Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-16
THE WIDOWS MIGHT
PROVES ITS WORTH
Play at BeIasCo Theater AboundS
in Amusing Lines and
DroII Situations

stead OF the other, the mite" which
early scrlptural lessons taught. 1t
takes a lot of waiting to find the an
swer to this, but when it comes it
proves worth while. This widow not
only might" but what is more, she
does She does all sorts of remarkable
and feminine things. After refusing
in rapid fire -uccession four men who
love her and propose to her for the
double purpose of securing their own
happiness and also their fortune, she
suddenly accepts the only man in the
room who does not want to marry her
and whose few stammering remarks
she CONSTITUTES into proposal. albeit
they are uttered with an entirely diff
ferent intent
There are various amusing lines, and
some amusing situations in this play.
The leading role, that of the widow,
designed originally for Lillian Russell,
is played by Miss Oakley. She fits
into the part of the fascinating, de-
lightful and inconsequential woman
admirably. The smiles, petulances and
vagares of this widow become doubly
charming and pardonable under the
spell of Miss Oakley's personality and
she has never looked lovelier than in
her first act costume, although the
oriental effect of the ball gown is I'M
deniably attractive. Mrs. Henry Will
liam Puffer was delightfully."- played by
Ida Lewis. She read the part of the
good newly rich woman with
keen appreciation of all the humors
it contained. Miss Rosina Henley
made her first appearance in the in
genue role of Beryls Quarter. Miss
Henley is from a family distinguished
for histrionic attachments. She re-
ceived a pleasant greeting from the
audience last night.
The four men, all in love with the
mid oil Wall ctraaf hrO-
kers and all classed under the title of
"Billy's friends" were played by
Frank Camp, Harry Andrews, Charles
Giblyn and Charles Ruggles.
William Yearance made an able vii
lain and James Applebee was delight
full in the role of Puffer, wealthy
button manufacturer. Dick Vivian
really is a delightful juvenile and he
did full credit to the part of Richard
Wall, the misunderstood youngster
who is nearly married by q woman he
does not want for a wife.
One of the noticeable bits of the
piece is the butler Hampton played by
David Edwin. No more finished act
ing was to be seen on the stage than
his work in this part last night A
number of delightful musical numbers
were given off stage for which the
program gave credit to Miss Adele
Harrington.
oscar Wilde was the subject of much
interest last week when Richard Bur-
ton called his writings to mind in the
course of lectures on modern drama
which he delivered here. He comes
more wildly to the attention of all
playgoers this week, when his pic
ture of Dorian Gray" is presented at
the Orpheum.
Dramatic form suits this story, and
when 1t is enlivened as 1t is with many
of the most brilliant and biting cpl
grams from the great writer's various
works it becomes scintillant ana
highly interesting sketch. 1t is sure
to attract interest and attention from
students and especially those dramat-
lists who have tried their own hand at
making over story into play. The
success attained in this dramatization
by Edward Davis Is decided. To be
sure he has excellent material to draw
upon, and he has cleverly built up the
dialogue of the piece so that in his
role of Sir Henry Wottan, the pessim-
list, he has opportunity to enunciate the
most brilliant OF those utterances Tor
which Oscar Wilde was so noted. Mr.
Davis has contrived an excellent We
hicle for vaudeville use, and one IN
which he appears to distinct advan-
tage. He has a fine speaking voice
and admirable presence. The closing
lines of the sketch are taken from "rne
Ballad of Reading Gaol," and Mr..
Davis delivered them with marked
eloouence and feeling which made
them most impressive. In addition he
nlavs the piano we'll and offers an ac-
Commandment to one Of his own songs
which is sung in the act.
Miss Adele Blood enacts the beauti-
full Dorian Gray to excellent adVan-
tage. Undeniably beautiful, she real
49, Il anti al eli
of her which precede her entrance TO
the stage. She has also good dramatic
ability. and in the moment when she
thinks she has killed her lover shows
a nico portrayal of passion and re-
morse.
Templar SAKE plays the third part in
the sketch, the artist, and sings well
the two songs which are allotted him.
Scenically the sketch Is beautiful
although there are perhaps more colors
in the light than make for the perfec-
ton of artistry. Miss Blood wears
beautiful costumes, and the Mucha
poster windows are an effective intro
duction into the arrangement OF the
studio.
There are other things on the bill
this week we'll worthy of mention.
There Is James Thornton-back again.
Mention" is all he needs; he is stand
ard. The Imperial Musicians are IL i'll
number and rs in horsepower II hlr-
rnonious noise Is their measure. They
appear in hussar garb and do a brass
blowing stunt that makes your ears
ring and your heart beat anew. It's
an excellent turn. Herr Apdale has a
miscellaneous collection of animals so
nerfectly trained that the little brown
hear appears to know as much as
ordinary people, and even the ant eater
shows signs of human intelligence, the
while the CANNES and felines frolic
pleesomely together. It's one of the
hest animal acts ever seen here--the
very best since Minnie, the elephant.
went away. Marion Murray and her
company, the eccentric Travato, Prin-
Gle and Whiting and jolly Fanny Rice,
with a new stunt, make up the rest.
All in all it's a wonderfully interesting
hill one of the strongest this theater
has offered since the Road Show.
At the Mason opera house Frederic
Thompson will for the week begin
ming Monday, August %, present 'The
Spendthrift," the latest dramatic work
Of Porter Emerson Browne, whose "a
Fool There Was has given him a
position among American dramatists.
THE piece Is vital drama of today"
and deals primarily with the extrava-
pance and wasted opportunities of a
class of women who are numerous in
certain strata of society. The basic
theme of 1.-THE Spendthrift" appealed
to Browne for long time before he
set his thoughts on paper and when
he did he put into his writing all
the vitality with which the idea was
~ .-a 5s,.t,r fha manual avoI1fion