The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

June 27, 1914 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW 1 Columbia Theatre Wallace IMunro's all-star players opened their limited stock season at the Columbia last Monday evening", whereat there is joy in the land. For a more well-balanced, efficient, pol- ished band of actors, with a higher av- erage of intelligence or a greater fund of humor, could scarcely be met on a summer's day; indeed, this is a strik- ing' company, with a distinguished per- sonnel, and one that lives up to its in- dividual and collective reputation. The play of the week, Wilde's The Im- portance of Being Earnest, is admir- able fooling, filled with irresistibly comic situations, developed in the leisurely manner befitting true comedy. Its familiar quotations fit into the mood of your tired business man with the ease of a well-worn shoe ; yet it stimulates, too, with the pointed wit of epigrams whose full meaning is as elusive as the will o' the wisp or final causes. The quaintly-stilted, elaborate phraseology belongs to a decade or so ago when conversation was a con- scious art, and its shafts of wit and flowing periods do not drop too easily from tongues trained to the shorthand dialogue of today. But it is interest- ing to note the changes wrought by time in the style and cut of plays, and its appeal is surely as strong as ever. Thanks to the keen insight and sure, direct method of the interpreting com- pany, not a point is lost, and voices, enunciation and diction, all the arts of fine breeding, add to the efifect. Hence, as I said before, the joy. Chas. Ricli- man, who heads the cast, is an old friend. Were I inclined to remini.sce I might date him back to the time when he stepped into John Drew's shoes and played Charles Surface to Ada Rehan's incomparable Lady Tea- zle at the old Baldwin Theatre, but he doesn't look it, and it is enough to say that for some years I have ad- mired the way his mental grasp kept pace with the growth of technical dex- terity. He plays John Worthing, the amusing Jekyll-Hyde role of light comedy, with perhaps a shade too much of the Clara for my personal taste, but a complete, well defined con- sistent characterization nevertheless— a distinct personality. Charles Cherry, v>'hom I have met less frequently but with no less pleasure, is the Algernon Moncrieff, and his work is the last cry in artistry. Mr. Cherry is a cap- ital light comedian—easy, natural, nonchalant, with an exceptionally fine voice, an utter absence of manner and self-consciousness, and the further gift of sympathy. And almost in the same breath I would mention George Stuart Christie, whose handling of the lesser role of Lane is a master- ])iece; has unctuous appreciation of the lines falling to his lot, and the (juiet, telling emphasis of their de- livery ; his ostentatious, obsecjuious at- tention to business, makes him a king among man-servants. Gladys Han- son, the Hon. Gwendoline Fairfax, who lives a romantic life inside her shell of social convention, was last here with Sothern at the Van Ness, when her beauty and her talent created no end of comment. The Lady Gwen- doline has really very little to do, be- yond a certain physical, almost pugil- istic, control of the situation in the first act, and the (|uarrel with Cecily later in the play ; but that little Miss Hanson accomplishes with inimitable seriousness and reserve. Incidentally, for it is less important than her abil- ity, she is more beautiful than ever. Cecily Cardew, by the way, is played delightfully by little Carrol McComas, who is a most attractive ingenue, be- sides belonging to us, and Frank Kingdon gives us a clever bit of cliar- acter portraiture in Rev. Canon Chasuble, who is twin brother in the flesh of one of our local Church of England rectors. Joan Dana's Miss Prism is refined caricature, and John Raymond is another of those perfect butlers without whom no linglish household is complete. And Rose Coghlan—well Rose Coghlan is Lady Bracknell, forerunner of the present militant development, brisk, capable, despotic and managing, wanting the more public outlet for her vitality, and Rose Coghlan is the final perfec- tion of the cast. Always vital and magnetic, she personifies the uncom- promising strength of England and dominates the audience as well as her stage family and their friends and re- lations. Yet I like to think back to her Rosalind in Sutro's Garden, over- iianging the Clifif House, and wonder if she sometimes remembers the old days. Taken altogether, a short cast and a merry one, which promises much for the rest of the engagement. Cort Theatre Omar tlie Tentmaker, as portrayed by Ckiy Bates Post, will conclude its two weeks of highly successful busi- ness with tonight's performance, and move over to ()aklan(l. The Richard Walton Tully play has caught with a vivid grasp the fancy and romantic interest of theatregoers, and ought to be one of the season's big winners. Alcazar Theatre Snow White is another Blue Bird, with all the bewildering beauty, the charming story, the poetic .symbolism and spiritual u])lift of that play trans- lated into simple terms that appeal to even the most youthful understanding. It foll(3ws closely the lines of the fairy tale which the Brothers Grimm have made such a universal favorite, de- ])arting from it only to meet the re- quirements of continuity or dramatic effect, without lessening its charming simplicity. In substituting the Witch Hox for part of the magic mirror, something of adornment is gained .for the tale and something of strength in driving home the lesson that no magic in the world is so powerful to ])reserve beauty and happiness as the virtues of kindness and love, forgetfulness of self and thoughtfulness of others. It is a fairy play, full of the atmosphere of the childhood of the world when fairies and dwarfs and witches were as much a part of the scheme of tilings as the mortals themselves, and tile yXlcazar people have caught and preserved that abnosphcre. They have costumed the characters and placed them in surroundings exactly in accordance with childish tradition, and the result is a dream realized All the characters arc here in the flesh, as lieautiful and dramatic as the most critical could wish—lovely princess, handsome prince, wicked .stepmother, kindly dwarfs, terrible