The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

January lo, 1914 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW Will Wyeth Has Beaten John Blackwood to It, and Now Los Angeles is Invited to Tango to the Tune of the Mason Theater Orchestra LOS ANGELES, Jan. 7.—Once we slipped away to the beach to tango on the sly, next we s^rew a little bolder and swnns? into step at the clubs and dances in town, then we tant^oed with our afternoon teas at the big and proper hotels, and now our tickets for the theatre in- vite us to do the same between acts. Manager W'yatt of the Mason an- nounced this innovation, and with May Irwin's engagement this week starts the tango going in the foyer, where the orchestra plays for the occasion. * * * Mr. Egan moves his school of music and drama to the Little Theatre building on Jan. 15. The school will occupy most of the space and ]\Ir. Egan will find him- self well placed in excellently ap- pointed bachelor quarters on the second floor. The Little Theatre will open on Jan. 26 and The Pigeon is now in rehearsal under the direction of George Barnum for the opening performance. * * * Mr. and Mrs. Sothern have taken the Dunham home at 680 Berendo Street for their Los Angeles stay. * * * Mr. Haydon Talbot, who so recently married Norma Mitchell, finds the way of the divorced man hard. It was de- creed that he pay alimony, which, owing- to another matrimonial ven- ture, he found hard to do. When re- quested to make good some $1000 back alimony he refused, boldly stating he preferred the jail instead, but after a little consideration de- cided he would rather pay up than be shut up. Mrs. Talbot number two has gone to Chicago with the Help Wanted company. * * * Harry Girard's sketch, with which he ex- pects to start out into the play world soon, is called The Luck of the Totem Pole, a story of Alas- ka. The cast includes Agnes Cain Brown and several of the boys .who played at the Burbank during the Quaker Girl production. * * * When Help Wanted opens in New York the cast will include Katherine Em- met, once at the Belasco here, and Frances Ring in the role she origin- ated when the piece was produced in Los Angeles. * * * Al. Watson has arrived to assume management of the Republic. Bob Cunningham goes to the Bert Levey ofifice in San I'Vancisco. Watson was at one time a member of the Burbank Company. * * =^ Margo Dufifett and her husband, Dan Bruce, are in town, appearing at the Empress. Miss DufFet for a long time was a very popular mem- ber of the Burbank Company. AUDITORIUM: The Mission Play is in its second week, with Lucrettia del Valle as Senora Jo.>efa Yorba and Geo. Osborne as Junipcro Serra, two roles of exceeding interest in this picturesque pageant i)lay. Al- though the artistic atmosphere of the San Gabriel Mission is regretted if one is seeing the play for the second or third time, but still the impressiveness is there because of the almost ceremonial tenseness. BURBANK: The Traveling Salesman again visits the Burbank, where one ceases to worry over problems, or shudder over war and its carnage, and has only to sit I^ack and smile at the same old jokes of r>ob Blake, the irrepressible—same jokes, worn hut reHable. Forrest Stanley again portrays the breezy l>ob. Beatrice Nichols is an arch and charming Beth Elliott. Morgan W allace is a stamped and approved N'illain. Harrison Hunter, James .Appleby, Donald Bowles, Thomas McLarnie and Florence Oberle go to make up a cast that create good entertainment. EMPRESS: Happiness is a wor- thy headliner—a bit of a pro1)lem -]day, well written and well played and above all, entertaining. A cast of 20 people present this piece of symoblism and as an ambitiotis ef- fort it is a wx)rthy one. Margo Duf- fett and Dan Bruce appear in a sketch written by Miss Dui¥ett called ()ver the Transom, and these two players make it well worth seeing. Harry Mayo and Jack Allman sing songs and tell stories, some old and some new, and both suffice to satis- fy. Monte Brooks and D. Bert Har- ris while away a happy 20 minutes with a timelv lot of .songs, jokes and patter—to say nothing of some very good dancing. Fun in Mid-air is a lot of noise created by the Living- ston Trio, who apparently get as much fun out of it as the spectator. A Keyston comedy rounds out the bill. MAJESTIC: The Sothern-Mar- low engagement of two weeks brings a lasting joy to the lover of the plays of Shakespeare. Mr. Soth- ern, known as an ardent student, gives to those seeing the week's of- ferings, such a combination of schol- arly interest and artistry that each presentation is a marvel of finish and perfection. The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and the beautifuUv artistic If I Were King. Miss Marlow's beauty, wonderful diction and rare understanding bring to each role the subtle, (|uick thinking touches of the rare jjlayer that she is. A thoroughly compe- tent supporting company has been gathered about these two, barring any marring influence and never for an instant spoiling the picture. The settings are in keeping with each artistic performance. MASON : May Irwin, as funny as she is famous, creates a pleasure keen and lasting when she offers Catherine Cushman's Widow by Proxy at the Mason this week. A comedy of the best sort is that, that sparkles and fascinates with one brilliant, witty line after another, and makes you ha])i)ier for the effort on every one's part to make you laugh long and loud. Miss Irwin is (iloria Grey, the music teacher who ]>asses herself off as the widow rela- tive of a set of si)insters, whose love of family has made them as snob- bish as they are funny. A visit to this family is a joyous occasion and the fun never ceases throughout the three acts — good, wholesome fun, suited to the whole-souled artist, who can be counted as one of the best loved. An excellent supporting com- pany includes Clara Blandick, Marie I'urke, Helen Orr Daly, Helen Weathersby, ()rlando Daly, Joseph Garry, Joseph Woodburn and .Ar- thur Bowver. MOROSCO: The Candy Shop, with Maude I'ulton and W'm. Rock, is in the fourth week of success and a])i)arently no abating interest so far to l)rcak the run. ORPHEUM: The System, with Taylor Granville and Laura Pcirpont, is lurid and thrilling enough to rouse the enthusiasm of the most blase gallery god. A story of the under- world, with crook, detective, girl and all, sets you shivering with anticipa- tion as situation after situation flashes by. 