Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-20
THRILLING MELODRAMA
HOLDS GRAND BOARDS
James K. Hackett Presents "The
Prisoner of Zenda," His Great
est Success, at Majestic
BY SHIRLEY OLYMPUS

BY SHIRLEY OLYMPUS
We love our musical comedy, but oh,
you melodrammeri
Such was the mental chorus Chimed
by a large audience. who stamped
clapped. whistled, laughed. cried and
Missed the initial offering of the Girton
stock company into recognition yester-
day at the Grand opera house. Ia all
likelihood the Girton aggregation of
players will have a successful season.
At least it looks that way from pres
ent box office indications.
"A Ragged Hero is melodramatic
pepper tea with tobasco sauce added.
It's hot stuff, which grows hotter and
hotter with each succeeding act and
scene one of which is a house on fire
with a little girl screaming loudly to
be saved The only exception to the
heat is the second scene of the fourth
act, where a snowstorm RACES wildly
The "reprieve scene" is one of those
far-famed marvellous masterpieces of
modern mechanism. Which is going
some for anything, including aero
planes.
In the very first act patricide starts
all the trouble. Instead of the wicked
villain being accused, the deed is
fastened upon perfectly useful farm
boy who happens to be a somnambulist
If Bob only had had the presence of
mind to wake up an instant sooner
there wouldn't have been any play.
Walking in ones sleep is most rep
rehensible occupation.
After that first murder is committed
much blood is shed-nearly. The viii
lain seems bent on exterminating the
whole human family. Were it not for
one Willie Wildfre, a tramp, Floyd
Preston might have carried out his
heinous scheme After the initial muir
der, witnessed only by a halloonist who
happens to be passing over the farm
at the time, numerous exciting events
take place The swing for life, ending
in a child being rescued from the
flames, lessons in dramatic art, the
slide on a sled down the mountainside,
the onrushing express train and nu-
merous other artifces, situations and
actions lead to a final happy climax
with Bob free, his manly arms clasp
ing his sweetheart to his thankful
breast. Oh, it's a melodrama of quite
the thriller type, is "A Ragged Hero. .
Frank Montgomery is a very ragged
hero, who happens in at the proper
time always; Herbert Cramer is a
basely wicked scoundrel, G.. Lindley
Phipps is a handsome sort of lover,
Herbert Horn is n regular detective,
Mary ST John is a pretty WildhoWer,
with the Christian name of Stella, who
wants a wedding ring; Agnes Johns
has all the manners, grace and fresh
charm of village belle; Dot Preston
is a child who is saved; Gertrude Claire
is a sorrowing mother, wife and widow
all in five acts, and others are cast
suitably.
"The Prisoner of Zenda' is the
greatest of the romantic plays, for the
reason that it combines the three ele-
Of or
dignity. The latter is the unusual ele-
ment which makes this play stand out
as one among hundreds. On first blush
the Importance of this dignity is not
apparent, but it's value is the value of
all backgrounds-its contrasting effect.
The coronation scene raises the fantas-
tic events from the plane of comedy to
the dignity of drama. Otherwise one
would feel that the whole affair was
too fantastic, but the deep shadow cast
by throne sOftens the high lights of
improba bility. When the throne is
brought into play 1t accounts for every
thing and covers a multitude of devia-
tions from the commonplace. Without
this dignity we might feel the same
about it as we do about the everyday
run of "mistaken identity" farces.
This is the point that James K.
Hackett, in the performance this week
at the Majestic. brings out more
strongly than any other actor who has
ever played the part in Los Angeles
Mr.. Hackett moves In this drama with
all the freedom and ease of the creator
and incidentally he is the man who
created the double role of Rudolph
Rassendyll and the King of Ruritania.
In the incomplete and unsatisfying
Jennico he was of necessity a poser,
in Beaucaire he was of necessity a
rather minCing hummer. But in
Zenda he is striking fgure--a king,
every inch of him-and he adds to the
romance, to the delightful air of
chivalry, by making the audience re-
member that he is the king. No lesser
player could make this thing ring home,
and the fact that he is convincing ex-
plains why "The Prisoner Of Zenda"
was the most popular piece Mr..
Hackett ever had, and was the favor
ite with the eastern playgoers for so
many years.
The support was better in this than
i'm any other of the Hackett produc-
tions at the Majestic. John Burton's
Sapt was as gruff and striking and
ursne as could have been wished.
Harry Mestayer's Fritz was a breezy
foil Myrtle Vane, barring the fact
that after an all-night ride through the
forest she turns up in an "all-over lace
dress" with a rose at her belt, was a
tragic Antoinette de Mauban. Arthur
Hoops was a delight as the breezy,
deVil-may-C Rupert. The ensembles
which are always so difficult in state
occasion scenes were well handled.
Beatrice Beckley was handsome and
dignifed as Flavia, all that is required
of this charming princess
Altogether THE Prisoner Of Zenda"
is by far the best thing Mr. Hackett
has given here, and it is all the more