Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-19

ma ANY hands have made light work
vi of the new Alaskan now play
ing a return engagement at the
Majestic, and the joint product takes
its place among the few really clever
musical comedies of the last two years.
Richard f. Carroll and Gus C. Wein-
burg have barely touched the graceful
fabric of Joseph Blethen and Harry
Girard. The musical score has all the
depth and richness of the original, and
in addition we are afforded some gem
uine comedy Of a bright and amusing
sort. A capital company sings ana
plays and throws yarn snoWballs INTO
the audience. The cast itself compli-
ments the piece by playing it as II 1t
were brand new.
John r. Phillips, a capable actor,
takes the part of Richard Atwater, and
with Jessie Stoner's Aree sings
charming duet, "The Moth and the
Bundle Bee" The basic idea of this
song dates back considerably before the
Pixley and Luders flood, and has
many half sisters and near-couslns'
What makes us still recognize 1t as
friend is the engaging speCialties of
dance and mimicry which these two
players put into their rendition of its
stanzas. Detmar Poppen is both in
distinct and over melodramatic as
Totem Pole Pete, but he sings the
Totem Pole song with vigor and a
spirit that more than atone. Carroll
and Weinburg are an excellent team OF
comedians, even if the latter's Profess
sor Knicl1lebein does bear an almost
brotherly resemblance at times to Rich
ard Carries Zachary Pettibone. Zachary
had no laughing powder, but even
without it we should snicker at
Kniclle.
Eta Lockhart is a dainty Eskimo
child, who may we'll have furnished
the innocent inspiration for a similar
character in "The Top O. the World"
Alice Keen impersonates Chicago
widow. That is quite punishment
enough for any charming young ac-
tress without my adding to it,
The chorus is considerably better
than passable in point Of looks, and
dances well. Most of the musical num-
bers We're brilliantly sung, although
there was a sad want of harmony at
times in the finals to the first act
Harry Girard will have to get up ear
lier than is his usual habit to write
a better musical show than 1.-The
Alaskan"
christmas on Blackwell's Island"
one-act musical comedy headliner on
to show some of the gayety which
might reign in a prison on a holiday
occasion. -Four conVicts are seen and
heard in song and repartee, one of
whom is impersonated by Sydney
Deane, an excellent actor. The sketch
is by turns humorous and pathetic, and
has some very good song numbers.
The Brothers Damm-one of whom
closely resembles the present king of
Fngland-do some skillful acrobatic
work in an expert way, the king
smiling benignly the while. Kathleen
de Vote is a soubrette whose complex
ion is. as fresh as her smile, and who
dances fairly we'll between songs. Mr..
and Mrs w. w. OBrien sing and eX
change household pleasantries, or,
rather, the wife sings and the husband
recites in dubious concert. Their dia-
logue is cleverly written. George H.
Wood is a black-face monologist who
tells some facts, serious and comic,
about the trusts and matrimony. Ills
manner is better than the substance
of his wit, and his makeup eXcels both
Carlotta still loops the loop in smiling
safety. 1t looks so easy that the chill
dren will be trying it next. There are
r new motion pictures and two we'll
played selections by the orchestra un-
der Director Peterson.
"Town Topics" at the Olympic is the
interesting musical account of the adj
ventures of a tourist party in the be
nevolent clutches of a wildcat mining
promoter. An attempt to dispose of
certain stock more valuable than cash
able develops the amusing situations
A military novelty which pleased was
the procession of the chorus, led by
Blossom Seeley, down the aisles, clad
in uniforms, to the beating of the
drums Jules Mendel is German ho-
tel keeper, Allan Ramsay a farmer,
Walter Spencer a confidence man,
and Miss Seeley and Laurel Atkins
Blair. Albert Leonard and Marie Nell
son the other characters. 1t is an