'Tis well played and rouses en- thusiasm. Cecil Lean, always wel- come, returns to us with a new part- ner, Cleo Mayfield, fair to look upon and pleasing in her work. Their song travesties are a delight and cleverly accomplished. Marshall Montgomery, also well known, is surely one of the cleverest of ventriloquists, with a lot of clever fun that leaves you won- dering and happy. Lyons and Yosco, the Harpist and the Singer, made-up as Italian Street singers, play and sing themselves into instant favor. Two pretty girls are Muriel and Fran- cis. As to which is which, we should worry, for each is so lively, so good to look upon and so beautifully gowned that there can be no choice, and they seem not to care. The hold- overs are John Hazzard, Billy Gould and Belle Ashlyn, and the McFarlands. PANTAGES: In and Out has long been a favorite and its clever patter, its easy, funny and side-splitting sit- uations seem to lose nothing by repeti- tion. Walter S. Howe, Edna North- lane and Ira Willard fully appreciate its possibilities and create a lot of hearty laughs. Not the least of this week's attractions is "Harlem" Tommy Murphy, who offers three rounds with Eddie Miller, which are"^ received with the enthusiasm of real ring-siders. Capt. Packard's trained seals get the applause they well earn, for their balancing stunts alone seem almost beyond belief. Blanche Gor- don, pretty and plump, sings ragtime, and Peggy McMillen sings delight- fully. The White Duo show novel stunts in mid-air, and Leslie and Sol lierns spread Yiddish all over the ])lace. REPUBLIC: Murray's Comedy Canines walk the tight-rope, do a lot of balancing stunts, and not to be out- done in any particular, fall into line with the tango and turkey trot The Great La Witte, in Through the Lobby, offers a series of character imperson- ations that are as skilful as they are varied. Irene Allthane is pleasing in some kid impersonations. Flamburg and (jallon are jugglers with a hoop- rolling act that is novel and enter- taining. Ray and Ray get many laughs with an entertaining line of nonsense. Evans and Wagner are happy in their dancing, and Herbert Medley is a baritone who sings his way into a hearty res]ionse. N. B. WARNh:R. SAN DIE(;0, Jan. 5.—Spreckels Theatre: Mrs. Fiske is giving The I figh Road tonight. Friday and Sat- urday nights the dramatization of Robert Chambers' The Common Law will be the offering.' Savoy Theatre: The bill here this week consists of The Priestess of Kama, a dance 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 ANGELES drama given by a company of ten clever people; The Romero Family, five all-around musicians ; Arthur Vin- cent and Eleanor Raymond in Names Don't Count; The Imvc Juggling Nor- mans; Katheryn Miley, singing; Lat- tell brothers, acrobats. Empress Theatre: The excellent bill here this week is headed hy The Bower of Mel- ody, a musical act with twelve artists and some splendid scenery. The rest of the bill consists of Louise Mayo, comedy singer; Sam J. Harris, luon- ologist; Ballo Brothers, Mexican ser- enaders; The Three Emersons in h'un in a Swimming Pool, and Martini and Maxmillian, illusionists. Gaiety The- atre : A King for a Day is being shown here this week. SACRAMENTO, Jan. 5.—Grand: Ed Redmond Company, after recover- ing from the effects of Uncle Tom, are appearing in The Escape this week. Beth Taylor portrays the role of May Joyce and Paul Harvey appears as the young physician. Dr. Van Alden, both doing some of their best work. Hugh Metcalfe is also well cast. It has been arranged by Mr. Redmond to have an elaborate revival of Dumas' Camille follow The Escape and under- lined is a dramatized version of Marie Corelli's Thelma. I^iepenbrock: Fer- ris Hartman lasted just one week and played to miserably poor business in Mary's Lamb. The company was sent back to San Francisco, and outside of the chorus girls, nearly everyone had nearly a week's salary coming. Or- phcum: John Conroy and his diving girls; Gallagher and Carlin; Bert Levy; Nonette; Corelli and (iilbert; Lorna and Toots Pounds, and Lenett and Wilson make up the hill. Fm])ress : A Night in a Turkish I'.ath ; D'Arcy and William; Willisch, Mond and Salle; Lew Wells, and Katie Sand- vvina. Cinnie: (Jaby Dcslys 8; lilind ness of X'irtue, 8-9. PHOENIX, Jan. 5.—It may be in- teresting to know that the Elks Thea- tre has booked for early a])i)earance, among a number of other prominent attractions. The Common Law. The Price She Paid, Awakening of Helen Richie, Within the Law, The Virgin- ian and The Wolf. Empress: Louis 15. Jacobs and his musical comedy comjiany are extremely iK)])ular and a great business is being maintained. The Bandit is the bill this week for the first half—then Who's Who. Coliseum (.\. H. Reeves) : Silver and Grav, comedy and talking act; Hud- son and iieuden, comedy and music. i\AT lloi.T is a two-times winner just now. His star, Monte Carter, is making all kinds of a success at the Wigwam, and, of course, the young manager is hapi)y over that. i>ut the real happiness came on Christmas, when he was married to Miss lUanche Lacazette, a charming young lady of Fruitvale.