Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01

Lady Joan Meredyth, his wife Florence Roberts
Faul Bertrand, London surgeon............
..s.......-...............s. Thurlow Bergen
The Duchess of Banff. Ann Warrington
GWendolyn, countess Of Darlington.
............................. Mary Bertrand
Dr. Roland, Swiss country doctor.
Cairns, butler at Paul Bertrands Harry Gibbs
BY LEMUEL PARTON
In ''The House of Bondage Seymour
Obermer has produced a workmanlike
play. Technically it is all but perfect.
He has wrought with the touch of a
master craftsman. The characters are
clearly and incisively drawn, there is
nothing of inconsequence, nothing ad-
ventitious, in the interest of plot and
incident, and nothing overwrought or
unduly melodramatic in the unfolding
OF the theme. But it is not a great
| play. 1t searches out no deep hidden
truth, stirs no compelling impulse and
gives no timely utterance of outcry or
protest. 1t IS bovinely British, accept
ing things as they are, and dares only
to deplore the injustice Of a divorce
lava law which is manifestly and
| obviously unjust and which has been
proclaimed SO in parliament, in the
press and on the street, and which by
the very nature of the forces now op-
posing can last but few years longer.
The performance in which Miss Flor
| ence Roberts is now appearing at the
! Majestic theater is an admirable one,
in point of sympathetic and intelligent
| Interpretation Of character and eff
cheney and adequacy of staging. In
Arthur Forrest and the other five
| members Of the cast Miss Roberts has
excellent support.
The story is not a new one, but is
nearly enough SO to give it the ap-
pearance of novelty. Sir Vincent
Meredyth, a London barrister and club
man, is a man of strong propensities and
compelling mentality. His wife knows
| of his inf1delity and suffers. Inevitably
she and great physician whom she
has known Intimately are forced to
| confess their love for each other. He
warns her Of the danger of their ac-
quaintance and, conquering her affec-
ton for him, she remains unWavering
in her devotion for her husband Sir
Vincent falls dangerously i'll and his
life depends on the success of delicate
operation. Paul Bertrand, the physi-
clan, is the only man who can perform
it. Bound by his professional ideal he
! agrees to perform the operation. He
is sustained by the wife's courage and
saves Sir Vincent's life. While maxi
ing no secret Of his unfaithfulness to
his wife Sir Vincent has refused to
allow her a divorce, taking advantage
of the English law which requires a
woman to prove cruelty as well as in
fidelity. Moved by Bertrand's heroism
in performing the operation he later
allows his wife divorce.
Arthur Forrest appears as Sir Vim
cent Meredyth, by far the strongest
work of Characterization in the piece,
both in the lines and in the acting.
The man is immoral and apparently
brutal and would have remained so in
his misfit matrimony, had it not been
for the heroism Of his wife and the
physician. There seems to be a slight
Inconsistency in his apparently sincere
love for the Duchess of Banff, q wo-
man of only sensuous charm, utterly
incapable of reaching the heights upon
which we find Lady Meredyth. Mr..
Forrest gives a finished and satisfying
portrayal of the role, in showing at
once the strength, the likable and de-
testable qualities of the man.
Miss Roberts often has appeared in
Los Angeles and it was a critical
audience which greeted her last even
ing. She supplies the 'high serious
ness of the role of Lady Meredyth
abundantly and convincingly. You
see her as a high-minded woman of
exalted ideals and unquestioned ad-
herence to principle driven inevitably
to the confession Of her love for a man
not her husband. There is a sustained
height of intensely emotional appeal
throughout, which Miss Roberts car
ries with finished and masterful art.
AS far as infection and voice modu-
latfon are concerned Thurlow Bergen
might be chanting a litany. He reads
his lines with a rapt, immobile facial
and voice expression, like man in
spired with an obsession or obsessed
with an inspiration, not at all in keep
ing with the popular idea of a great
physician as a terse, clean-cut, incis-
i've sort of a man, incapable of heroics
or melodramatic fuss. Mr.. Bergen S
jeremiade about his hopeless love has
the effect of destroying the reality of
the character.
Ann Warrington gives the character
Of the duchess not only reality, but
gives it an artistic interest Of its own
in numerous subtle touches of express
sion, and in studied and accurate pho
tographing Of the part.
"Tar and Tartar is one of the best
musical comedies yet done by the Fer
riS Hartman company. The opening
performance was given to q capacity
audience yesterday afternoon, and the
patrons of the Grand seemed highly
appreciative of the efforts of the Hart
man players to put Dull Care on the
run.
The piece is the usual collection of
musical comedy froth, with a number
of good musical numbers and an abun-
dance of live comedy. Miss Anna
Little. the new prima donna, showed to
much better advantage than in the pre-
ceding performance. Her song, Dear
Land Divine" was especially well rem
dered-by far her best effort since her
appearance with the Hartman COM
pany.
Other catchy songs were Sultan, o
Cease thy Slumber" and "I'm on the
Water Wagon Now" New scenery was
secured for the play and was used ad-
vantageously.
The continued patronage of the Hart
man company's productions has shown
that there is a decided opportunity for
such a. line Of amusement in Los An
geles. This compact and well balanced
little aggregation is giving a line Of
clean and high class entertainments
and merits the glad hand it has re-
ceived in Los Angeles.
The Burbank stock company offers an
entertaining and at times thrilling mel
odrama in the dramatization Of Rex
Beach's ''The Spoilers The perform
ance is characterized by good staging,
an abundance Of color and action, and
a commendable seizure of the lurid pos
sibilities afforded in the prolific theme
0f Iaun and intriO11n