Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-07
"RlNGMASTER" IS
GIVEN APPROVAL
BURBANK co. PRESENTS WALL
STREET DRAMA
"FLoRopoRA" is GREETED EN-
ENTHUSIASTICALLY
"Babes in ToyIand" Scores Another
Hit at the Majestic-News
of Plays and Play
houses
BY SHIRLEY OLYMPUS

/ Viz
stage director. However, just such a
compliment may be paid the burbank
stock company for it's production of
1.-The Ringmaster," Olive Porter S
drama of Wall street, and the battles
of it's barons. In scenic investiture, in
portrayal of characters and in the
thousand and one little things of stage
craft the Burbank production is equal
| to any Offering. In some respects 1t
is far better. The Burbank is the first
stock company to produce the play.
1.-THE Ringmaster" is not q great
play even when we'll acted. 1t weakens
in the end for the sake of heart in
! terest and makes a man whose will is
| supposedly unhreakable come to terms
with a man many years his Junior in
| years, ability and experience. Such
things look well on the stage, but they
rarely, if ever, happen in life. 1.-THE
Ringmaster'' just escapes greatness,
and therefore makes an appeal which,
| were it a little stronger, would give 1t
many years of virile life. But the near
greatness does not reflect upon the
Burbank company Were the play in
| less capable hands it might suffer
greatly, for it takes superb ability to
| create interest where the lines fail to
carry 1t.
There are two main characters in
"The Ringmaster,' each of which
| might be called a lead. John LIE
Baron, his fathers son, is pitted
against Richard Hillary, known as the
Ringmaster, because LIE Baron wants
to do that which no Wall street
broker ever thought of doing-the
right thing by the people who invest
gamble would be better word-in The
| Street. Hillary controls a certain prop
erty, and lie Baron, who, by the way,
is in love with Hillary's daughter,
wrests the property from the most
powerful figure in Wall street. A
.cub" reporter, one Peter Stuyvesant
! Cobb by name, aids LIE Baron in a
rather theatric manner. Also, Cobb Is
| in love with Rebecca Love, lie Baron
ward and Hillary's niece.
| When the battle between lie Baron
and Hillary is at its height, Kingsley
| McElroy, president of the Eastern
railroad. for the control of which the
fight is being made, comes to LIE Bar
| on. and after learning that story
which will bow his head in shame is
about to be published in the news
papers, sells control of his property TO
| LIE Baron. At about the same moment
word is received from Denver bank
| that $4,000, 900 has been transferred
| to LIE Barons credit. This saves him
| from ruin, Eleanor Hillary makes an
| appeal to LIE Baron for him to desist
| from his war with her father. When
| refused she breaks off her engagement
with LIE Baron. She is won BACK
however, when the truth is told her
about her father. lie Baron wins ms
fight with the added resources; put a'
! the cost of a human life. for McElroy
| dies from shock when called over the
phone by Hillary, in whose power
| he is. -, .,.4
TIE Baron is victorious in his fight,
averts a panic by compromising VIII
| Hillary and wins Eleanor. :.
| AS LIE Baron, A. Byron Beasley is
convincing, but little 100 ponioa3 aionr 3ric.
He hammers tables, breaks cigar
boxes shouts his orders and makes a
| little too much noise generally. POSI-
hIv a little uuieter playing of the part
would make it more effective. HIS pest
scene is in the last act when ne COM
promises with Hillary. Wall street
men, except those who go upon the
floor of the stock exchange, do not ge'
very excited even when they are losing
evervthinp in the world. They are
| gamblers not men. Hence they are
! almost stoical. Still, Mr. Beasley was
annlauded to the echo, so he must have
met with approval from those who paid
to get in
David NJ. Hartford makes Richard
Hillary entirely too young a man Tor
the position in the world of money he
holds. However, Mr.. Hartford has an
exceptionally clear insight into his
character and barring the youthfulness
of dress and makeup is at nome III
his part. -.
John w. Burton does a subtle bit as
NcEIrov. He shows in voice and man
ner the man about to meet his Maker.
1t is a part easily overdone, and praise
| is due Mr. Burton for not oVeractlhS'
| Harry Mestayer is compelled to por-
! tray a newspaper reported VINO never
| existed in his life. Reporters do not loss
their notes around carelessly; 90 Iol
fell of big scoops" before they are in
nrint It is the authors fault, not Mr..
Mestayer's, that Cobb is not true TO
+ life He makes the most out of a
rather difficult and almost Impossible
character.
Although Frances Nordstrom has a
rather unsatisfactory part in Eleanor
| Hillary. she wins all, for she wears
some gowns that must have cost a
fortune, She is a revelation to the
dressmaking sisterhood. Her scene
when she breaks with LIE Baron was
exceptionally womanly and worth
| while. -
Especially commendable was the
work of Miss Louise Royce in the sec
ond act, when she was given the bogus
wireless message from her friend, MISS
| W1IneGSpOOu. Lie Nioh OA 50
ication by women on the stage ire
uuently is unpleasant and oftener than
not fails of the humorous effect 1ptend-
ed, but Miss Royce managed the mid
ly bibulous scene with highly cred
liable discrimination and reserve.
! Others in the cast were up to Bur-
bank standard, which means they were
excellent.
When Victor Herbert and Glen Nc
| Donough wrote "BabeS in Toyland
they must have had in mind winsome
Levita Rhode, ingenue of the company
presenting the extravaganza at the
Majestic this week. She certainly is
assisting in saving innocents from
slaughter, aided by Marie Malatesta,
Gus Pixley and Budd Ross. But the
authors strayed as regards the re-
mainder of the company.
The distinct feature of the presenta-
| tion is the music. There are tunes and
tunes in the comedy, and none of them
| fail TO stir the audience with a certain
sense of appreciation. With a full
cast of strong principals, the play
would score a splendid success before
anv audience. With the four members
indicated, the company at the Majes-
| tic. assisted by a highly satisfactory
! singing chorus, is holding its audiences
| through a rather slow first part and
scoring encore after encore in the
second part, where the topical songs
and comedy improve wonderfully
There are far too few verses IN
1