San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

8 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW March io, 1900 Correspondence and Comments NEW YORK Special Correspondence. New York, March 4. — My Daughter-inLaw, a comedy from Paris, acted by comedians from London, was produced at the Lyceum last week by a company which had already performed the English version on one of Charles Frohmau 's stages in the Iiritish capital. The reputation of Fanny Hrough and Herbert Standing had preceded them, and they lived up to their reputations as comedians. One was the mother-in-law and the other was the father-in-law. Americans in the cast were Ferdinand Gottschalk, who played the part of a deaf musician, and Margaret Robinson, who was an alluring Countess. Two of the importations were Seymour Hicks and Ellaline Terriss, clever burlesquers, who had been seen here before. There was not a weak member in the cast, and although few persons imagined that there was anything new to be learned about a mother-in-law, Carre and Bilbaud in the original French comedy certainly discovered an unworked mine. The story is that of a mother-in-law who does not like her son's choice for a wife, and after the marriage, having become suspicious that her daughterin-law was not all that she should be, endeavors to catch her so that her son may get a divorce and marry the Countess. But the fact of the matter is that the young wife is a good woman, and the fun of the comedy lies largely in the mountain which the mother-in-law tries to make out of domestic mole hills. The play acted poorly would be very stupid, but in the hands of such a capable company the whole entertainment is one that can be thoroughly enjoyed by persons of refinement. * * * Mam'zelle 'Awkins, which began at the Victoria last week, would have been a variety show if it had not had a little story about a rich cockney girl who wanted to wed an English nobleman but instead wedded an Irishman who turned out to be a Scotchman. The scenes of this musical comedy were laid in England, but the language was taken from the Tenderloin, and many of the jokes were coarse and will in time be replaced by cleaner ones. Richard Carle, the author, played the part of a hypocritical clergyman. Most of his verses were good and Herman Perlet's music had the element of popularity in it. Josephene Hall played the title role. Others in the cast were, George C. Boniface, Jr., Etienne Girardot, Charles Danby, Snitz Edwards, Mrs. McKee Rankin, Rose and Nellie Beaumont, Lawrence Wheatleigh, Mamie Gilroy and Joe Welch, The serious singing was done by Margurite Silvia and Will Armstrong. * * » Helena Modjeska began a three weeks' engagement at the Fifth Avenue Theatre last Monday. Her years begin to show in her appearance and her foreign accent is as marked and charming as ever. John E. Kellerd heads the company of serviceable but not brilliant, legitimate actors in the support. * * The Schley Music Hall on Thirty-fourth street near Broadway opened last week under the same managers who conduct the Dewey Theatre on Fourteenth street opposite Tarn many Hall, and the same kind of burlesque shows will be run at both houses, although higher prices will be charged at the Schley because it is nearly opposite Koster and Bial's, right in the heart of the theatre district. The Dewey has to compete in prices with two Fourteenth street continuous shows. It may be significant that whereas theatres have been erected in this city in honor of Dewey and Schley, none so far has been named after Sampson. Perhaps the managers took their cue by noting that in the great Dewey parade in this city Schley received nearly as much cheering from the populace as did Dewey, and that Sampson was merely a close third. « * * Pierre Cornubert, an emergency tenor whom Manager Grau imported from Havana to help out the indisposed tenors has not added any strength to the weakest department of the Metropolitan's forces. Cornubert's voice is without beauty or power, although generally true enough. He is at present not fit for the Metropolitan even in an emergency. One effect of the present almost disastrous season of grand opera this year will be that next season we shall hear some new grand operas and we shall probably also hear some grand operas in English. While fully realizing the advantages musically of singing grand opera in Italian or French, it is preposterous to say that if New Yorkers will stand a Wagner cycle in the gutteral German they would not appreciate an English opera occasionally. * * * If Manager Savage really intends to take one of his three Castle Square Opera Companies to San Francisco, he will have to organize one like he had when he began to give opera at popular prices. Otherwise he cannot expect to divide the patronage with the Tivoli. In the short time he has had the American he has allowed the casts to become weaker anil weaker until now California's comparatively inexperienced Maud Lillian Berri (Fisher) is rated as the best prima donna in the organization. Since Lizzie Mucnical died, her place as contralto of the company has never been filled. Aside from the operas at popular prices in the Germania Theatre, Manager Savage has no completion in that particular line here, and the audiences have to take any old thing they can get, including the irrepressible Gertrude Quinlan whom he never loses an opportunity to thrust into the most difficult singing roles in spite of her woeful inability to sing. But if he attempted to stack up against the Tivoli, he would have to stir his stumps. * * * The Princess Chic, left the