San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

November 18th, 1899 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW Behind the Scenes with Eugenie Blair EACH one has her descriptive note, best struck through environment. Miss Blair would fit in comfortably with mahogany tables. English bound books and dull blue hangings — with sleek-necked horses, the hunter's horn and a kennel of hounds. She would be at her best, perhaps, after a canter on the downs. She must never take liUle stitches or paint small canvases or wear superfluous gewgaws. If she had not acted, she might have done literary work, she says. If she had, it would have been done with no timid pencil. People would have read and been the better for it. She would have said things bluntly, without a tinge of malice. She would have struck for right against privilege. In a broad way, I mean, not narrowly, to her own advantage. Her comments on life and things would have been wise and true, but never piquant. This sounds like the palmistry editor doing his weekly gness-work. It is rather, aa opinion, gathered in ten minutes, as she sat before her mirror in satin "shorts" and a snowy blouse, settling her wig, and cutting oat patches from a crisp black square. If I have not "hit it off" just right, blame the call-boy. "How black hair hardens the lines of the face," she said, leaning forward to adjust a patch. "Especially if it be a wig" — putting on another close by the chin. "If lam as old as this makes me look, 1 am certainly getting on." and she wheeled around with a fearless smile. The fact that she had dared to say it, was proof positive to the contrary. "It is ratherembarassing to talk of one's self," she went on. ''but I don't suppose you have come here to discuss politics or the last new novel." She chooses her words quickly and simply: in the unembarrassed way that comes with experience. She and Blanche Bates are cousins. As she smiled, the eyes and a turn of the chin insisted upon the relationship. The other features wavered. "Fifteen minutes," sang the call boy. Decidedly I had not come to discuss politics — in so brief a space. «o we hurried on to the business in hand. "A long experience ? Well, I have been acting since I was fifteen, and it is astonishing how much more I knew then, than I do now," and she laughed at the memory of it "My first experience was playing the leading part with Mrs. I). P. Bowers in "Ladv Audley's Secret." The leading woman was taken ill and Mrs. Bowers, against her better judgment, was persuaded to let me speak the lines." Miss Blair was not trusted with the part, but rather mistrusted with it, because no one could be found in St. Louis who would attempt it. She knew the lines, because her mother was of the cast and she had listened to them frequently from the wings. So once again we see how the mistakes of our neighbors are often more profitable to us than our very best strategy. "Not a mistake to be ill," did I hear you say3 It is the greatest mistake of life. She spoke the lines with credit, to her head and heart, and has been speaking lines ever since. "Starring5 For three years now, and I find it quite to my taste. Yes, the cares are heavier. Thought and energy are both taxed to the utmost, but one's pleasures are doubled in compensation." Miss Blair has the philosopher's habit. I believe she finds thought a tonic, and storms are nothing — after they are over. "My favorite part? Camille. Its tenderness and waywardness and hopelessness appeal to me, as they do, I suppose, to most women. Yes, I like my role in A Lady of Quality, although it depicts only the stronger phases of a woman's nature. Perhaps it is interesting for this very reason. Then she had finished her make-up and slipped into a cloak the color of evening with the stars breaking through. "Vou should play Ursula." I said, as 'he "shorts" distppeared. "I probably shall, next season —that and Sappho." "Mind wearing boy's clothes? Well, the first plunge was a little cold, but one warms to the situition and forgets self in the issues at stake." '•Overture,'' drawled the inevitable boy, an! I slipped out thinking that, after all, this warming to the situition and forgetting self is the whole secret — the one hope. Charlotte Thompson. On the %oad Dailey Stock Company. Bakersfield 20; Redlands 27. Hotel Topsy Tuny. Fargo 18; St. Paul, 19 week; Minneapolis 26, week. Frederick Warde Denver, Nov. 20-25; Las Vegas 27; Albuquerque, 28; San Bernardino, 30; San Diego, Dec. 1-2; Los Angeles, 49; San Francisco, 11, two weeks. Elleford Company. Napa, week of Nov. 13; Petaluma, week of Nov. 20; Sacramento, return for two weeks beginning Nov. 27. Nance O'Neil Woodland, 18; Santa Rosa, 20-21; Oakland, 22-25; Fresno, 27-28; Visalia 29; Hanford. 