witch—and the tale runs its stirring course to the blissful end where virtue is rewarded and vice punished, and they all live happy ever after. All praise to tiic Alcazar management for leaving the beaten track and striking out into fresh fields, while giving the public the chance of seeing something that skil- fully and entertainingly hides its high moral i)urpose under so well construc- ted, so beautifully mounted, so finely acted a production as Snow White, liven if a car])ing critic might quarrel with some minor detail, the big fact remains that a fine thing has been pro- duced and ]M-oduced at a price that |mts it within the reach of all who have the taste to ajiprcciate it. 1 Jessie Barriscale is a perfect Snow White, with the sweetness, the tenderness, the ingenuousness, the sincerity and the appealing gentleness that is associated with that lovely princess. She dan- ces gracefully, too, and makes a charming picture, with Edmond Lowe, the irresistible Prince Florimond, wdio is as perfect in his conception of the part as he is handsome in it. Louise Brow'Uell is the beautiful, wicked stepmother to the life, gor- geous as the part demands and mis- chievous enough to stir the most soph- isticated, more mischievous even than the old Witch Hox, whom Howard Hickman makes one ol the picturesque features of the play, whether she be sailing through the gloom on a broom- stick, perching on the side of the steaming caldron, surrounded by glowing skulls and green snakes, or concocting hair-restorer with the aid of her fiery-eyed black cat (played by Clifl:' Stewart with startingly realistic effect). Thurston Hall, in a red wig, is the tender-hearted huntsman, Berthold, and Kernan Cripps is the l^ompously lovable old court chamber- lain ridiculed by the dainty maids of honor. The seven good little dwarfs wdio play such an important part in be- friending Snow White are delightful- ly led by Burt Wesner and S'. A. Bur- ton, with tiny Francesca Avila bring- ing up the rear. Gaiety Theatre This house, for the time being, is playing pictures, which it probably will do for s()me weeks. Personal Mention ~ Jean Kirby, the statuesquely beau- tiful young actress, will join the Red- mond stock, playing both Sacramento and San Jose. It will be recalled that in A Fool There Was in Seattle re- cently she created a furore in the lead- ing part. 1 <!| Georck MacOuarrik and Helen MacKeller, two Coast actors who have carried the fame of the West through- out the East for the past two years, arrived here Thursday on a visit. They have a two-years' contract with Brady and Broadhurst, and will open in New York in September. George is looking splendid and Mrs. George is more beautiful and bewitching than ever. T \i L.\ST week h'red (iiesea was made a two times father. This time it is a boy. With two daughters and a son and heir now, things are looking pret- ty. Married life is very enjoyable to the Oakland, Sacramento, Stockton, San Jose manager. Papa Giesca is wearing a smile that won't rub off, for although he has two charming little daugiiters tlie circle never seemed c|uite complete until liie ar- rival of the little male of the species. Isn't it strange how daddies simply gloat over the re[)roduction of their sex! Correspondence SALT LAKh: CITY, lune 23.— S.VLT LAKh: Theatre "last week pla)e<l to very fair business with Oliver i\Iorosco's big successful ])lay, IVg o' My Heart, already jiresented on the Coast, and its theme and set- tings well known of. Advance no- tices touted Peggy O'Xeil, who re- ceived such glowing notices on the Coast for her brilliant work, to as- sume the leading role, Init several days before the engagement ojiened we were informed that Florence Martin would be seen here. We haven't had an opportunity of seeing either the originator, Laurette Taylor or Peggy O'Neil in the part, but from the man- ner in which jiretty Miss Martin, with her wealth of auburn hair, played the role of Peg, don't consider that we missed anything, and it would be hard to imagine anybody getting more out of the part than this able lady did. The supporting company is excellent, with but very few weak spots. This is the last attraction at this house for the season, and the doors have been locked for the usual summer dark spell. The UTAH and GARRICK theatres have now also settled into wdiat appears to be an uninterrupted summer sleep. PANTAGES bill is a good one and drawing big business. Lottie Mayer and her diving nymphs headline, drawing well. Others: Scliiller String Quartette, lady in- strumentalists ; Conialla and Wilbur, the Tommy Atkins ; Joe Loccr, char- acter changes; Rackett, Hoover and Markey, and Betting Bruce and Chas. Keane in the comedietta, Cupid M. D. EMPRESS bill is headlined by the Seven Picchianis, gymnasts par ex- cellence. Others: Morrissey and Hackett, singing their own songs; Salvation Sue, a sketch presented by David Walters & Co., Wliitticr's Bare- foot Boy, and Frank and Pauline Berry, instrumentalists. The Key- stone laugh film is also a regular proposition for this house now. Sam Loeb and his company, including Ketchner and Thornton, Celeste Brooks, and the dancing dolls, are ])resenting a show that is highly pleas- ing at the PRINCESS, captioned Ba- bies a la Carte, Mr. Loeb playing straights for the first time during his present run, which is now going on its twentieth week at this house, and bidding fair to lK)ld out for some time to come. Several unique novelty dan- cing numbers are being introduced away from the general chorus work, whicii is meeting with general ap- proval on the part of the patrons. I'ord Sterling and his Keystone laugh films seem to have caught on strong local- ly, the weekly showing of this brand of ])ictures now being a regular thing for the Rex, Princess, Pantages and the Fmpress ; it certainly must require liiat inimitable ])icture iierformer to work day and nigiit to supjily suffi- cient material if iiis popularity is the .same elsewhere as it is here. Gentry Bros.' animal shows held forth for three days last week. R. STELTER. Mkta Marsky, who has Iiad years of experience and has been po])ular in leads in the Northwest for .several seasons pa.st, is now finishing her en- gagement as second woman with the lid. Redmond Stock of Sacramento, and closes July 5. Miss Marsky is open to offers, care of this office.