Casino last night for a time and the Casino will be filled, after a weeks' darkness, with The Casino Girl. The Princess Chic did not do as well at the Casino as it would have done if the management had obtained more competent singers and the presence of at least one star of the first magnitude. If The Princess Chic had been produced by the Bostonians in the zenith of their career, with Eugene Cowles, Jessie Bartlett Davis, and Edwin Hoff, in the cast, as well as Barnabee aud McDonald it would have had a great run in New York. Kirke La Shelle was with the Bostonians long enough to write an opera that would have suited their old time cast, but in producing The Princess Chic he forgot that a great success can only be obtained by a combination of a splendid idea interpreted by excellent artists Rob Roy. CHICAGO Special Correspondence. Chicago, March 3 — Sir Henry Irving, has bowed to ovations every night on his appearance here at the Columbia Theatre. Owing to the fact that Sir Henry Irving is always the cultured gentleman both in public and private life, his success is not only dramatic but personal. Robespierre is considered by the public one of his greatest roles and ranks with his Macbeth, Richard III and Othello. Miss Terry has to be content with a slight role in the drama, Robespierre, as do many other members of the company. Miss Terry, however, plays with the same artistic feeling that characterizes her presentations in more exacting roles. Lawrence Irving plays the role Tallien, but probably deserves more praise for his translation of the drama from the French. The opening night of Robespierre was the most brilliant event of the season. Brokers received from % 10 to {15 for a seat on that occasion. The repertoire for the week included Merchant of Venice, The Amber Heart, The Story of Waterloo, The Bells and Xance Oldfield. The plays are all old in Chicago except The Amber Heart, which is the story of a young girl who is protected from the inclination to fall in love, by a talisman given to her by her mother who was unfortunate in love. The Amber Heart being cast aside the maiden finds both love and misery until the charm is restored to her. Happiness follows. Next Monday evening at the Colnmbia Theatre, The Singing Girl, with Alice Neilsen in the title role. This is the closing week of Mr. Crane's engagement at Powers' Theatre. He presents A Virginia Courtship, a comedy by Eugene Presbrey. Mr. Crane is engaged with rehearsals of David Harum. Next week Mrs. Langtry begins a two weeks' engagement in The Degenerates. Mrs. Langtry 's Company is mostly an English one, and she appears at Powers'. The Dearborn management present next week What Happened to Jones. Mr. Hansel it is expected will bring out many happy aids to the farce, having statred in it. The Sign of the Cross will be presented at McVicker's Theatre on March 4 Mrs. Fiske is attracting immense audiences at the Grand Opera House. Benedict's Lilly of Killarney is sung by the Castle Square Company at the Studebaker this week. Salambo, the great spectacular opera, by Rover, will be one of the presentations given by the French Opera Company at the Auditorium. Amos Carey. DENVER Special Correspondence. Denver, Cot-, Feb. 28.— Without a doubt, this is the worst week of the season, theatrically. There are two performances at the Tabor — one called Have You Seen Smith? At the Denver a coon show called Fisher's Darktown Four Hundred. They are both doing a fair business, because there is nowhere else for people to go. Next week at the Tabor, Under the Red Robe At the Denver, Barlow's Minstrels. Willie Collier will open at the Broadway in Mr. Smooth on Monday night, March 12. He will play a benefit for the Elks the first night of his engagement. The opening of the new stock company at the Lyceum has been postponed until March 12. Mrs. John Elitch, Jr., has returned after a five months' stay in New York. She promises the Denver public great things in the amusement line next summer. Bon Bei.i.. CANADA Special Correspondence. ST. John, N. B., Feb. 25.— Last week's offerings by the Valentine Stock Company were Camille and Ma'm'zelle. In both Jessie Bonstelle scored hits, albeit the characters takeu are as totally different. Business shows no sign of abatement — in fact increases week by week and takes the older theatre-goers back to "the good old Lyceum days when Lonergau was here." Tomorrow evening Othello will hold the boards for three nights aud a matinee, followed by The Ironmaster 1-2, with special matinee 2, as the house is engaged for two performances of Lewis Morrison's Frederick the Great on Saturday. Peachey Carnehan. SALT LAKE Special Correspondence Salt Lake City, March 5th.— Salt Lake Theatre has been closed the entire week aud the only attraction at Grand was the Richard and Pringle's minstrel troupe, 2628, doing fair business. To-night a local company, composed of Scandinavians, is presenting a piece to poor audience. The advance sale for the engagement of the James-KidderHanford company which fills the last four nights of the week at the theatre, has been a heavy one. Have You Seen Smith, comes to the Grand 8-9. John K. Hardy. ST. LOUIS Special Correspondence ST. Louis, Feb. 26. — Manager Pat Short's offerings this week are the Keudals at the Olympic and Children of the Ghetto at the Century. The Zangwill play has failed to be the success that was anticipated. The cist, headed by Milton Lackaye, William Norris, Rosabel Morrison, and Mnie. Cottrelly, is a very capable one Mr. and Mrs. Kendal are great favorites in St. Louis and The Elder Miss Blossom, their