Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-13
SEVEN DAYS. IS BEST
FARCE or PAST DECADE
Is Clever Satire on Society and
Is RepIete with ComiCaI
Situations
By SHIRLEY OLYMPUS

"seven Days" was built for laughing
purposes. In that it succeeds admir-
ably, Not a person who sat in the
Mason opera house last night failed to
laugh many times during the progress
of the play. I doubt very much If the
veriest Scrooge or the sourest-faced
misanthrope In all Los Angeles could
witness "Seven Days" and maintain
An unwrinkled countenance. There are
stuations-dozens of them-Which
compel laughter of the sort that puts
one in wholesome frame of mind and
makes one feel that he has had an
evening of enjoyment.
"Seven Days" Is more than farce
comedy. It is a satire upon society.
(The term is used in the usual sense)
The useless accomplishments and the
distorted education of social leaders
are held UP before the public gaze IN
a manner that to the thoughtful per-
son excites an undercurrent OF scorn
but that forces smile to hlde the
deeper, truer feeling. One comes away
from a performance of seven Days
with a pretty clear idea OF how empty
social honors are, and how little pre-
pared are social leaders for the ele-
mental battle of life. One realizes how
little self-reliance women of the draw
ing room type possess when placed IN
The nlay is a farce and the comedy
is broad, even low at times. Epigrams
there are in plenty, but they are not
the enirrams of keen intellects. Rather
are they the repartee of drawing room
brilliance.
The story of the play is quickly told:
A dinner party is suddenly interrupted
bv the announcement that japanese
servant has become suddenly i'll and
has been carried off to the hospital.
The disease is diagnosed as smallpox
or some other dreadful ailment. The
house with its occupants Is placed un-
der quarantine The servants make
their escape. A policeman who had
been visiting the cook is caught in the
quarantine and forced to remain IN
the house. A burglar, surprised at MS
nefarious trade, also is held a. prisoner.
When he is not lodging the guards
around the house he is disappearing
in dumb walters, behind cookstoVes or
down chimneys. He furnishes many
comical situations because or MS
plight, although he does not utter a
word until the close Of the play.
Left without any servants the dinner
guests are forced to rely upon their
own resources. Imagine woman IN
a. lace gown who never has lifted her
finger to do so much as fasten her
shoes attempting to cook a meal ana
YOU have a pretty clear picture OF the
conditions which prevail in the mouse
for the seven days during which the
quarantine is maintained. A thread of
romance. deceit and secondary comedy
due to the presence in the house OF a
man. his divorced wife ana his aunt
who knows nothing of his separation,
runs all the way through the play. To
he fully understood and appreciated
"Seyen Days" should be seen. 1t real
ly is too clever farce-by far the
best in a decade-to be missed.
Each member of the company pre-
senting "Seven Days" is happily cast
and is artistic in the extreme. Aubrey
Beattie says all manner of funny
things in a peculiarly pleasing man.
ner. Ned Finley is an excellent type
of a droll clubman and Ben Wilson fits
his role perfectly. Florence Robinson
as Aunt Selma Is more than satisfy
ing. Miss Robinson has been seen
here numerous times before and each
time has given abundant evidence of
exceptional talent. Clare Weldons
assumption of woman slightly under
the influence of spirits (fermenti and
etheral) is screamingly funny Norma
Mitchell and Madeline Winthrop con-
tribute their share to the excellence
of the performance. Hugh Cameron
as the policeman gives faithful and
exact portraiture of an Irish minion
of the law while William Wadsworth
as the burglar creates deal Of com
edy, although he has but a half dozen
words to utter during the whole play
Taken by and large "Seven Days
should not be missed if an evening OF
laughter is what the theatergoer is
seeking.
The new Sullivan & Considine bill
opened at the Los Angeles theater yes
terday to three capacity audiences. The
new bill, consisting of six new acts
is headed by Henry Lee in his speak
ing likenesses of great men past and
present" Others are Zinelle and Bou-
telle Alice Mortlock and company, VIII
Davis, Alfarretta Symnods, Ryan and
Worth and the Scott Brothers.
The next Offering of the Girton stock
company at the Grand opera house
will be another of the Hal Reid melo-
dramas, 1.-THE Halfbreed Wife" This
will follow the current production OF
"Tracked by Wireless" which gives
every indication of playing to a week
- o,-o,s1aJ att6fanpnS