Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-14

handicapped with an almost damnable
reputation he would be an ideal hero.
AS it is he is fool, for who other than
a fool would try to change a leopard S
spots, then tame the leopard into
domestic animal?
Chance, the most tickle goddess of
them all, rules every act, every
thought every deed of Cameo Kirby.
1t is chance that puts him through
window and gives him safety from
mob. 1t is chance that saves him from
another's bullet. 1t is chance that al
lows him to ride to the country with
her. 1t is chance that allows a medal
lion to fall from the pocket of dead
man and clear the name of the living.
And in the end it is a chance he takes
to re-establish his name, and thus win
the girl
Mr.. Beasley makes Cameo Kirby,
who has been given his sobriquet be-
cause of his fondness for those orna-
ments, earn the pity of his audience.
And pity is akin to love. There are
times when one wishes Kirby were not
a gambler, and there is never time
when one does not wish him good luck.
AS Mr.. Beasley plays the part he
shows clearly that the gambler has
true nobility in his makeup. Never is
one in doubt about Kirby. Mr.. Beas-
ley drew the character fully as well as
Dustin Farnum. John w. Burton as
the friend LarlSin Bunce is delightful.
1t would almost seem that Mr.. Bur
ton lived in the days when the river
boats were inhabited by gamblers.
some high, some low caste. David
Landau as the bloodthirsty avenger
Tom Randall is not quite bloodthirsty
enough. Were Mr. Landau to put more
nerve force into his part. make it a
III 4 Il
the scene where he comes to his senses
and asks forgiveness of the man he has
pursued more effective. Tom Randall
is monomaniac, for he is bent on
killing Cameo Kirby. Let him show it
a bit more. Mr.. Mestayer did a most
artistic bit as Anatole Vaudry, a de-
feated suitor. Mr. Mestayer is always
worth while in all parts. Another
"bit" much appreciated was that of
Willis Marks as Group slave. 1t
had the ring of sincerity. Ollie Walters,
a child to whom has been intrusted the
part of the General, hero worshiping
boy. is exceptionally clever. The Gem
eral never missed cue and was not
STACEY" the fault of most child play
ers. David Hartford made Colonel
Moreau an ideal braggart and cad.
Harry S. Duf1ield added much as
southern gentleman. Henry Stock
do, but did that little we'll.
There is but one woman's part worth
while in "Cameo Kirby" 1t Is that of
Adele Randall. Miss Nordstom has the
proper grasp of the part, but she is
not an ingenue. AS l see it, the part
is more an ingenue lead than anything
else. She makes Adele Randall stand
out with appealing force. Miss Nord-.
strom is womanly, not girlish. There
s.l. nos
more or less of a coquette are some
what strained. Ethel Won Waldron as
a slave did a clever bit of character
work, and Lowell Alice Taylor did her
duty by looking exceedingly beautiful.
Scenically. "Cameo Kirby is more
than is expected in a stock theater.
Some minute details, such as lamps
which were used in 1882, the time the
action of the play takes place, have
been brought forth from nobody but
the property man knows where, and
are used in two acts.
Unless I miss my guess. "Cameo
Kirby" will please so we'll it will run
more than a single week.
"Florodora," which has served Fer
ris Hartman and his merry associates
so successfully for the week past,
opened it's second week at the Grand
opera house yesterday to a packed
house. The only change in the cast
for the second week was the appear
ance of James Campbell, who succeeds
Walter Catlett in the part of Cyrus
Gillian, owner of the "Island of Flo
rodora."
Nothing that Ferris Hartman and
his company have presented this sea-
son has attained quite the popularity
that has attended this English musical
comedy, and the many fine musical
numbers, principally the Tell Me-
Pretty Maiden sextette number. con-
tinue to receive encore after encore,
while the voting contest for the most
popular couple appearing in this num-
ber will continue until the colse of the
last performance of "Florodora' next
Saturday night.
Leo Cooper, the we'll known local ac-
tor. will head the new bill opening at
the Los Angeles theater this afternoon
i'm the one-act dramatic sketch. 1.-The
Operator." "Wireless Telegraphy,"
musical comedy oddity; the three Kel-
tons, Brothers Whitman. T'rainor and
Dale and Gertrude Van Dyke, the girl
with the two distinct voices, will be
the others on the bill.
"The Man of the Hour" George
Broadhurst's play of love and American
politics which has been playing to inn
mense audiences at the Belasco for
the past two weeks, will open tonight
for the third week of its successful
run. The third week will find no
changes in the cast. From the box Of