Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-04


the Regiment" Ga noteworthy bit of
character acting which should be SEEM,
and Adams and Alden in song and
parody. The new motion pictures ap-
pear to settle definitely the ancient
problem of which preceded which, the
hen or the egg.
Colonel" Thompson, ahead of "The
Shepherd King" is making his pres
ence agreeably felt on the local Rlalto,
and is politely blazing the way for the
next weeks Mason attraction, in which
Wright Lorimer is the star. This play
was presented first at the Knicker-
booker theater, New York city, four
years ago. and since then has met with
much popularity in its tours of the
country. 1t is a historical exposition
of the life and times of King David
in reality a big melodrama-and the
beautiful story of the love of David
and Jonathan, the Staying of Goliath
and the kings earliest recorded love
affair are visualized. There are nu-
merous spectacular features, including
a ballet representing the dancing
daughters of Israel.
"Kid" Burns seemed to have shrunk
appreciably last night at the Majestic
from the ample proportions of Victor
Moore, his last previous embodiment,
in "The Talk of New York" But
earliest and best of the Cohan musical
shows, showed no diminution in draw
ing power. A hearty, wholesome Amer
lean play, with two genuine character
creations, it gets a cordial greeting
every time it comes to this city, and
deserves it.
Last nights cast, if not uniformly
brilliant, was at least capable and
good intentioned. Charley Brown, as
the "Kid," was as bashful and boyish
as his lines required, somewhat over
doing the extravaganza of his horse
play at times and lacking the keen
sense for nice values which distin-
guishes the Cohan method. For all
that, he was the character in every
salient point, although glance at his
spare form made US long for him to
take on few pounds more and become
his own sequel.
Miss Elizabeth Drew was a charm
ing, If unduly lachrymose, Mary, and
made the most of the sly repartee with
which her lines abound. Her voice, in
adequate as it is to the musical num-
bers required of it, essayed them
bravely and impaired a plaintiveness
to "Marys a Grand Old Name" and
the classic 80 Long, Mary" which all
but made up for lack of volume.
Louise Gardner impersonated the
actress-fiancee who has little to do but
sob. She sobbed beautifully. Ninon
Ristori, as her mother, the champion
virago of New York's imagined aris-
tocracy, was so winningly imperious
that it would have been a pleasure to
II a
sniveling relic of antiquity who never
got back her pinochle debt from the
late deceased Millionaire, in which plight
she has the sympathy of every true
parlor sportsman.
Eugene MacGregor decidedly over
played his Tom Bennett at times, but
acted with dash and a vim which
We're commendable. James A. DaVett
played Public Administrator Blake, a
fat, amiable chap who duly foiled Vii
lain Cronin Games II. Manning) as
easily as he wore his dress suit. There
were four reporters, laden with busI-
nesslike cameras, who, as usual on the
stage, aroused quite enormously ro-
mantle notions in the audience as to
the nature of a newspaper mans work.
An active and cleverly dancing chorus
added materially to the pleasure of the
evening. Some of them were pretty,
but all looked cheerful and well fed,
which helped to make many pessi-
mist think better of the American
stage. Their work in the $50 Long,
Mary" song especially was accurate
and disciplined, as the numerous re-
calls eloquently testified.
Among numerous audacitieS in the
piece George Cohan informs us that
"to be a gentleman, one doesn't have
to speak English correctly" This is
indubitable. but it is bad advice to give
the modern actor. Fortunately, no one
took it last night. The enunciation
was clear and distinct, trifiing but
verv essential detail of good stagecraft'
1t looked like circus day to any one
who was lettering in the vicinity of
the Auditorium yesterday morning,
where 600 patient walters stood in line
for an opportunity of buying seats for
the Harry Lauder engagement. Until
5 O'Clock the line was a continuous
performance. More than $4,000 changed
hands, and the Auditorium manage
ment record a record sale. The Gale
donia club and the Celtic club bought
more than 600 seats for the opening
night and hold four of the boxes. The
members intend coming clad in their
kits, with their own pipers. to do hon
or to one of the greatest entertainers
the Scottish race has produced. 1t is
to be regretted that the Lauder en-
gagement is only for four perform