Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-18

electricitvl In turn the performers
appear. droll, comic chaps and serious,
fuzzy fellows, balancing weights, jug
Cling the blazing rod, dallying with
an obstreperous XylophOne air until
the hook yanks the performer into the
wings, swinging on the trapeze and
lastly enacting a brief good night COM
edy. 1t is very realistic and quite
Darwinian. We applaud the little
animals heartily, while reserving our
best admiration for their trainer and
presenter" Miss Maud Rochez.
"A Bit of Old Chelsea" Mrs. Fiske' s
famous old starring vehicle, and as
dainty an idyl of chivalry and purity
as ever adorned the American stage.
is the real headliner of the bill. The
pretty little story of the flower girl
befriended by an artist on the eve of
his wedding day is sympathetically
interpreted by Miss Ida ODay and
her company. Burke Clarke is the
manly saint" who hides the frail
little waif in his rooms after regaling
her with a needed meal, and later
FIGHTS the Sinner (Wallace Widde-
combe) to protect her. Here is human
interest without melCdrama; sentiment
with due restraint and a subtle poetic
charm. Mrs. Oscar Berringer, the
its creation and in the pathetically
rational conclusion which comes very
near to being true tragedy. Miss
O'Day's acting illuminated the part
of the flower girl bv turns with a
wistful sadness and a shy joy. l
should add, perhaps, that the scene is
England, although the human note is
so strong that one nearly forgets geo
graphical distinctions despite the de-
lightful coCkney .4ect of the heroine.
La Titcomb is a ravishng vision in
white and tinsel and crown of titan.
Honestly, one knows not whether most
to admire her or her superb steed,
and I really mean that as a compli-
ment to both. We see her first on
horseback in a storm scene, singing
defiance to the elements, represented
by sprightly shifting cloud films from
the motion picture machine. She sings
charmingly and poses without appar-
ent effort. Then there is a serpentine
dance. in which the big wlfite horse
does his share, rewarded by a stage
kiss and a more substantial lump of
sugar. The finale is an amazing blaZ
of electrical effects amid which we
see the horse and statuesque rider sur
rounded by a whirl of congenial color
As a spectacular act this plainly JUS
titles it's laurels.
Miss Mae Melville and Robert Hig-
gins furnish some fresh and eXhilar-
ating comedy. He is q slender splin-
ter of a husband who is more or less
affectionately bullied by a plump
midget of determination known as a
wife. Each has his own vein of COM
edy, the one plaintively submissive
the other bluntlv comic. I care less
for their songs than for the apt and
resourcaful Characterizations they af-
ford. Miss Melville is with Mabel
Fite i'm a class apart from most vau-
deville condolences and one has a
shreWd suspicion Higgins might be
even funnier if he only had half a
chance.
Hyman Meyers puns help us get
acquainted and his grand opera bur
lesque is a deft and pungent bit of
drollery. He is witty rather than
humorous, and some Of the keencst of
his sallies get past a leisurely matinee
audience-more's the pity The chick
en- patty is still served melodiously
with the piano and is very toothsome.
Fay. two COleys and Fay hold over
and are quite good onougl. to travel
permanently with the road show The
four Readings and the Klein family
also remain from last week. The mo-
tion pictures are distinctly worth stay
ing to see.