.
.................. Miss Ihais Magran'
Mrs. Taper, Amos wife Miss Ida Lewi
Lady Viding, in pursuit of Chnrd 80.
.................M Miss Grace Gardner
Stella Wilding, her daughter.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. MISS beth ''
Victoria, Amos daughter, age II, Al
bert's twin. ........ Little Bebe Daniels
BY w. HERBERT BLAKE
'The Master Key" is the realistic
comedy Of a millionaire's triumphant
love for a school teacher, staged
against the somber background Of a
strike for higher wages by his en-
ployes. To study the grievances Of his
workers at short range, the rich man
disguises himself as one Of them. In
cognito he meets the woman who IS
destined. in a measure, to revolution
ize his life. From her sympathy with
the strikers he learns to look upon the
latter as human beings, and not mere
cogs in his machine for coming profits.
He wins her love, then almost loses IL
as his deception OF identity is un-
masked. Finally she consents to be-
come his wife, at the same time gain
ing his consent to urgent reforms IN
wage and living conditions at ms
plant.
George Bernard Shaw IS about the
only playwright who ever succeeded IN
mingling love and political economy in
a comedy, and his success has been
mainly due to the fact that he took
neither with observable seriousness.
His plays convinced US not at all
They made us think, and they made US
laugh, which ought to satisfy their
author. THE Master Key does both,
at different times and in different
ways. We think seriously of the in
justice Of conditions at the plant, elo-
quently voiced by the bellicose old agi-
tator who calls himself a Socialist, but
is really a communist. And then, just
as our thinking might take root in
agreement with his views, the play
wright turns on the comedy tap. We
begin TO laugh at the love affairs of
the more happily circumstanCed fOlk
in the drama. The vision of the toll
and the tyranny down in the works
At the end We are told
that the problem is adjusted amicably,
and we go home satisfied that the man
has won the girl and all is well with
the world.
The suspense of the play really ends
at the point where the millionaire
discovers he is in love. We can guess
the rest. For, however much the audi
ence may be led to pity the cruel
plight of the workers in his establish /
ment their sympathies are skillfully /
enlisted on the side of the capitalist. /
The eventual victory of the strikers /
satisfies our sense of justice, but our
interest i'm their fortunes is dwarfed /
in our unreuso soniuE pleasure in the /
successful issue of q love affair
1t is Wholcsamely human pleasure, |
but one cannot help thinking that the /
big economic problem which the
drama raises demands a fuircr and /
less summary treatment. Whether or /
not one be quite at one with the fiery
of the old striker. fair play 7
demands that his passionate cry be .
heard. The viewpoint Of Socialism is .
sufficiently Wcll known 10 the average /
heater audience TO require just treat
nent, or TO be lelt alone. THE Mas /
.el Key partly states it. and then
lasses it by for the more immediately
llluring climax of a love affair.
Mr.. Stone showed good dramatic
Judgment in his change from the bel
igerent car of industry in act one t.
he boytsh man among men Who is
lelplessly in love. His uttaranco at /.
INES was lndlstlnCt-a plain result Of
apid speech in am attempt to enforce
he brusqueness and ruthless desp0tiem
f the character. An excellent portrait
Ire was that of mir. Nearauce as the
mbittered and eloquent old striker
Who maintained his opinion against
my and every odds MI Camp made a
'assable juvenile, although he is better
.tted with a moro mature role. The
'apper of Mr.. Applebce was a truo ere
ton, ripe and strong and ably played
lr. Vivian stamncrcd and blushed di-
ertingly S the Lashful suitor. and
1iss Taylor played the correspondence
eminine role with q dclightful nom
balance. Mr.. Scott was e0od-ua-
ured but crotchety manager, and Mr.
tuggles an acidulous clerk who carried
ne smell Of the office right home with
i'm.
As the charming heroine. Miss Ma
rane strOve hard to restrain her natu-
al gayety of spirits. The young wom-
n she depicts is a curious blend of the
outhful and The old, the cheerful and
he prematurcly thoughtful. A shade
lore repression al times would enhance
lese qualities without destroying the
pontaneous joy IN life with which this
ctress pleasantly oudOWs all her roles.
llss Lewis was Il motherly member of
ne injurious sex and Miss Gardner had
n incidental comedy part. The work
Master Gonzales and Eebe Daniels
child roles was commendable
Ferris Hartman. who underwent m !
for appendicitis q week ago.
as recovered ana this mornfng win !
ssume his work Of directing rehearsals /
II 1.-The Toymaker," which opens next |
lnday afternoon at the Grand. and In
hich Mr.. Hartman win play Johannes l.
uggenheimeT Tn the presentation Z
Iere will be big spectacular Christ 7
as festival scene.
The Los Angeles theaters new hin E
oened yesterday, headed by sDoctacu-
I scenic comedy, "Cupids Novaean
esented by Harry and Kate Jackson
-her acts on the bill are SauIding and
lpree, Edna Davenport, John Strugeoa h
Id company the SJeliugs ana thc o
abalkans and their dog Folly and a n
Nv selection of comedy motion pie n
res. The bill viii be reviewed I'm
ter issue. n
David Warheld, who VIII present ID
'he Music Master in this city at the o.
ason all next week is making his II.
-