San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

January 2, 1909. THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW 5 SlS Hopkins is Very Popular in Los Angeles and Finds Two Weeks There Very Profitable Los Anoeles, December 31. — Benefit plans, theatrical changes, grand opera, and a general revival of the amusement enterprises locally have characterized the passing of the holidays. W e've all been too busy really to know just which way things were turning, but enough has happened to make a bit of interesting reading. In the first place, the reorganized BelascoBlackwood company, with Lewis S. Stone as its bright and particular star, enjoyed a most auspicious opening at the rejuvenated Belasco Theatre Monday evening, and despite the social and musical counter attraction of the Sparks-Berry grand opera at the Mason, there was an overflow house to say nothing of the overflow of good feeling, cordiality and general comraderie which prevailed. John H. Blackwood recovered from his recent indisposition — he was threatened with pneumonia but managed to side-step it — and resplendent in brand new open front clothes, shone genially in the front of the house. On the stage the pick and flower of the two companies joined in giving so good a performance of The Easterner that the house was loth to leave even after the performance was over. Stone had to make a speech and was particularly happy in it. while Florence Oakley and the other ladies of the company were literally smothered in the floral offerings profusely showered at them by the delighted audience. But more of that anon. Lillian Albertson, formerlv leading woman with the Belasco company and incidentally the most popular leading woman the old Belasco company ever had. occupied a box with her husband. A. J. Levy, opening night. Plans for the Glazier benefit are rapidly taking on a degree of definiteness. The committee having the matter in charge have a vast abundance of excellent talent available, and will select a program which will run about three hours and a half. Dick Ferris will be stage manager, and that is sufficient guarantee that the affair will move briskly and without unnecessary delays. Tickets have been placed on sale and members of the Thespian colony are meeting with hearty receptions in their disposal of them, one actor having disposed of 150 in one day. They sell at Si. 00 each, except for the boxes, which will be raffled or auctioned off. While the primary purpose of the benefit is to raise $1,700 with which to pay off the mortgage on the Glazier home at Glendale, it is desired to accomplish more than that, and to roll up a little balance for the widow and son to care for their immediate needs pending the settlement of the estate, since practically all of the dead actor's assets were invested in real estate and other securities not easily or quickly negotiable. In addition to the Glazier benefit, a benefit performance will be given by Signor Lambardi's Italian opera singers at the Mason Sunday afternoon for the earthquake stricken Italian sufferers. It will be remembered that Italy responded liberally at the time of the San Francisco disaster, contributing some $400,000. Southern California, not to be backward in reciprocation, is actively at work raising money to be sent the sufferers. Official municipal action is being taken, and the benefit Sunday will be a part of the Los Angeles contribution. A large attendance is expected. Mrs. Mae Scott, matron at the Orpheum, was the recipient of a handsome little private "benefit" at the hands of her fellow employes at Manager Drown's theatre. Mrs. Scott met with an accident while visiting a friend who was a patient at one of the hospitals, falling and breaking her leg. The attaches of the Orpheum raised a very comfortable little purse among themselves to a>sist in tiding the popular woman through her misfortune. Reports that Ferris Ilartman is to close his season at the Grand in a fortnight or three weeks are meeting with a strenuous denial both from the actor-manager himself and from the management of the house as well. Announcement of future play plans is made as proof of an intention to play an extended season. Business has been eminently satisfactory. The Toymaker, now in its second week, is doing a fine business. The Auditorium Company, proprietors of the Theatre Beautiful, are organizing a musical extravaganza company to occupy its stage. Musical extravaganza upon an elaborate scale is to be produced, with a bigger chorus than was ever attempted in Los Angeles, and a list of principals which shall, it is promised, include the names of at least two well known and nationally