30; Bakersfield, Dec. 1-2; Los Angeles; Dec. 3, 4 weeks. Devil's Auction. Cbas. H. Yale, manager. Salem, 20; Manchester, 2.; Holyoke, 22: Lawrence, 23; Brockton, 24; New Bedford, 25; Providence 27-Dec. 2. Gorton's Minstrels Watsonville, 18; Santa Cruz, 20; Salinas, 22; San Jose, 23-24; Stockton, 25 Yon Yonson Sacramento, 18; and thence to the California Theater, San Francisco, week of Nov. 19: Bakersfield, week of Dec. 6. Hottest Coon in Dixie Silver City, 18; El Paso 19. Richards and Pringle' s Minstrels Los Angeles, 19, week. Sam 7. Shau Company Ellensburg, 20, week; North Yakima, 27, week; Walla Walla, Dec. 4, week; Spokane, [I, week. Lewis Morrison Sherman, 16, Paris, 17. Le« is Morrison s Frederick the Great Company Natchez, 20: Vicksburg, 21; Greenville, 22; Columbus, 23; Meridian, 24; Birmingham, 25; Atlanta, 27-28; Chattanooga, 29; Nashville, 30. cManager^ficks Renews GEORGE W. Ficks of the Clunie Opera House, Sacramento, has leased that property for another year, beginning with December 1st. Mr. Ficks has l»een a very enterprising manager, and the Review sincerely hopes that he will come in for a goodly share of what promises to be a great theatrical season of prosperity on the Pacific Coast. COLUMBIA I -f ATI R BEGINNING MONDAY. NOVEMBER 2"TH. SECOND AND LAST WEEK Broadhurst's Gleeful Plenitude. Alcazar Theater FatD Bblasco, Lessee Mabk Thall. Manager PHONE MAIN 254. The public's demand mu«t be recojtnized and we will continue for another week the funniest Whv Smith Left Home \iv Friend From India The Comedy now creating laughter in all quarters of tbe globe. MONDAY. NOVEMBER 27TH — THE GREATER Shenandoah California Theater Z«*r House RESERVATIONS BY PHONE MAIN 1711 SI" N DAY NIGHT, NOV 19TH. AND ALL WEEK MATINEES SATURDAY AND SUNDAY Thall an 1 Kennedy's Everlasting Anglo-Swedish Dialect Success YON YONSON THE LANDSLIDE OP LAUGHTER Interpreted by a Splendid Company Popular Prices — Erening. 75c, 50c, 25c. Matinee, 50c. 25c. SCNDAY NIGHT NOVEMBER J5TH The Favorite Frawley Company Hair Goods The Largest Assortment in San Francisco Lowest Prices Ever Quoted SWITCHES L. R STOCKWELL as the earber 16 inches $1 00 18 20 20 Si 22 1 50 2 00 2 50 3 50 4 50 4 00 21 inches Jo 00 24 •' 7 00 26 " 8 00 28 " 10 00 28 " 12 00 :» " 15 00 \er> fine Wigs to Order, $20.00 Look perfectly natural. HAIR DRESSING J 25c. "J G LEDERER i 123 Stockton Strret OpeG'vol Pari i ^ MAIL ORDEFS FILLED Green .. Bill Posters and (ieneral Advertisers. Post for all the Leading San Francisco Theaters. Finest locations in the city. A strong cast, beau mounting's make produced in gorgeous >medy Alcazar Prices— IV. 25c. 35c. 50c IN PREPARATION Saints and Sinners Orph eum CORA STl'ART & CO. LITTLE MIGNON RICE AND ELMER; LUCIE VERDI ER. HAMILTON HILL; RYAN AND RICHFIELD; CHERIDAH SIMPSON. BURTON'S ACROBATIC COMEDY DOGS CORNILLE Reserved seats 25 Cents: Balcony 10 Cents: Opera Chairs and Box Seals. 50Ceuls MATINEES WEDNESDAY. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY Tivoli Opera House GRAND AND ENGLISH OPERA SEASON. TO-NIGHT AND SUNDAY EVENING, THE MASKED BALL man week Final Performances of Grand Opera. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY EVENINGS AND SATURDAY MATINEE, Wallace's Beautiful Ballad Opera IVlaritana Tuesday Evening A I DA Thursday Evening ERNANI or TROVATORE (See Monday papers) Saturday Evening, CAVALL ERIA and PAGI.IACCI Sunday Evening AIDA Farewell to Salassa and Avendano. Popular prices, 25 and 60 cents Telephone for seats, BUSH 9. GRAND OPERA HOUSE Telephone Main MS WEEK OF MONDAY, NOVEMBER -"Jih Colossal, Uumptuous, Costly and Thoroughly Up-loDate Production of Rice's World-Famed Extravagan za, Evangeline New Scenery, Costumes and Effects. March of Patriotic Colors by 100 Handsome Girls NEW SONGS. NEW DANCES. NEW JESTS EVERYTHING NEW. Popular Prices "Oc. :<5c. He, 15c and 10c. A good reserved seal at Saturday Matinee. 30 cts. Branch Ticket Office Emporium New Alhambra Theater Ellisghoise Sc Mott. Lessees Eddy and Jones Streets. Telephone South 770 I The People'* l'ls> Hnu e) TO.NK'.IIT -LAST PERFORM \NCE EUGENIE BLAIR IN A Lady of Quality TWO WEEKS BEGINNING SUNDAY. NOVEMBER I2TII. MATINEES SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. Jacob Lilt's Greater Success, In Old Kentucky Prices— 15c, 2.1c, :15c, Mc and 7.'*. Matinee 15c, 25c. :tic and < i