Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-01

bliss HHin hunter. MISS biatb
Mrs. Hunter .'.'...'-.''. MISS lnh i,H leW,
Jessie Hunter. ............ Miss Fay Banter
Clara Hunter ....... Miss Beth Taylor
Miss Codesby .... Miss Adele Harrington
Miss SelIerton ....... Miss Jessie Norman
Thompson, maid. ........, Miss kuth DAVIS
'...'.........".. Miss Elizabeth Riordan
Master Richard Hunter, jr. ....:.,..''.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Lutte heha "t"h
BY W. HERBERT BLAKE
THE Climbers" is the saddest of all
possible tragedies-the tragedy of in
capacity welded to hopeless but faith
full love 1t begins with a funeral and
ends with a suicide 1t breaches
powerful sermon against the sort of
life which it depicts though its message
is weakened by the despairing tone in
which it is couched and by the drab
misery of its conclusion. 1t is an alb
sorbing drama, for all it's frequently
didactic dialogue, and it is acted con-
scientiously and well by the Belasco
company.
The late Clyde Fitch had a quiet but
a biting scorn for a certain stratum OF
New York society prominent for its
intrusive vulgarity and its conspicu-
dusly Haunted wealth. Among such he
discovered the characters for his play.
They are the climbers. Some have
mounted high in the social scale
Some are struggling for a foothold.
One man throws away hope and love
and honor in a frenzied and futile
speculation. He is saved from dis
grace by the man who loves, silently,
his wife. He does not heed the warn
ing. At last ruin stares him in the
face His wife conquers her repug-
nance for him and agrees to forego
separation and reside in the same
house with him for the sake Of appear
nd child TIpra would
think would be a logical ending. But
the playwright is not satisfied with
the agony already inflicted. He brings
on the scene the rival who justly but
brutally points out to the husband the
true nature of his wife's sacrifice. The
ruined man, desperate and still too
weak to face his future alone, drinks
poison. Dying, he remembers that his
debts, secured by friends, are yet un-
paid and that he must leave even
this heritage of bitterness to his wife
and child. In a black silence the cur
tain falls.
An impressive feature OF this un
usual play is the confession of his
speculative folly which the husband
makes in a darkened room to his wife
and rival for her love. Slowly and
painfully the words are heard, while
we see no human form. There is
pause The lights fare on. The hus
has been stopped at the door by the
other man. Well played as it is, the
effect of this startling scene is vivid
and unique one.
Three character studies stand out
among others: Miss Magrane as the
suffering wife, Mr.. Camp as the hus-
band and Mr.. Stone as the friend who
interferes once too often in their do
mestic disharmony. OF the three the
Woman's is the one wholly attractive
character. The husband is portrayed
as hopelessly powerless against ms
own inept and miserable impulses To-
ward reckless gain. The friend, even
in MIR. stones excellent impersona-
ton. is not wholly admirable. The in
terested motive in his interference pre-
vents our precisely siding with him
and his outbreak at the close etlec-
tually bars our sympathy from nus
Viewpoint THE climbers Is truly
"a play without a hero
Mr.. Yerance plays a family lawyer
in A finished way. Mr.. Vivian rather
overdoes the garrulity and lnane Ia
seriousness of an effervescent youth
apparently given birth purely FOR pui-
poses of comedy relief At that, he
makes the character hugely amusing,
if oVerdrawn Miss Gardner should
beware of the preachy tone and man
ner in utteTing her lines. She plays
The part of a sort of guardian angel to
the folk of this extraordinary house
hold. The playwright gives her no
choice but to tell them their duty, put
a slightly more gracious If equally Sc
rious manner would become the part.
Miss Lewis acts famOusly as the cas-
ily comforted widow with "A business
like knack of disposing Of useless tam-
ilV gowns. Miss BANTER does very
well in her first important part OF
many weeks, playing her role SIN
cerely and naturally. Miss Taylor mn
personates pert and consequential
young woman successfully and MISS
Harrington makes the most Of one OF
the few poignantly sincere moments in
the play at her last exit.
The gowns worn are unusually law
ISL and are i'm excellent taste The one
flaw in the costuming is Miss Earring
tons straw hat, worn in snowy WIN
ter scene
Despite It's too talky last act, The
Climbers" held the attention consist
emily last night. 1t is too depressing a
drama to evoke great applause, but 1t
unquestionably sets one thinking seri-
ously, which is well sometimes, even in
q theater.
The first dress and scenic rehearsals
for the coming production Of THE Love
Tales of Hoffman will begin at the
Grand opera house tomorrow morning.
Beatrice Noyes, who will be we'll re-
membered for her work with the Belas-
co company, is now playing the leading
role in one of the eastern blue Mouse
companies. Miss Noyes also recently
played several performances in THE
Ringmaster" getting up in the entire
part in tWenty-four hours
Jack G. McLallen and May Carson,
in a roller skating speciality, offer the
most amusement of any single act on
the new Los Angeles theater bill. As
the curtain rises they stand, in the
garb of nursery toys well back stage.
Then suddenly they come to life.
Dances follow, which are prettily exc
cuted. The costuming ana the set are
in good accord.
Edith Haney, "the pocket edition
coincidence" begins her act with d
doll inpersonation and adds an Anna
Held song and a German character
ballad. The last is the most worthy.
Frank J. Parker assisted by Allen
s..t.l in Hotel Room n