famous operatic and musical comedy stars. The chorus is in course of organization and training for the opening, planned January 18. Florence Leslie is in charge of the training and will stage the musical numbers and effects during the life of the season. The names of the principals are withheld, but it is stated that they will be eminent people in their lines and that only big spectacular extravaganzas will be produced. BELASCO— The Easterner. in which the new BelascoBlackwood company makes its debut this week, is providing capital entertainment for the crowded houses which have gathered at every performance to welcome Star Stone and his associates "backhome." Mr. Stone plays the role of an Eastern chap, obtaining his first view of California and the West, incidentally falling in love with a pretty Californian girl and getting into all kinds of trouble to save her brother from the consequences of his sixteenyear-old folly. The part is handled with Stone's customary aplomb and finish, and pleases highly. So does Florence Oakley's presentment of the heroine, whom she makes a most lovable young woman. Aside from the leading roles, and in fact in justice to the young woman, I had almost said "bedide," Beatrice Noyes makes the hit of the piece by her handling of the ingenue role entrusted to her. Chas. Ruggles plays the young brother, De Witt C. Jennings the sheriff, Howard Scott the villain, a polished man of the world, and the balance of the big company are congenially provided with parts. Victor Schertzinger's unique orchestra, composed entirely of reed and string instruments, provides delightful incidental music. BURBANK— Zira, capitally staged and well played throughout, is Manager Morosco's offering of the week. Mary Hall's handling of the old Margaret Anglin role is quite easily the strongest thing she has done since she has filled her leading position with the Burbank company. The part is one testing the versatility and emotional ability of an actress severely, and Miss Hall responds nobly to the demands upon Iter. Her third act climax is a revelation. William Desmond is the clergyman-lover and does as much with the part as the part will permit, which is all that could be asked. A. Byron Beasley as the unfortunate suitor who goes to India, earns much sympathy for the character and is entitled to distinct credit for his good work. Louise Royce is the deceived aunt and makes a decidedly lovable old woman out of her, despite her verbal attempts to create the impression that she is hard hearted. The company is well disposed in the various parts, and the performance is a credit to the house and its workers. MAJESTIC— Rose Melville in her perennial success. Sis Hopkins, has been "turnin" 'em away" at Manager Morosco's new playhouse all week, and bids fair to continue so to do for another week to come. The play and its quaint central character is doubtless known to everybody the country over, for we are told by the lady's capable press agent that it is her eleventh year, and certain it is that I myself remember to have seen it a good nine or ten years ago. However, it still carries the heart throbs that interest and the comedy which makes the world laugh, so there is naught but a cheerful welcome and generous patronage accorded it. Of the star herself it is only just to say that her living of the role for so long has but made her the more natural and pleasing. Her supporting company this year is far superior to any I remember to have seen with Miss Melville and the production is benefited accordingly. MASOX — It is a crying shame that so eminently capable an organization as the gra.nd opera company which our bid friend Sparks M. Berry has brought to the Coast should not meet with better patronage that has been accorded it here. Headed by a cast of artists who both sing and act wonderfully well, and the organization, even to the chorus, far in excess of what has been offered here for years in genuine merit, the patronage has been to a startling degree from the ranks of the middle classes, not from the opulent and supposably "generous patrons of art and music" who ordinarily occupy the boxes and expensive seats. As a matter of fact, there aren't any expensive scats when the merit of the offering is considered, but the $2.00 parquet seats are the ones which have been empty, the seats ranging in price from 75 cents to $1.50 having supplied the audiences that have attended. True, it is just after the Xmas expenditures, really very liberal here this year, but that should rather make a difference in the sales of seats in the cheaper parts of the house, one would think. As a matter of fact. I believe