Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-19
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MASON - David Belasco presents
David Warfield for one week, beginning
tomorrow night, at the Mason opera
house, in his great success, The Music
Master" The only matinee of the week
is on Saturday christmas day). Mr..
Warfield's triumph in THE Auctioneer'
was a great surprise to those who were
watching the progress of the stage IN
America. Later came "The Music Mas
ter" the comedy of smiles and tears,
and "the comedian of pathos' was ac-
claimed by the American theater-going
public as an artistic delineator of char
acter For five seasons the east pald
substantial tribute to his art, and 1t IS
believed that all previous records IN the
history of the native stage were broken.
Warfields stage portraits have been
described as standing boldly in classic
outline, yet tender, and with poeJlc IN
sight" His creation of Baron Won Bar
wig, the title character of the current
play. is one of the masterpieces of
American stage history The actor mas
been praised for his tragic powers, but
there have been other great tragedians
1t is in his subtle transitions from
pathos to comedy that Warheld STANDS
alone as an artist. He Tarilles patnos
and rehnes comedy, and blends them
both almost into one emotion. Inc
Music Master is an American play IN
three acts 1t was written by Charles
Klein but the art Of Belasco shows
not only in the production ana chaf-
acter drawing of some type, but also IN
the very construction of the drama
The central character is the music mas
ter-one Herr Won Barwig, an educated
German of the refined type. In Leipslc,
where he lived in Germany, he was
man of considerable Importance in the
musical world, being conductor OF an
important orchestra and successtul
composer. Perhaps l thought more OF
my music than my home he wistfully
explains when he finds his wife and
baby girl fed to America with a false
friends He follows in search, and
then ensues life Of hardship-of lost
prestige, and a pathetic struggle for eX-
istence. He who once won the plaudits
OF cultured Germany, conducted his
own symphonic compositions, is now
forced to play the violin in n dime
museum where "all the night long they
veil out. Eats 'em alive!' " As he
patiently awaits the coming of his
daughter, who Is now I'm the first flush
of womanhood, his optimistic reflec-
tions and observations Of life provide
q constant flow OF comedy Wartield
flashes the light Of comedy from the
depths of patnos. The story is told
with a fine regard for simplicity, nl-
though there are many of the PIC
turesqua touches in which Mr.. Belasao
delights
URBANK-Manager oliver Mo-
rosco has decided that he can offer his
patrons no Christmas week attraction
better to their liking than "St Elmo
and that play, which has filled the Bur
bank theater at every performance
during the past fortnight will conse-
quently hold over for third and final
week, beginning this afternoon and in
cluding a matinee Christmas day. sun
day afternoon, December &c, Mr.. Mo-
rosco will introduce to Los Angeles
theatergoers Miss Frances Nordstrom
as the new leading woman OF the Bur
bank company, appearing as The
Girl'' in David Belasco's play, 1.-THE
Girl of the Golden West" "St. Elmo
dramatized by Willard Holcomb from
the novel of the same name by Mrs.
Augusta ]. Evans-Wilson, has proved
one of the most popular plays ever Of
fered at the Burbank. The plays sue
cess is not merely local 1t is being
played in the east by five road COM
panies and Vaughan Glazer, who con-
trolls the play, Is soon to put still
sixth company out in IT. Mr.. Glazar
has asked Blanche Hall to head his
new organization in the role of Edna
Earl, which she is now playing at the
Burbank. The play tells an unusual
love story of absorbing interest. a
love story tensely human and dealing
with flesh and blood men and women
instead of the polite puppets which
nowadays mince their ways through
the pages of the ordinary and short
lived society novel. A. Bryson Beas-
ley will continue during the coming
week in the name role of the play and
the cast throughout will remain the
same as for the past fortnight.
As a curtain raiser Harry Girard will
present a one-act grand opera, Santa
Claus" which is particularly appropri-
ate for the Christmas season.
MAJESTIC-Manage Oliver Morosco
has selected for his holiday attraction
1.-THE Top of the World" a big musi-
cal extravaganza which comes to that
theater for an engagement of eight
nights and three matinee performances,
opening Christmas afternoon and con-
tinuing all through New Years week.
The piece is now i'm its third season.
This, however, it its first visit to the
west At the head Of the producing
company are Bailey and Austin, recent
graduates from the vaudeville ranks,
who have made good in their new field.
Both the stars and their vehicle have
been received with approval In other
cities They come here under the man
aEeuleNI OF tAdIlcA DlllllBudlliy VIII
promises q lavish production. "The
Top of the World" is the north pole,
which seemingly has been discovered
by Bailey and Austin as well as by
Dr. Cook and Commander Peary. With
all due respect TO the two warning eX-
plorers however the polar regions at
tanned by the musical comedy stars are
much pleasanter localities than those
described to the savants Of Copenhagen
and Washington. At the pole Bailey
and Aupstin discovered q remarkable
city ulusia, ruled by T. great queen,
Aurora Borealis, whose chancellor is
no less a parsonage than Jack Frost.
There, too, they found Christmas land
and the tov shop from which come all
the worlds Christmas toys. Santa
Claus, a lively bear, two friendly Es.
quimauX and many pretty girls greet
the star eXploler5 upon their arrival
in this magical locality. Neither Cook
nor Peary discovered these diverting
people, moras the pity! There are
numerous song numbers and dances,
the latter including tho famous Collie
girls and an equal number of trained
Collie dogs which seen to enjoy their
work thoroughly.
ORPHEUM-This theater deems it in
Christmas that it's holiday week head
liner should present ""he Devil and
Tom Walker" which J0hl T. Hymer
and his musical company of ten offer
beginning Monday matinee, December
M