San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

June ii. 1910 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW 9 Columbia Theatre It is a lucky star that takes one to the Columbia this week. Not that it is much of a play ; a shred of plot, a dash of sentiment, some clever sayings and plenty of wholesome fun do not necessarily make good drama. But jn this case the star's the thing, for when William Collier is concerned, his pleasant gift of lightheadedness and his spontaneous flo\\#of wit would carry any play t< ' success, and the audience mighteven suspect him of writing it while you wait. He brings with him an unusually well-balanced company. Reginald Mason plays Rudolph Brederode for everything in it, and Wallace Worsley, evidently chosen for type as well as ability, brings a rich voice and fine low-country accent to bear on the attractive role of Robert Van Buren, and is very impressive. The waiters and the hotel proprietor have evidently been drilled for their parts by the inimitible William himself, and exhibit an inflexible calm in the fact* of everything except tips, while^the aunts go from bad to worse until the hero. Ronald Lester StajJ", is saved from them by the real chaperon, Ellen Mortimer, who caSinot hide her good looks or bright ways under gray -hair and glasses. Her work is just serious enough to hold its own as comedy. Paula Man is especially pretty and attractive as Nell Van Buren, the owner of the motor boat, and her methods are deft and full of promise, and Katherine Mulkins as Phyllis Rivers, her half-sister, is an excellent foil for her dark beauty, with her fair hair and blue eyes. The Dutch curtain speech, .filled with unpronouncable words, was not forthcoming on Tuesday evening and another, possibly as good, was nipped in the bud by the untoward interruption of the scene shifters, so a future visit to the theatre holds much in store. Too much cannot be said in praise of the scenery and costumes which are as fresh and new as if the company were just starting on tour. Alcazar Theatre Anna Karenina. a tragic tale of Russian life, dramatized by a Frenchman, and presented by a company of Americans — that, in a word, js the cosmopolitan dish served at the Alcazar this week. Is it any wonder that there is a lack of assimilation somewhere? As a novel, Anna Karenina is an absorbing transcription of actual life, with character and atmosphere laid in by the master hand of that pioneer realist whose philosophy was startling enough in his own day and generation. And if today we find the hook old-fashioned and unsatisfactory, it is not that Tolstoi's conclusions are illogical, or that the conflict of passion and duty, of the individual against society, is not as strong as ever in it's elemental appeal. But limited by the racial tendencies, the manners and customs of « people for whom we have little understanding and less sympathy, the struggle loses its universal application and becomes for us merely a study of provincial conditions. The stage version has little value as a play. Of. necessity, the dramatist has eliminated an infinite wealth of detail that supplied both background and continuity, and has succeeded only in part in preserving the dramatic intensity of the original. Bid Virginia Earned has sufficient ability to overtop the deficiencies of the vehicle itself, and that it offers abundant emotional opportunity is additional excuse for her retaining it in her repertoire. As Anna Karenina. Miss Ilarned gives a wonderfully consistent and convincing performance. The part calls for a purely conventional treatment, but she brings to it great temperamental gifts as well as a finished technique, and her work will easily bear comparison with that of others who specialize along similar lines. It will be a pleasure to see .Miss Ilarned in a role worthy of her unusual powers. Her leading man, William Courtenay, makes a distinguished and sympathetic Vronsky. With a swift attack, at once vigorous and delicate, he makes each point with a sure touch, but though his method is more skilled and telling.he seems to withhold himself, or at least to give from the lips only, and does not fulfill the promise'of his last visit. The regular company acquits itself with honor, as usual, with Will Walling well in the lead. His Alexis Karenin is one of the best things he has done for some time, and is clean-cut and virile. E. L. Bennison is a little out of his element as General Serpukhovskoi. but gives his lines sincerely, and William Garwood is acceptable as Lieutenant Yashoin. Howard Hickman detracts from a good piece of character work by making < >blonsky impossibly French in trying to be Russian. Charles Trowbridge has a grateful part in Kapitonich, and plays it convincingly, the responsive acting of little Ruth Ormsby as Serge adding much to their scene together, while Herbert Far.jeon as Wassili. the boy's tutor, and Mrs. Byers. as Matrowna, his nurse, are excellent. A. Burt Wesner and Adele Bel garde make the Prince and Princess ( herbatsky very human indeed, and Helen Yarborough as their daughter, is charmingly pretty and graceful. Grace Travers and Bessie Barriscale are a trifle self-conscious, but do efficient work. Princess Theatre Ferris llartman and his company have presented that nonsensical singing comedy, The Mayor of Tokio, to appreciative houses. The book was originallj written by Richard Carle for himself. llartman has taken liberties with, the text, whenever it has suited his purpose, yet the bill is not injured in any way by the changes. The Mayor of Tokio is, of its kind, a very good piece. It is short on plot, but long on spectacular effects, music and pretty girls! Even the men are not so bad looking. This bill does not present llartman at his best. That quaint comedian needs a part that furnishes him with plenty of eccentric stage business, and this is not supplied him this week in sufli ienl quantities to enable him to shine in all his glory. .Joseph Fogarty, as the Mayor of the Japanese; ( ity, is by far t hi' bes1 man in the company, and shares vocal honors with Miss Dingwell. Fogarty lias never been in better singing voice than lie lias this week. In addition, bis