San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

6 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW October 23, 1909. Correspondence NEW YORK. Oct. 19.— Lest any One might think that Robert Ecleson is (jnl v a comedian, lie last week presented as a curtain raiser to the farce. The Noble Spaniard, a one-act military play of the Philippines, The Outpost. In James F. J. Archibald, in which tragedy was heaped on tragedy. Mr. Edeson as Jeff and Macey Harlam is Billy, were United States soldiers on picket duty in the jungle. It developed that both loved the same girl at home, but Jeff had held out Billy's letters from her, and only when Billy bv a feat of marksmanship saved his life from a native sharpshooter, did his conscience become active enough to cause him to make up his mind to give them to the man for whom they were intended. * Klaw & Krlanger presented for the first time on any stage at the Forrest Theatre, in Philadelphia, on Wednesday evening Mile. Adeline Genee, the famous dancer, in a new musical play by I tarry B. Smith, entitled The Silver Star. The music is by Robert Hood Bow ers, with interpolations by' Jerome and Schwartz and W illiam A. Helen. The special ballet compositions are by C. J. M. Glasser, of Vienna and London. More than one hundred comedian--, singers and dancers are employed. The play opens in front of the mansion of Mr. Wiseheimer ( Barney Bernard) on Fifth avenue on Christmas eve. Professor Dingelblatz ( Geo. Bickel) and Dr. Hornblower (Harry Watson) have been expelled from an itinerary band. They are penniless, and are scheming how to obtain food when they are joined by their adopted daughter, Viola (Elphye Snowdeu). Mr. Wiseheiiner's daughter was stolen eighteen years before the opening of the play. He is giving a children's ball, and from the window spies the musicians and the girl. The resemblance of Viola to his daughter leads him to invite the trio into the house. Ernest Connor (Lee Harrison) schemes with the musicians to pass the girl off as Wiseheiiner's daughter. The only clue is a silver star which the child wore the day she was kidnapped. Connor has had copies made of this star. Wiseheimer is deceived and the act closes with the Christmas hairy played by Mile. Genee. distributing presents from the tree. Mr. Wiseheimer takes his daughter to Europe. All the characters attend a masquerade ball. Because the musicians have refused to share their allowance with Cotirfbr, he schemes to substitute Rosa, a ^ypv:v girl ("Clara Dayton), for Viola. She overhears him say she is not the daughter of Wiseheimer, and like Cinderella, she disappears at midnight. The last act is laid on the banks of the Thames, where Viola and her father again meet, and it is proven to the satisfaction of all that she really is his daughter. * * * One of the funniest things in George M. Cohan's new show isn't in the show at all — or, rather, it isn't supposed to be. It comes at the end of the second act, when, in response to the hosts of admirers out front, Mr. Raymond Hitchcock responded with a speech of thanks. As Mr. Peter Dailey used to say, it was not so much the matter of the speech as the manner in which it was rendered. Mr. Hitchcock will undoubtedly be called upon to repeat the speech; as many nights in fact, as The Man Who Owns Broadway continues to justify its title, and from its opening success it will be a long stayer. And so it would be depriving future visitors to the New York of half their fun to tell them what he had to say about the discovery of the north pole. To tell them how he said it might be acted, but it can't be told. However. Mr. Hitchcock DID say that if the New York public has discovered him and Mr. Cohan's new show — well, THAT for the old pole! The Man Who Owns Broadway when first produced in New York as a serious play under the title of Popularity, but it was treated like a burlesque which it suggested. So Mr. Cohan has apparently decided that he would take . a hand in the guying, also, and he has succeeded. The result is that the new piece, which might be billed as Popularity with Song, just pretends to be serious once in a while, but apparently doesn't believe in seriousness itself, and certainly fools nobody else. Once in a while, also, Mr. Hitchcock pretends to be serious, but he revenges himself by playing other scenes with an underlining of stage directions which turns the drama into burlesque, where it is not already that. The Man Who Owns Broadway is a popular actor person, beloved by the heroine of the play, whose father would wed her where her heart is not, and who is narrowly saved from this sad fate by the cleverness of the actor and the devotion of her brother. Also, her cruel father is saved from the wiles of a smiling villain and a blonde villainess, who at first succeed in having him turn his son from the door. Eventually learning that one good turn deserves another, they are themselves cast out of the house and plot, Mr. Hitchcock is very amusing in every scene in which he appears, his pantomiming being exceptionally lucid and effective, and the others of the cast, including Flora Zabclle. Mark Sullivan. Lora Lieb and Scott Welsh do useful service. * * * After six weeks devoted to the uncertainties of Italian grand opera, which ended in disaster for the enterprise, the Academy of Music returned to the drama last week. A crowd saw Cleveland Moffctt's sociological drama, The Battle, in which Wilton Lackaye appeared again. This timely and sensible drama preaches the gospel of soap, fresh air and optimism. Newcomers in the cast are Thomas McGrane. in the sympathetic role of Gentle, and Harry Milliard as the hero, Philip. Clara Blaridick was Margaret, and Julie Heme portrayed Jennie. * * * Under the personal supervision of Charles Frohman, Theodore Burt Sayres's new American play. The Commanding Officer, had its first production at Ford's Grand Opera House, Baltimore, last week. The scenes are laid at Fort Butler, Nev.. and present an interesting picture of social life within the limits of a United States army post. * * * Wagenhals & Kemper have engaged Georgia O'Ramey for the Rinehart-Hopwood play. Seven Days. Miss O'Ramey was a musical comedy star on the Pacific Coast up to a year or so ago. She was brought East by Maxine Elliott. * * * Israel, a