Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-14

ly the shadow which we who are of
the city call pleasure. Clyde Fitch's
play is sordid, hard, cruel, dank, pitt
less. It does not please. 1t horrifies.
I give thanks characters and condI-
tions which are depicted in Clyde
Fitchs city are not the characters ana
conditions which obtain in my city
The city is freighted with accusations
but all are not true. To the man VINO
knows how to live the city is not such
a bad place to live in. 1t may be dan
gerous to those whose lust for gain
or excitement is greater than their
stamina, but it does not drag all down
to hopeless ruin. But the city is, in
the last analysis, a mill, and the cOun-
try furnishes the most of the glst.
1t seems almost inCOnceiVable to me
that story such as told in "The City"
should find it's way into dramatic lit
erature The horror which comes to
every person in the contemplation of
the marriage of a brother and sister
would seem to be enough to damn al
most any play. But Clyde Fitch al
ways loved the sensational. He reached
the zenith of his desire when he gave
the public this story. He has told his
sordid story in a powerful manner. He
has overlooked no detail in building
climaXes. He has placed before the
public something which has an eXcep-
tional attraction for the curious, But
beyond that there is little. Maybe
Clyde Fitch thought he would teach a
lesson with "The City" I failed to
learn it, and I guess the average thea
ter goer is a good deal like me.
From a histrionic standpoint 1.-THE
City, is thoroughly excellent. Mr.
STEMS enactment of the dope fend'
Hammock is a wonderful study and an
unforgetable picture Of human despair.
Unfortunately the impression left in
ones mind is not pleasant in the least
Norman Hackett as George Rand, jr.,
is powerful and convincing. M, II.
Hartman, as the senior Rand, makes
a small role loom large Mario Ma
jaroni is excellent in another small
part, that of Gordon Van Vranken.
Among the women of the cast Ethel
Martin is the best Susanne Villa, Gre
ating a highly pleasing emotional in
genue role. All others in the cast are
entirely acceptable.
1t was many years ago that Owen
Hall and Leslie Stuart wrote Floro-
dora" but it can yet he said that
"Florodora" has defied time and is still
as popular as ever The piece remains
what it was when its tunes We're whis-
tied, hummed and sung in every city,
village and hamlet in this country
the very highest type of clean musical
comedy.
Ferris Hartman and his associates
opened at the grand opera house yes
terday in a big revival of this song
success, which was as enthusiastically
received and as entertaining as any
new production that the Hartman
company has ever given.
While there is plenty of good COM
edy in the play, furnished principally
by Ferris Hartman in his quaint and
humorous character of Anthony Twee-
dlepunch, hypnotist and eX-showman,
the success of "FlorodOra' has been
principally due to it's insidious music
and its lively, catchy song numbers.
The piece became famous for its big
sextette. which remains one Of the
prettiest and best "show girl" num-
bers to be found in any musical play,
TO add interest to this big number
Mr.. Hartman is holding a contest, de-
cided by the amount of applause to
determine which is the most popular
individual member of the sextette.
With the catchy and clever TEL Me,
Pretty Maiden" the Hartman stxtette