enunciation, in the dialogue por tions of his part, is as clear as a bell. It is a pleasure to watch and to listen to him. Oliver Le Noir. as General Satake, a conspirator, was excellent also. Robert Z. Leonard, as the Russian spy. spoiled his otherwise good work by a makeup that was ridiculous. He should at least look like a Russian, even in caricature, when acting such a part. The Nikko of Leonard Bowes and the Awaki of Flora Norris were done satisfactorily. Josie Hart as Betsy Lincoln, an American heiress, was a winner. She was one of the most popular members of the east. Myrtle Dingwell was very good as Olita San, the daughter of the Mayor. Her voice is improving, and her personality is becoming more forceful. Ferris llartman appeared as Marcus Orlando Kidder, the impressario. As has been said. Hartman was not at his lest in the role, which does not furnish him with an opportunity to indulge ni all the screamingly funny business that the part of Colonel Mapelson Mulberry in Ship Ahoy did. The part of Kidder suggests that of Mulberry, but in 'the hands of llartman Kidder is not that classic of humorous nonsense that the gentleman of "< hristy. pull 'em down" fame was. Muggins Davies is growing still better as an actress, also as a singer. She was more graceful than ever as a* dancer. Her part, that of Birdie Talcum, the soubrette, was well done. Julian Lincoln, the tenor, in the hands of George Poultney. was impressive. Poultney has a good voice, which he used with exceptional advantage. Walter de Leon was a big hit with tin1 house1 as Rusty, the song book boy. The young ladies of the chorus, comprised of the .Misses Helen Betchel, Lillian Leighton. Ella Morris. Geno Gentry, Angela Pinkley. May Lamping, t laire Starr. ( armeh Phillips. Evelyn Hannile. Hazel Boyd, Muriel Sylvester and Flora Norris, were, although mentioned last, not among the least of the factors contributing to the week's success. llartman has a chorus that is pleasing both to the auditory and to the visual senses. There are some unusually good voices among the girls in the "merrymerry" list, and it is a safe prediction that some of them will shortly be seen in more important parts. The American Idea, a George M. Cohan comedy, will have a presentation, commencing with the Sunday matinee. Washington Square Theatre This cozy North Beach playhouse reopened last Sunday night under the management of liaxter and Lew, as a popular-priced dramatic theatre. Ii one judges by attendance and enthusiasm, the verdict is, you win! Careful attention has been paid to every detail end the opening night of the new stock company looked to a critic as one views a regular combination that has been on the road for months. .Much credit is due the stage director and his staff for an even performance. Of the players, Robert Lawler, the leading man, took a mediocre part and by sheer force of mentality and pure dramatic talent elevated it to a position undreamt of by the author. Mr. Lawler i> an easy, graceful actor, a good reader and a man who uses brain matter in his work. In less impossible parts and given half a chance, he will be a lasting favorite, for those people in that section intuitively discern and reverence stage art. Evelyn Lewis, the leading woman, had little to do, save look handsome and worth lighting for, which required no effort on her part, as nature has been bounteous in her gifts. She is a strikingly handsome woman and yet seems oblivious of the fact. Rather odd in femininity, but quite true in her case. Conscientiousness marks her every move and tone, and in roles requiring power she will prove her mettle. Lee Addison, the bold, bad villain of the play, must have a naturally kind disposition, for the frightful crimes the author forced him to commit seemed to induce a slight nervousness ; possibly the excitement of an opening night and the knowledge that several score friends were in front caused the nervousness noticeable in the first act, but the rest of the play he villained as per schedule, and the hisses fron the virtuous gallery gods spoke volumes. There are always two villains in a well-behaved melodrama, and Edward Clisbee, who did such good work at the Valencia Theatre, was assistant destroyer of happiness; albeit bis role called for a bibulous brand of humor which he retailed in class-. \ style. Clisbee is a comer. Leona Grace McGinn, the soubrette, had two chances and seized them both. As the ragged newsboy who in reality is a girl masquerading, and as that same girl later, cultured and dressed a la Pacific Heights 5 o'clock tea, she was entirely charming and natural. Mary Hilderbrandt, cast for old Judy, a hag. had the longest part in the play. She was" also inclined to villainize. but it was a personal matter and to satisfy an old grudge against the head villain. She worked hard and persevered to the bitter end Richard Ferris, the comedian, was handicapped. Called in at the eleventh hour, owing to a change in the cast, be struggled manfully, and not ineffectuallv, Personal Mention Charley Kavax \<;ii, manager of the Ferris llartman Company, was stricken with apendicitis last Sunday week and for a while his condition was serious. However, skillful treatment avoided an operation and be is now about again, almost well. LeW Spaulding, who is one of the owners of the Ferris Hartman Opera Company, the lessees of the Grand ( )pera I louse of Los Angeles, is thinking seriohsly of putting in bis own company there to play the wild and woolly melos. II. II. FrAzEE is in town waiting for the big tight. Last season Mr. Frazee surprised the wise ones by clearing up an enormous sum piloting the JeffriesGotch show over the country. After the tight. Mr. F razee will direct the world tour of Jeffries, and incidentally cl.an up another fortune. While on the subject of success, we might mention that Mr. F razee is with ( icorge Lcderer th? owner of Mine. Sherry, the big Fastern mhsical success that is mother .Merry Widow. The Frazee star is in the ascendancy, and the young manager is bound to be one of the big ones of America before many years. \V. F. Moliter, one of bis lieut mints, is making the trip with him. drawn Irish policeman.