The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

I'ebruary 7, 1914 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW 3 Charlie Reilly, With His Rich Baritone Voice. Good Looks and Acting Ability, Shows Los Angeles What a Real Singing Irish Comedian Is LOS ANGELES, Jan. 28.—Last week's storm news: The rain came and washed the players away and con- -lernation reigned on Broadway. The ( )rpheum opened the week with last week's bill, excepting the swimmer, lonroy. The Morosco was dark the hrst time since its opening, while I '.ickel and Watson and the balance of the How D' Ye Do Company floun- dered in the mud between here and Santa Barbara. The Empress and I'antages kept open with last week's hills. jMcIntyre and Heath arrived ahead of the clouds and the Majestic kept its doors open. The Little Thea- ti e had a glorious opening in spite of the downpour. The Burbank was for- tunate enough to have Kitty Gordon in Pretty Mrs. Smith to entice people ivnm their firesides. The Hippo- drome was able to put on a new bill by good luck and hard work, send- ing out motor trucks to bring in their people from San Dimas. * * * The Anderson Gaiety Company after many delays, being forced to build an almost entirely new set of scenery on account of the rain-soaked condition of all that could be gathered together after the flood, opened on Saturday night. * * * Frank C. Egan's one-word play is to be given at the Princess Theatre in New York. This was recently given in New York by Laurette Taylor and Cyril Maude, and through the efforts of Miss Taylor was brought to the no- tice of Holbrook Blinn, the manager of the Princess. * * * James Gleason will be one of the present cast of Pretty Mrs. Smith, to go with the Eastern production. * * * It seems an established fact that Mr. Morosco will remove to New York, where his East- ern productions are demanding more time and netting more money each month. He has been quoted as say- ing that the Burbank will remain a producing house, however, and his in- terests here will remain the same. * * * Herschel Hendler and Texas Guinan have joined forces in a musical sketch for which Julian Johnson, one time dramatic editor in Los Angeles, has been made manager. Mr. Johnson's one-act play, Hari-Kari, produced at the Princess Theatre in New York, seems to have been a success. * * * At the opening of the Little Theatre, tea was served between acts and cigar- ettes were supplied to male members of the audience in the smoking room. After the play a reception was held in the ballroom, a part of the Egan Dramatic School, Mr. Egan cast as host. BURBANK: Pretty Mrs. Smith, by Oliver Morosco and Elmer Harris, with music by Harry James, is launched into favor with enough wit, gayety and sparkling as well as naughty lines, to carry it far out and keep it up on the waves of success. Of course, Kitty Gordon is beautiful and her gowns are ravishing. Her singing of Love Has Come to Our House to Live, and Dreaming, the hesitation waltz song, are given with effectiveness. Pretty Mrs. Smith, as the story goes, has .so many husbands she doesn't know what to do, and on a trip to Long Beach, thev all appear, divorced, dead and otherwise—and hence the complications. A very im- portant part of the production is Char- lotte Greenwood, deliciously funny— arms, legs and all, dominates the ])er- formance. Sidney Grant is a worthy partner in her joys. Forrest Stanley, Thomas McLarnie and Arthur F. Burckley play the three husbands with all the necessary finish. Harrison Hunter, in a small role, is an impor- tant part of the whole. Donald Bowles does splendid work in a trying part. James Gleason is a funny colored waiter. Lillian Tucker and Florence Oberle, as a show girl and the hotel owner, are bright and sparkling. A well-cho.sen chorus lends a picturesque background and acquits itself with credit. Pretty Mrs. Smith is elaborate as to costume and scenery and is des- tined to live and travel away from here. LITTLE THEATRE: In .spite of the heavy downpour the Little Thea- tre opened with a large and brilliant audience and continues to attract. This tiny little place, soft in coloring and soothing in its every appearance of artistic comfort, is bound to be pop- ular. The Pigeons seems a well- chosen selection for the opening and the production is perfect in each and every detail. Barring a few defects, the most glaring of which is the in- ability to hear distinctly and which will soon be remedied, the theatre and its first production are a joy. The Pigeon, dealing as it does with finely drawn characters, known to all close observers, demands the careful, intelli- gent and clever player such as Mr. Blackwood seems to have gathered to- gether. Mr. George Barnum, as the loveable old artist, Wellwyn, ofifeis a creation so .sympathetically drawn that it breathes realism. Forrest Winant assumes the role of Ferrand and lends impressiveness to the lines by his in- telligent reading. Elsie Jane Wilson oflfers a splendid portrayal of Mrs. Meaganthe and shows rare talent. Ben Johnson, as the bibulous cab driver, brings a technical sureness to the role that is delightful. Ethel Grey Terry plays the daughter of the artist in a manner that marks her a clever player. Herbert Standing, An- drew Robson. Richard Vivian, Hardee Kirkland and William Courtleigh, Jr., play small parts in splendid style. The stage .settings are charming and a tone of artistic harmony seems to have been estabished in this tiny, tasteful theatre. EMPRESS: The Six Diving Nymphs are most attractive. Orville Reeder's offering on the piano is a mixture of classic and popular and suits the multitude. George Hermann is a clever contortionist. James F. MacDonald has some songs and stor- ies that are novel. Whyte, Pelzer and Whyte have excellent voices; The Three Yoscarrys are a lively and agile lot of acrobats. HIPPODROME: Jack Lait's much- talked-of sketch. Lead, Kindly Light, is the feature of this week's bill, tell- ing an inten.sely interesting story of slum life, the girl