San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW September 30th, 1899 THt.SAN IUAMISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW ansa v. sra: , A-ww*Jt «tgrt flC^— *t u4 flvtsiul evtnrs ( Sixteen Pages ) San Francisco, Sept. 30, 1899 Ten Cents a Copy— $3.00 per Year For Sale at all News Stands DRAMATIC REVIEW PUBLISHING COMPANY, Publishers 22}4 Geary Street wm. d. wasson . chas. h. farrell c. h. lombard Editor Business Manager Secretary and Treasurer From mountain, beach and countryside, From o'er the raging main, In long procession fleetly comes The actor's varied train. Their summer o'er, they wait at will, Prepared to do their part To bring a smile to Sorrow's face, A sigh from Feeling's heart. Content to give one in their turn, They only ask a show — They stand all life's epitome, A world in embryo. No better moral's taught than theirs: That, while he has his day The prudent man will always mix With work a little play. There has been little in the way of thrilling situations, where these could be brought about by mechanical effects, that has not been already utilized by writers of melodrama, but it would seem the possibilities in such directions are not yet entirely exhausted. A news item the other day told of a man who was cleaning a beer vat in a big Jersey brewery when through some inadvertance the big knives which formed part of the tub's malting machinery began to move, and started a death race, it being impossible for the cleaner to get out while the murderous blades were in motion. Fortunately his cries at last brought help, and he was rescued more dead than alive. The situation is rich in applications, and might somehow be especially worked into a modernized edition of some temperance play, say " Ten Nights in a Bar Room." ¥ ¥ A Washington paper tries to take composers and brass bands to task by asserting that it is impudent charlatanism for them to attempt to realize by any combination of horns, drums, etc. , what the programs announce as "descriptive" pieces, storms, battles or races, for instance, and that the public should be assumed to know better than to be capable of being taken in by like pretenses. While no reform is likely to be brought about in the habits of program-makers by discussion of the subject, acceptance of the "descriptive" musical piece certainly does not require a greater stretch of imagination than do many dramatic contrivances. To what extent has the sense of congruity been shocked at times by six miserable supers being passed off for an immense army, a couple of wooden goblets doing duty for a magnificent banquet or a woman weighing possibly two hundred pounds wanting to pass muster as a fain ? These are only a few cases out of many where if the composer or bandmaster desires to keep his "descriptive" compositions in countenance, he has not far to seek. ¥ ¥ That Shakespeare was a complete student of the human heart almost every line in his work shows. Thus when he put it on record that we know what we are but know not what we may be, he was merely indulging in one of those reflections that universal every-day experience corroborates. Making the matter personal, however, and bringing an illustration of the truth home to himself there was recently given in Chicago a Yiddish version of " Hamlet" in which the usual melancholy Dane is a young rabbi, who comes home to find his father has been murdered. The scene is cast in Poland in modern times. There is a fight fistic between Hamlet and his uncle, and the play scene is taken out. Hamlet is married to Ophelia by the mystic "black marriage" of the ancient Jews when she is dead and about to be buried. Then Hamlet goes mad, jumps into the grave and dies. ¥ ¥ Paul Potter, known as a dramatist more because of the success of his stage version of Trilby than from any of his other contributions to the stage, is reported to have decided to give up all stage work, finding it far from remunerative. After the great success of Trilby, Potter tried the Conquerors on the New York public, but its salacious details failed to bring it success. Later on, various other plays were launched, but met with poor success. Now Mr. Potter is going to be the foreign news editor of the New York Herald, and will devote himself exclusively to the duties of that post in the future. His action will cause many who are already rather skeptical on the subject of the royal road open to playwrights, to be still more skeptical as to the advisability of devoting a life to writing plays, and as one scribbler says, "If here is one of the fortunate men who has mastered the trick of producing the sort of material the public apparently wishes to procure, a chap who gave 'Trilby' to the world and made the stupendous profits that he was popularly credited with on that fad play, decides he can do better in another place it is not to be wondered that it would give pause to the rising generation of dramatists." ¥ ¥ The sales of the Dramatic Review are increasing every week and already the newsdealers, not only of the Coast but in the East, have