that a newspaper friend of mine has it figured out right when he says that "if the grand opera season had been worked up as a gigantic society event, with the seats at $3.00 and $5.00, the newly rich and social pretenders would have broken their necks getting into their swell clothes and automobiles to attend. Impresario I^ambardi has been giving excellent opera, his repertoire including Kigoletto, II Trovatore. La Boheme. Carmen. Faust and La Tosca. Seventeen principals of European tame head the company. Among them are Sig. Alessandro Modesti. Eugenio Battin. Paul Wuhnan. Elvira Campoli, Alessandro Scalabrini, Delores Fran, GuisSeppe Pimazzani, Artidoro Mauceri. Ester Ferrabini. Tosi-Arrizoni, Geraldi Graziana. Giovanni Martino. Xatile Cervi and Angelo Antola. The orchestra is under the direction «>f Agidc lacchia. ORIMIEYM— It is left for a holdover team this week at the ( >rpheum to do us the most good in honest laughter. Raymon and Caverly. after a session of reverse English, cast back to the burlesque stunt of grand opera, and made the subject of their attack Carmen. When they finished there was nothing left of the dear old girl but shreds and giggles. Heading the new bill comes Felice Morris, daughter of the late Felix Morris, whose death removed America's foremost comedian. Her offering. The ( )ld. Old Story, by Francis Wilson, proves a decidedly agreeable sketch. Miss Morris has in it a part jn st fitted to her talents, and the story told by the sketch is delightful. Capable support is a feature. Ethel Green makes a lovely Xell Brinkley girl, and sings like a prima donna. She is assisted in her tour of Spooney ville by Billy Gaston, whose forte is an eccentric dance. Anita Lawrence and Harry Linton have a pretty little sketch. Married Xow, in which Mr. and Mr-. Xewly Wed jostle songs and quips gaily about the stage. Happy Jack Gardner comes again with a deft mixture of old fun and new. his Supply being exhausted before the audience has had enough. The balance of the bill is g< >od. fontinfation of bos axc.krfs EMPIRE — Petite, grateful, artistic Bessie Nicholson, a young violinist Whose DttUsicianly playing easily entitles her to first place on the current olio at the Empire. Is a young unman who should uive a good account of herself later. Already she lias ac( omplishe I masterful effects. Will Clark sings effective Pass solos, and for an encore presents bird calls and other imitations that win both laughter and admiration. Some clever buck and wing dancing by Raus Smith, accompanied by a monologue which does the black face I comedian proud, provides the last new act on the program. Vier and Nellie Mill offer Illustrations, there are good motion pictures and the stock company amuses with another of Al Frank's one-act farces. Kuchered. FISCHER'S -Poppyland at Fischer's this week proves a genuine surprise to patrons of the house. Telling the tale of an opium Mend confined in a sanitarium and of his impositions on the other patients there, the piece is full to the brim with bright comely and replete with original songs which lit the situation. Ren Dillon, who plays the opium (lend, offers a distinct creation which more than does him credit, and his blase singing of the Queen of Bavaria proves one of the hits of the piece, l.ibby Mlondell. cast as a young school girl, sings The Girl Worth While, a song which is being sung and whistle I all over town. Mlldre I Manning, who substitutes for Nellie .Montgomery, still too III to resume her work, makes a capital Becky, and sings I Want to Be Bike Bnvelorn Juliet pleasingly. Max Bloom Is n sickly Hebrew and slugs I Don't Want to Be an Actor Any More. Aubrey Car Is the Kminent Dr. Pest, and his song Introducing himself Is well received. Frank Vack as a French nobleman and Laurel Atkins as an old maidish widow of wealth complete the cast. Mr. Vack Singing Monsieur Be Fount. BOS A NOKBKS — There Is a vaudeville team at the Bos Angeles Theatre this week with Scotch names. Fngllsh accents, German fnces and Hungarian uniforms. Seemingly you take your choice. The team Is billed as the Musical Me l.a iirlns. There are live of them and all five play upon nil sorts of Instruments. Four of them dance cleverly and one of them sings. The act Is good In the main, but is bad in spots, the spots being chlelly upon the skirts ot the young women. Perhaps the cleverest act upon the program Is contributed by Pastor and Merle, man and woman, whose comedy acrobatic stunts are worth a good laugh any day in the week. De Voy and the Dayton Sisters contribute an old-time song and dance number which was new In the late '60's. Madame Kessley's marlon Contimied on page 12.