new drama in three acts by Henri Bernstein, author of The Thief, received its first performance in English at the Apollo Theatre, Atlantic City, last week. In the audience were Charles Frohman and Augustus Thomas. The company included Constance Collier, the English actress ; Graham Browne, Edwin Arden and The Hotel Dale ON THE EIALTO — HOME OF THE PROFESSION — SPECIAL RATES Only First-Class European Hotel close to The Garrlck, Princess, Novelty, National. Alcazar, or Pantages — SAN FRANCISCO SPECIAL — We make a feature of Breakfasts Served in Booms COB. GOLDEN OATE AVE. AND FILLMORE ST. Take McAllister Street and Turk and Eddy Street Cars at the Ferry Stage Hardware Clancys umn^ W 974 Market Str< Phone Franklin 1506 Street SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. Dallas Anderson. The action first unfolds itself in the lounging room of the Rue Royale Club. A group of young Parisians are banded together out of a common hatred for Jews of all classes. Their leader is Thibault de Croucy. Foremost in his hatred is the Hebrew banker. Gutlieb. Thibault decides to force ( lutlieb to resign from the Rue Royale Club, and Upon Gutlieb's refusal, insults him. A challenge to a duel follows. Thibault's mother, the Duchess de Croucy. hears of the impending duel and tries to prevent it. She vainly implores her son to prevent the duel, and after his refusal and at the last extremity, sends for Gutlieb. She is in the midst of her appeal to him to decline to fight when her son unexpectedly enters the room. As soon as the banker has left Thibault demands an explanation. The young man finally wrenches from his mother that he himself is a Jew and if he carries out his word and kills his adversary he will kill one of his own kind. The young man's pride is dashed to the ground. I Ie fights, but barely scratches his adversary ; he is ashamed to face his friends. He hides himself away in his studio like a hunted animal. There seems no way out but death. The play as acted here has a happy ending. * * * Lina Abarbanell appeared for the first time in the role of Xellie Vaughn in The Love Cure at the New Amsterdam Theatre last week. When the operetta was selected for production Mme. Abarbanell was intended for this part, but illness prevented her taking it at the beginning of the season. Last night she received a hearty welcome. Two new songs have been introduced for her use — Flirtation, sung with male chorus in the first act, and Remembrance, sung in the third. * * * The attraction at the Majestic Theatre beginning on Monday next, following A Citizen's 1 lome. will be a new play entitled Two Women and That Man. The piece is by Henry 1). Carey son of the late Judge Henry D. Carey of New York. The story is laid in Forty Mile. Alaska, and deals with an actual incident that happened during the Klondike excitement. Mr. Carey will play an important role himself. * * * j]ie founders of the New Theatre, which opens its first season Monday, November 8, with Antony and Cleopatra, have caused to be constructed in the basement a fireproof vault in which all the records of the playhouse will be kept. Among the things to be preserved are prompt books of the plays produced, photographs of the players, scene models, costume plates, photographs of every bit bf scenery and flashlight photographs of dress rehearsals. * * * Charles Richman has been engaged to play the leading male role with Mary Ma'nnering in Kiddie, a new play by Rachel Crothers. Among the members of the company are John Sain polis. Grant Mitchell. Arthur Berthelot, Teresa Dale, Helen Armsby. Gertrude Short and Irene Kingsley. * * * The Messrs. Shubert announce that rehearsals of The City, the last and most ambitious serious drama by the late Clyde Fitch, have begun under the direction of John Emerson. Walter Hampden will play the leading role. * * * Mclntyre and Heath, that funny minstrel pair who have been seen in various kinds of clean amusement, sometimes in vaudeville and sometimes in musical comedy, have just finished a successful engagement at the Circle Theatre in their latest musical farce by John J. McXally entitled In Hayti. The music and the lyrics are by Jerome and Schwartz, two of the cleverest songsmiths in the business. In his plot, McNally has taken the two blackfaced comedians from a hotel at an Indiana watering place down to Hayti to take part in a revolution by serving temporarily as the bogus President ond Treasurer of the Republic respectively. Like The Ham Tree in which Messrs. Mclntyre and Heath were previously starred by their present managers, Klaw & Erlanger, In Hayti gives them plenty of opportunity in its three acts to introduce their old time vaudeville situations with up-to-date dialogue and mirth provoking nonsense. The two star comedians are ably assisted by Julian Rose who also gets a chance in the course of the performance to introduce the specialty aboutLcvinski's wedding which has made him so well know n in vaudeville. One thing personally I like about Messrs. Mclntyre and Heath's new musical show is that although full of bright scenes with plenty of girls and all of the accessories which constitute the average musical comedy of the day, there is nothing which could offend; no coarse jokes; no double entendres; no vulgarity of any kind, i It is the kind of a play to which a fellow could with propriety take his sister or his be>t girl and have a laughable time. In these days when some of the New York plays' are being condemned on account of their intentional indelicacy, it is a pleasure to record for this Klaw & Erlanger production that it is funny and enjoyable without being in the least offensive. * * * Hattie Williams is also leaving town after a successful run at the Garrick in Michael Morton's comedy drama entitled Detective Sparkes. The scene of interesting play is in and about London, and the whole action is supposed to occur between 5 o'clock in the afternoon and 3 o'clock the following morning (that is the same night ). All of the excitement is about the mysterious ascension of a certain lady with a gentleman in a balloon. It is needless to say that the cause of alarm is over the fact that the lady did not go up in the balloon with her own husband. Her sister ( Hattie Williams " in the play ) decides to help her out of