Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-11
BY W. HERBERT BLAKE

An impressive and spectacular pic
t1re of the times of King David, The
Shepherd King" was warmly greeted
at the Mason last night. 1t Is really
a bic melodrama of the conVerging
lives and destinies of its hero, saul,
Jonathan and the clashing armies Oh
Israel and Philistia. Its faults are III
erary rather than dramatlc, sucn as
the occasional lowering of the lofty
tone in which most of the dialogue is
written for some chance remark or bit
of byplay, or the natural ditt1culty IN
realizing a character of historic an
tiuuity without forfeiting some oil ltS
idealizing beauty. In dramatic inter
est and in that peculiar charm which
attaches to a Installation of stirring
scenes from scripture, the play DEM
onstrated its practical drawing power
last night.
The biblical version of Davids for
tunes is followed with some fidelity
from the time he leaves his fathers
hocks to ioin Sauls hosts until the
interview with that monarch in which
the youth barely escapes with his life.
Here Adora, a bond maiden, yields her
body to the 1avelin of the king to save
the life of David. We have already
fingered on the outskirts of the army
and imagined the death of Goliath from
our SlSut OIL HIS DOy 1911 COlA4uSAOA PCAh
ing stone and sling against him. In
the last act we see Saul in the cave
of the witch of Endor and finally the
death of the monarch and of Jonathan,
followed by the triumph of David. In
each of the larger scenes the scenery
reproduces the Oriental atmosphere
with much elaboratenesS and the Co.'S
tuning is in good taste.
Hampered by a severe cold, Mr.. Lor-
4l,ol Iinnc
and enacted the youthful son of Jesse
with feeling and tactful good sense.
The shy and awkward enthusiasm of
youth. the ardent love and the fearless
vigor of the character were well por-
trayed. and the recitation of Psalm %
was made to seem appropriate and to
tell in the dramatic action. To the
applause which greeted him after the
third act Mr.. Lorimer responded in
brief speech of appreciation, comment
ing with a certain grim humor upon
his hoarse voice and expressing the
wish that California people would
learn when it was necessary to build
a fire. As applied to the bracing air
which coursed through the Mason last
night, the remarks had a certain per-
tinency.
In the supporting company Mr.. Gill
fether as Jesse, Mr.. Royce as Saul, Mr..
White as Jonathan, Miss Going as
Michel and Miss Singer in the role of
Merab acted capably. Few of the cast,
except Mr.. Lorimer, entirely escaped
one insidious peril of melodrama: the
too florid and elocutionary delivery of
their lines. In the minor roles this
defect was particularly apparent, and
now and then threatened to make slyly
humorous what was intended to have
ar exactly opposite effect. A persistent
critic might also idly wonder at the
display of a Maltese cross on the gown
of Merab many centuries before that
symbol was other than the badge of
ipfamy.
The ensemble work, in the main, was
excellent, and the dancing of the
maidens of Israel in advance of the
triumphal procession pleasant
feature. Both as drama and pageant
THE Shepherd King leaves a pleas
ant memory behind.
Miss Cora Mel Patten of Chicago
will give an interpretative recital of
Henrik Ibsens poetic drama, Brand"
at Cumnocll hall, 1900 South Figueroa
street, Wednesday afternoon at 3
o'clock.
"The Genius" began the new week
at the Belasco last night. 1t will be
I6NlGWSu III IllcSO COlulunS COIlOlIOW
Carpenters yesterday worked on the
Los Angeles theater roof, tearing hole
sufficiently large to permit Carlotta to
loop the loop on bicycle as the head
liner of this afternoons bill.
DeMille and Belascos comedy
drama, Men and Women" will be re-
vived next week by the Burbank stock
company. 1.-THE Chaperone" will be
presented the following week, because
of delay in expressing the parts from
New York.
Miss Eleanor Kent will be the guest
of the Womens Press club this after
noon at the home of Mrs. D. c. Nc
Cam for the reception in honor of
John Vance Cheney
Old-fashioned minstrelsy has come
into style again this week at the
Orpheum. Fay two Coleys and Fay
revive it-half of them young women,
who cheerfully cloak their good looks
in thick black disguise. Songs, gags
and just plain foolishness make up
their offering, which goes with rush
before the intermssion and leaves us
forgetting to reach for our hats The
quartet know their business and do not
Morosco-Egan Dramatic and