Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-25
CHARLES B. HANFORD
IN WINTERS TALE
OLD FAVORITE GREETS MAJES.
TIC AUDIENCE
Will Offer Shakespearean Repertoire,
Including "OtheIIo," "Much Ado
About Nothing" and "Taming
of the ShreW"
BY LEMUEL PARTON

1t is far cry from the musical fool
cries of Corinne to the somber threnody
of 1.-The Winters Tale last nights
offering of Charles B. Hanford and
company at the Majestic theater, and
owing, no doubt, to the severity of the
rain storm, COrinne seems to have all
the best of it in the way of popular
acclaim, although Mr.. Hanford's OPEN
ing production foreshadows a high
class offering of Shakespearean roper
toire. Miss Marie Hartford, aptly ana
grammed as Drofnah, with we'll bal
anced company, supports Mr.. Hanford.
Mr.. Hanford frequently has been
seen in Los Angeles before, but ''The
Winters Tale" was given it's first pro-
duction in this city last evening. Mr..
Hanford in the role of Leontes reads
the heavy iambics with smooth, slid
ing eloquence that gives much of the
arm of the old days when stage il
lus1onS were more realistic than they
are in these overwrought and more dis
corning times. The piece is excellent
~ staged, and, as is notabR in Mr..
Hanford's production, shows a care
full attention to detail The best of the
scenic effects is the storm scene in the
third act, where the infant is left in
the mountains, with the storm coming
up over the sea. The music, by Emil
Mort, follows the theme closely, especi-
ally in the pastoral interludes.
Miss Drofnah appears in two roles,
that of Hermione, the outcast queen,
and Perdita, her daughter. In the
former part she reaches a splendid
dramatic climax, when arraigned be-
fore the king, with the judgment of
Zeus, following the latter's refusal to
abide by the oracle. The men of Mr..
Hanford's company seem fittingly cast
in Shakespeare, especially Alexander
Mackenzie and John NJ. Kline, who
appeared in the roles of Camille and
PolixineS.
Under more favorable circumstances,
with an audience to play to, it may
be predicted that Mr.. Hanford will
make a considerable success of his new
offering. 1.-THE Winters Tale is one
of the most adaptable for stage pur-
poses of any of Shakespeare plays. 1t
has the somberness of pathos, the flu
ent and yet pregnant diction and the
heart-quaking bursts of majestic de-
clamation which have made the great
dramatist the model of composition for
all succeeding ages.
Lewis S. Stone and the members Of
the, Belasco Theater company went
through an all-night rehearsal of "The
and early this morning. The play was
gone over in it's entirety, and some of
the scenes were repeated three or
four times. Stage Director Hartford
told the actors that if they knew their
lines and did not consume too much
time smoothing out rough spots they
might order their breakfs is for 6
o'clock. The management of the Be-
lasco theater has made more than or
revival of "The Girl of the Golden
West" and it is apparent that David
Belasco's play of early California will
attract almost as much attention as il
did last spring, when it crowded the
Belasco theater for eight successive
weeks. AS on the occasion Of the pre-
vious presentation, Lewis S. Stone will
be seen as Ramirez, the gentlem' ly
highwayman; 1.-THE Girl herself will
be played by Florence Oakley, from
whom much is expected; -oward Scott
will once more have the part of Jack
Rance, the sheriff gambler. The Be
lasco management calls the attention
of prospective patrons to the fact that
the curtain will rise on "The Girl of
the Golden West" every night at 8
o'clock and at o'clock at the Thurs
day, Saturday and Sunday matinees.
Owing to the washouts, landslides
and necessary delays on the Southern
Pacific. railroad the costumes for "The
Wizard of the Nile for Ferris Hart-
man did not arrive till late last night,
and the Grand had to repeat its very
satisfactory production of "The Ten
derfoot' to two capacity audiences yes
terday. The costumes and accessories,
ordered from the east, are here now,
however, and "The WIZARD with Mira
Hartman in the title role, will be put
on this evening This will be Mr.. Hart
mans return to the Grand stage after
ten days absence, and a most hearty
greeting awaits him, as was evidenced
when he made a short curtain speech
yesterday announcing the change in
the bill.
Thursday night of this week M
.pany No. 4, Fraternal Brotherhood, will
have it's annual benefit at the Grand,
and the outlook now is for a capacity
house. The order has reserved seats in
a body and will be present in uniform.
ga Stubborn Cinderella" one of the
best musical hits of recent years in
Chicago, will be this weeks Offering
at the Majestic. The western company
is said to be fully as good as the orig
inal and an excellent production is as
sured.
The Auditorium will offer "Cinder-
ella another week. The piece has
found favor among Auditorium pa