Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-30
YEARS LIGHTLY FALL ON
BRIGHT GOMEDIENNE
Henrietta Crosman Wins Ap-
pIause in Leading Role of
Anti-Matrimony at Mason
nx rlorsncs posnrd Lawrenco

Crosman in anti -Matrimony, at the
Mason will clear away the hysterical
mysticisms from even the most con-
firmed young "highbrow." In the
satire on modern search after the So
called truths of life, Percy MacKaye
has spared no one. Ibsen, Nietzsche,
philosophers great and minor, have
taken their place in the category OF
fun.
The romantic, overenthusiastic and
unreasoning yong disciples who pro-
fess their creeds do so with such over
jealous lack of conmonsense that the
actual truths of these masters become
perverted beyond all reason and their
entire scheme of things becomes gro
tesque instead of uplifting.
The two youngsters, proclalmlng
their love for each other and their de-
fiance of the conventions In refusing
marriage, although accompanied upon
their homeward journey from Europe
by their 11-months-old daughter, force
their older brother and sister, comfort
ably married and eminently domestic,
to adopt radical treatment. It's efficacy
not only rings the lovers to an ac-
acknowledgement of their mistaken
views. but furnishes the audience with
a couple of hours of such amusement
as has rarely been Voucnsa1ed from
local stage.
The comedy is all fine, yet along
those familiar lines which bring IT
home to each hearer. Miss Crosman
plays the role first of the devoted,
commonplace wife, and finally the con-
vert to the wonderful new faith
brought by the enthusiastic young
brother. AS a comedienne Miss Cros-
mans fame is too well established TO
need mention. The constant and de-
lighted applause of her audience last
night was sufficient evidence OF the
appreciation her artistry evoked.
Laughing, dancing with adorable
abandon, carrying the role through
with high spirits to the end, Miss Cros-
eman's appearance awoke even greater
appreciation upon the lart of her spec
tators.
Those old playgoers who remembered
her in "Mistress Nell' and some OF
those successes of-shall we say dec
ade or so ago-rubbed their eyes
gazed again In bewilderment and then
wondered II this beautiful, radlant,
vibrant young woman was indeed the
fayorite of those other days. Certain
lv time seems to have passed her light
ly by, and in passing to have stopped
merely long enough to take away some
OF those years which were there ana
leave her with rounded features, eyes
bright with youth, and a voice from
which neither the lifting laughter nor
the silvery cadence has gone.
Irlizabeth Baker as the puzzled, Wor-
ried old mother, typical of every con-
vention and regretting every innova-
tion, was excellent, and Grace car
lyle in the part of the talkatlVe' en- en-
thusiastic Isabelle was well cast, The
two men were admirable in their parts
although Gordon Johnstone as Morris
made his early acts weak by over
PLAYING. Herbert Fortier appeared the
admirable business-like, rather stollo
minister TO the life.
The scenes, which take place IN the
same apartment throughout the play
are given some slight variety by the
change of lighting arrangements, ana
fhe vista of the orchard through the
omen door is delightful. Miss Crosman
wears a number of exquisite costumes
each one particularly appropriate 10
the act in which 1t is seen.
AItogethe- the reopening or the Ma
son was an auspicious occasion, with
Thoroughly representative audience
yecentive and sharing heartily with the
nlavers in the establishment OF the
entente cordiaie which was so mani
fest throughout the evening
The surprise of the Orpheum bill
thts week is Josie Heather. Unher-
aided and unsung, she came along as
q mere fourth number in the Dill. NO
one had heard Of her, no one knew
what she could do, no one expected
ANYTHING much OF her. Everyone was
ASreeably disappointed-Ior II .IIn,. turneu =,
oft that little Miss Josie Heather Is
an English comedienne and story song
sinper beside whom Lily Lena, or
evAS Alice Lloyd, must look to her
lauieis. Simple, gracile and extreme
lv Modest in her demeanor, ana al
WAYS SO in her songs, she made me
inpression as soon as he appeared
and bv the time he had sung two or
three ditties, all new and fetchingly
powned. and all songs not heard mere
before. she was one big hit.
And when she had added to these
as many more, making fully hair
dozen, even then the packed house
was averse to her going, and wanted
much more Miss Heather looks
scarcely out of her teens, but she has
a knowing little smile, a charming
way and fascinating eyes. She enun-
ciates her songs perfectly. gets them
over without effort or trick and WINS
sheerly on merit, She mas hie
career ahead of her.
while Miss Kellermann remains as
the great star feature of the new BILL
and rightly, the -Four Fords are an
other act which finds instant faVor.
These boys and girls are no strangers
here, and in their field of step dane
ing they are superb and supreme. Iney
A
time. They open with colonial back
ground and do a dance of the period
Il excellent harmony with the picture.
The boys do a sailor stunt, and the
pirls a graceful classic dance. Clean
cut. artistic and skillful exhibits of
real step dancing such as one seldom
sees follow this. Coming by their
talents naturally inheriting them from
father and mother alike, and having
heen dancing all their lives 1t is small
wonder that they are reckoned the
hest in the world in this line, or that
their recent tour of Europe won them
MANY new laurels This act Is the
best and most pretentious thy have
ever offered.
Granville & Rogers are two chaps
who do but little, but do it exceed
inrlv we'll. Whether making speeches,
sineing. dancing or merely pattering,
thew kept their hearers in a laugh all
the time-which is their one purpose
on the stage.
y II RYAN and Mary Richfield have
a sMag Haggerty" sketch, which again
introduces the. familiar hod carrier.
his society daughter and the footman.
n Is along the lines of those furnished
hv the same couple earlier in the sea-
son-perhaps a bit better If anything.
The others on the bill, besides Miss
Kellermann, included Clifford and
burke, Harry Atkinson and the four
Cliftons. Altogether, the bill is thor
oughly satisfying one In every detail.
Annette Kellermann will deliver her
talk to women only-no men or chill
dren ndmitted-at the Orpheum at IL
o'clock today. The doors VIII open
-. s..I.r To hoy a q