doubled their orders. In a few weeks the Revihw will be on sale in every city in the United States and in Paris and London. Don't think for a minute that the Review's circulation is confined to San Francisco. Every manager in the country reads this paper every week. It is the best advertising medium of its kind west of New York. De Wolfe Grasshopper is having all kinds of fun over in dear old Hingland. He is telling the Hinglish how badly nauseous are the American newspapers when it comes to family (stage) affairs. In view of DeWolf 's many matrimonial unsuccesses, it would appear far better had he said never a word. Some people never know when they've said enough. ¥ ¥ HERE AND THERE The Alice Neilsen Opera Company this season numbers more than one hundred persons, including twenty orchestra players. * * * A sharp-eyed critic has discovered some new testimony that tends to confirm conviction of Dorothy Usner's originality — she plays soubrette parts without the help of a feather duster. * New York likes to boast of its "cynical Broadway audience," but the nude fact is, there never was more "jay" enthusiasm over puerile plays than the chance visitor to a Broadway theater usually encounters. * * It is rumored that a new Chinese comic opera, "Yung Shai or the Mandarin's Daughter," may be seen shortly at the Garrick in London, and that the chief part will be played by Caro Roma, the American prima donna who was not so long ago a Tivoli favorite. * * * "Papa's Wife" is the name of the piece in which Anna Held is to be starred this season. It is by Harry B. Smith and Reginald DeKoven, and among the capable players engaged to appear in it are M. A. Kennedy and Henry Bergman. * * * The Hoyt-McKee Company that went to Australia with "A Stranger in New York" and a "Trip to Chinatown" has made a big hit in every town in the Colonies where the company played. A letter from a member says that they played to packed houses every night in Melbourne, prices ranging from one to five shillings. The engagement in Melbourne lasted eight weeks, alternating with the Stranger and a Trip. Helen Merrill, a Tivoli favorite, is a member of the company. Her success has been complete. The managers released Madeline Lack and Robert Dunbar and they are coming home. Modjeska s First (American (Appearance* I T is not news that Modjeska made her first American appearance in this city at the old California Theater, but now that she is again with us, it may be interesting to recall the incident of her debut. It was through Barton Hill and John McCullough that the great Polish actress made her first appearance here. Barton Hill tells the story himself : "It was about twenty years ago when John said to me: 'I am going to Menlo Park to stay with some friends, for I am sick. Yet I have made an appointment with a lady to see her act this afternoon. I can'tdo it; I'm sick. Now, I wish you would go to her, make my apologies, hear her recite and give me your opinion.' I protested, because I knew he could hear her if he but thought so, and he replied: "Oh, if it's necessary I'll give you a physician's certificate that I'm ill.' The lady came that afternoon, accompanied by a friend who was teaching her English, and she gave the last scene from 'Adrieune Lecouvreur.' I listened attentively and praised her earnestly when she had finished. I did not tell her just what I thought of her, for fear I would raise her hopes too high. John came home that night and said in his brusque way: 'Well, did you see her?' 'Yes,' I answered. 'What did you think of her?' Then I was enthusiastic. 'She is a revalation, a wonder. I am more than surprised, I am astounded.' Then John was interested. 'Eh !' he said. 'Sorry I didn't hear her. Suppose she would come again ?' 'If she did,' I replied jestingly, 'you probably would be sick'. "Madame came the next day, and McCullough was even more pleased than I. He grabbed her by the hand and said: 'You may have an engagement for as long as you wish.' "Every one knows the rest. Mme. Helena Modjeska made her debut, and I have always claimed the honor of being her first American audience." Here is a copy of the letter written by Modjeska begging for the opportunity which McCullough gave her: Mr. John McCullough — Dear Sir— Fardon the liberty I take in addressing you, but being a stranger here, I know of no other way of approaching you. I have been introduced to you, but do not know whether you remember me or not. I came from Europe last year, in October, and met you at the Occidental Hotel. You were so kind as to offer to play Hamlet with me, but I could not decide to appear in a foreign language and determined to learn English. Now I am ready to go on the American stage and knowing you to be so obliging and being quite alone in this wide foreign world I turn to you for advice. Please let me know when and where I can meet you. I know very well that you are very much engaged, but perhaps you can find some time give to me, an artist and a stranger. Yours truly, Helen Bozenta, 3330'Farrell Street. (Modjeska.) Read the Dramatic Review.