thief, the wicked man and the work of the Salvation Army with this element. There is a mixture of pathos and comedy throughout the story and it is well presented by Landers Stevens and Georgia Cooper, supported by a com- pany of twenty-five. Rose Lee Ivy is a spirited singer whose operatic singing makes a great hit. The Light Opera Four sing Mikado in capital style. Murphy is a juggler who en- joys his work and sees to it that other people do, too. The Lone Star Trio blend the comedy with their harmony. A Precarious Situation is the comedy playlet ofi^ered by the Blyden- O'Roarke Players and creates a good deal of merriment. The Apollo Trio have a novel gymnasium turn, doing some wriggles and turns that are wonderful. MAJESTIC: Emma Trentini sings and beams her way throughout The Firefly, a light but .sparkling opera, written for her by Rudolph Friml, a Los Angeles composer,—music verg- ing almost on the grand opera. There are many entrancing songs, the best of which, of course, are sung by Trentini. Oscar Figman carries the comedy role. William Wolff is possessed of a rich bass voice, and, as the old German professor, is a de- Hght. Craig Campbell, as Jack, not only plays well, but has a splendid voice. Betty Bunnell, John Hines, Vera de Rosa and Grace Hanson are worthy support. The production is well staged. . MASON : Kismet is the Arabian Nights fancy of Edward Knoblauch, dramatic, dazzling and vastly interest- ing. Throughout the Oriental ro- mance stalks the magnificent figure of Otis Skinner as Hajj, a role possessed of strength, delicate humor and powerful dramatic opportunities. The company is not only an unusually large one, but meets the most exacting expectation. MOROSCO: The Anderson Gaiety Company make their bow in a happy How D'Ye Do, and we say "pleased to meet you" with a happy return. George Bickel and Harry Watson carry the large share of comedy. Ruby Norton and Sammy Lee are a pair of nimble dancers with a happy man- ner. Walter Catlett keeps well with- in the line of vision with various dis- guises and many good dance steps. Reece Gardner and Winifred Bryson receive a warm welcome. Effie Lau- rence and Bert Howard add their share to a general round of music and merriment. How D'Ye Do is a com- bination that will ])leasc for some weeks to come. ORPHEUM: Harry Girard's lit- tle musical play. The Luck of the To- tem, savors strongly of his former effort, The Alaskans. Agnes Cain Brown plays the girl in vivacious fash- ion. Maude IMiller and Ed Stanley are comedians with a fancy for grand opera and an ability to sing, and they hit the mark at once with a lot of nonsense that only they could put over. Lillian llerlein wears startling clothes and sings some very clever songs, and is nothing loath in displaying a Kitty Gordon back. 1 lorace (loldin imi- tates some of the tricksters of the past. This act carries many i)eoi)lc, and is (|uite splendid in its trapi)ings. J. Hunter Wilson and Effie Pierson are decidedly ])leasing in some clever nonsense and skilful dancing. Lew Hawkins, in black-face, rattles off a lot of funny talk. From last week re- mains The Aliens, in She Had to Tell THE FLAGG CO. ACTUALLY EMPLOYS MORE ARTISTS and MECHANICS THAN ALL THE OTHER STUDIOS ON THE PACIFIC COAST COMBINED. BECAUSE -NINE-TENTHS OF THE THEATRES USE FLAGG SCENERY. THEREFORE, FACILITIES and VOLUME LOWER COST. 1638 LONG BEACH AVE., LOS AKGELES Him, and the I-'ive Sullys in The In- formation Bureau. PANTAGES: Charlie Reilly and his company offer The Bells of Shan- don, a bit of Irish melody and senti- ment, prettily staged and well pre- sented. Reilly is the coming Irish singing comedian. The Fight Berlin Madcaps in a whirl of jumps, leaps and somersaults, make a dazzling and bewildering show. .-X. skit called The Argument is the offering of La France and McNab in black-face make-up. Rena Arnold is a lively little lady with an amusing bunch of songs and stories. The Lafayettes do some thrilling trapeze stunts. The Al- pha Quartette have musical selections and show remarkable ability. REPUBLIC: Lalic Brook is the real Old Fashioned Girl, showing the styles of the long ago, a turn pretty and artistic. Enigma keeps everyone guessing as to whether it is real or not. Lowe and De Marie perform some unusual feats on the tight wire. The Musical Tolans include every- thing from rag-time to opera. Billy and Gaynelle Everett, as the Rube and the Dancer, get many laughs. Gor- den Berry sings the latest songs. LITTLE THEATRE: The Pigeon is in the second week and playing to interested audiences that fill the tiny auditorium at each performance. Coincident with the great amount of building progress in other lines, the building of moving picture the- atres is now forging to the front as a most progressive factor in Los An- geles. Another evidence that the new era of motion picture exhibition in this city has arrived will be found in the new Columbia Theatre to be erected for the ColumI)ia The- atre circuit that has been formed to control new houses on Main, Broad- way, Hill and other principal streets of the city and on the Pacific Coast, and as many as twenty-five theatres are in contemplation. I'RF.SXO, Feb. 2.—Fresno Thea- tre : The vaudeville part of the pro- gram is started by "Explosion." "Ex- |)losion" is one of the features of Rink's Darktown Circus. This is one of tlic funniest acts in vaudeville. The Harmony Trio are tantalizing musi- cal maids. So po]nilar have Abrams, Johns and Company become in this city that Manager X^oigt has been re- ([uestcd to hold them over another week, and lie has consented to do so. This time their sketch will be A Game I'-or Life. Collier and Dewdale, .skat- ing act, is a feature. Kaoni, Ha- waiian singer, sings and plays. Em- pire Theatre: One of the feature acts that comes to the Empire this afternoon, is the Zartons, mind-read- ers. I'ella Gordon is the champion bag ])uncher. The talking and danc- ing and changes of Wilson and Hope arc of the kind that please. I'ob and Elsie Austin are likewise singers.