Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-02

"a pioneer band full of hope and
courage, of fresh and uplifting views
of life and of courage to voice them
through the medium of the drama. IL
pictures a struggle fought out on the
merits of its characters, and, SYM
bolically, too, between the principles
they represent 1.-THE Greater Claim
is credit to Linton Tedford, ana
Linton Tedford is credit to Los An
Eeles.
The three sisters Athletas, promised
as 1.-THE premiers of all European aero
bats of the feminine persuasion VIII
head the Orpheum bill beginning at
the matinee today. The big act in
point of numbers is the Redpath Nap
anees, in a schoolroom scene, with
George Hillman as the German pro-
fessor Armstrong and Clark, VINO
wrote "Oh, You Kid" and baby Doll,
will sing those ditties, with some others,
and Londe and Tilly, also European
athletes, will furnish some new diver
sions in the way of ladder manlpula-
tions Laddie Cliff, the eight madcaps,
the Colleens and Ollie Young hold over
The Grand stock company are an
honest, hard working organization or
no little collective and individual ca
pacty when at their best. They are
very far from that best this week in
'The Octoroon," the familiar story of
inter- racial hate and sorrow which de-
rives a fairly sure warrant of life in
stock for years to come as one of Dion
Boucicault's most widely known sue
cesses. The principal trouble with the
Grand company last night was that
they didn't talk. but recited their lines,
for the most part in a monotonous sing
song which was not only not dramatic,
Il In, Onf fha-
atric. This is the penalty of too many
thrills-the tax that constant melo-
drama eXacts of its victims.
Harry Earl was by far the worst of
fender. His McCloskey alternately
whined and ranted; his tones were
heavy and lifeless, never evincing the
burly vigor of the character, and at
times arousing several rather rude per-
sons in the audience to discourteous
laughter by their sheer monotony. Mr..
Earl's murder scene seemed quite fiat
and thrilless to me. Miss Claire, too,
spoke with this lack luster utterance,
though more delicately. She had the
southern refinement without its alert
ness and without a hint of that south
ern spirit which is proof even in the
aged against misfortune.
Alice Lewis did the most unaffected
acting of any in the cast. and Grace
Rauworth showed a considerable de-
gree of power and emotional ability,
especially in the scene in which she
confessed to the octoroon's negro blood
Less deliberation over her big speeches
would help their effect. George Webb
half played up to her in a spiritless and
artificial way, which was an unpleas-
ant surprise after his snappy and ag
gressive work of a few weeks ago.
Miss Lewis is undeniably clever, espe
cially when she fOrgets 1t for moment.
OF the others, Franklin Hall does
fairly good work. handicapped as he
also is by an unfortunate sameness in
his tones. Jack Mcdonald is a good
Indian-and a live One-but becomes
very Caucasian the moment rum is
mentioned. Perhaps this is in char
acter, after all, as an unconscious as
similation of white mannerisms with
white vices.
The partial failure of the Grand COM
pany in this piece-redeemed as 1t is
in measure by the good work of Miss
Rauworth and Miss Lewis-shows
rather pathetically just how the ca
pacity for terror and surprise in actor
and auditor can be worn out and blunt
ed by a surfeit of both emotions. Like
the big headlines in the yellow jour
nails, all the frenzy and passion is used
up on trifies. When the real sensation
comes along both player and public are
JdQeQ. II Is Ine lOSlCdl IcSulA VI tOO
much melodrama.
The members of the Belasco company
had a strenuous night last night pre-
paratory to the first production of
1.-THE Warrens of Virginia" tonight
After the final curtain of 'The Col
lege Widow" the company was given
an hours rest and promptly at II
O'Clock the final dress and scenic re-
hearsal commenced. Lunch was served
to the PLAYERS at 8 o'clock this morning
and the indications at that time were
that the rehearsal would last until day
break. The local production of THE
Warrens of Virginia" will be it's first
in stock and will also be the first per-
formance of the piece in the entire west.
The Los Angeles theater will open its
new bill this afternoon, Seymour and
Hill. Pearson and JOEL in "The Chi
nese Nugget" Buch Brothers, the mu-
steal Ramsey sisters and Slater Brock
man, the youthful character imperson-
ator, are on the cards.
Charles Ruggles will reopen with the
Relasco company tonight after three
weeks vacation in the role of Tom
Dabney in "The Warrens of Virginia"
Howard Scott made his last appear
ance with the Belasco company for two
months last night when THE College
Widow" closed its two weeks run. Mr.