San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

May 5, 1900 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW ><SxSk$xS>s><s>$><$><s^^ Am OccasSoeafl Record of dom ... ^^^^ Tbere rpay be a Cbejtput or Two Among the Lot— but You'll Find tberrj all Good Reading Anyway STORY OF EDWIN FORREST Edwin Forrest, one of the most famous actors of the generation now passing away, had the notion that he could not be frightened, and one day he said as much in the presence of a lion-tamer named Driesbach. This lion-tamer, now dead, was then as famous in his line as Mr. Forrest was in the theatrical line. Mr. Driesbach, invited Mr. Forrest to visit him one evening. The latter accepted the invitation, and at the house, after passing through a long, dark hallway, he was asked by Mr. Driesbach into a dark room. Meanwhile Mr. Forrest had not thought that his courage was being put to the test. Suddenly, however, he felt something touch his leg in the darkness, and reaching down his hand touched what he thought was a cat's back, which he gently stroked. A rasping growl greeted the motion, and he saw two fiery eyeballs glaring at him. "Are you afraid, Mr. Forrest?" asked the liontamer, who was invisible in the darkness. Forrest replied: "Not a bit, ' * when the lion-tamer said something, and the growl deepened and the back began to arch. Mr. Forrest held out for a few minutes, when he exclaimed: "Now, let me out, you scoundrel, or I'll break every bone in your body!" The "lion king" kept him there, and he did not dare move a finger, while the tiger kept rubbing against his leg. Mr. Forrest finally gave in, and promised Driesbach a complimentary supper if he would let him out. * FIRST STAGE REALISM It was Mme. Vestris who, during her management at the Olympic, Dondon, early in the century, was the first to include real edibles and potables among stage accessories. Real claret and real cutlets also made their appearance in at least one of the pieces played under the direction of Charles Kean before the queen and prince consort in the Rubens room, Windsor castle. Mr. J. W. Callcott, the eminent scenic artist, used to be fond of saying that he recalled "realistic" eating and drinking at the Old Adelphi late in the thirties. There was real soup — brought from a cook shop in Maiden lane, and by its odor was it Subscribe for The Dramatic Review known in the pit — in the drama of Victorine; and in the Adelphi version of Oliver Twist, Oliver (Mrs. Keeley) and The Artful Dodger (Wright) munched real ham and bread; while, in the scene of the thieves den, Fagin (Yates) fried real sausages. HE WAS A PEDDLER A score of years ago, seated on a bench in Bryant Park, New York, a hungry lad — Marshall P. Wilder — wept copious tears over his failure to gain a supper or a night's lodging. A peddler's outfit lay beside him. Not a sale had he made that day. His curiously diminutive body was neatly clad, but bis heart was heavy. He was dreadfully hungry, as only a boy can be. Young Wilder was of small stature, a trifle deformed, and as sensitive a person as you ever met. Today there is no performer who has entertained so many distinguished men and women, four Presidents of the United States, the Prince of Wales, lords, dukes, duchesses and countesses being among his admirers, to say nothing of the great American public at large. * * * HE CRITICIZED SHAKESPEARE We had with us a couple of years ago, a well-known English literary man and occasional playwright, who made his visit among us pleasant and profitable by lecturing. He frankly declared that he came, not expecting to find accurate scholarship among Americans, especially on purely literary subjects, adding briefly : "You have been too busy and useful a nation in practical matters to give much time to the arts and graces of learning. " On one occasion, he was one of a number of scholarly people at a dinner and he made a remark criticising Shakespeare, sharply declaring that his metaphors often were absurd. "As for example," he said, "'sleep that knits up the raveled sleave of care.' How ridiculous to figure sleep as knitting up a torn sleeve of a coat !" A well-known young American actor sitting near him modestly said : "I think the word is not sleeve, but sleave, the thin stuff of a damaged web. It is a technical expression among weavers." "In the States probably !" retorted the critic, irritably. "Shakespeare never could have heard it. He meant sleeve." "I believe," persisted the American actor, gently, "the word is printed sleave in all the old editions. It is not an American word, but has been used for centuries by weavers in Scotland and the north of England." The visitor frowned, and then with English frankness said, laughing, "Thank you, I was mistaken. Perhaps I am mistaken about other things, and I will be corrected before I leave your shores." DAVENPORT'S GREAT GENIUS Occasionally it is profitable to gather opinions of old timers as to the greatest actor that America has claimed. The other day, in conversation with a contemporary of the old school, now with one or two exceptions dead and passed away, the talk drifted as to real ability as to the most broadly equipped actor that could be named, and the old-timer gave his opinion in these words: "Who was the greatest actor ? My reply will be E. L. Davenport. Yes, the greatest Hamlet of the century, too. When Salvini first came to this country he expressed a desire to be introduced to Davenport after his wonderful performance as the Prince. He was taken behind the scenes, jumped on our great Hamlet, and simply said, 'Anima! animal' (Soul! soul!). Davenport's versatality was miraculous, and eventually cheapened him. He could play Bill Sykes in a way to make Dickens shiver, and then play Fagan better than J. W. Wallack, which is saying a great deal. No such mixture of tragedy and comedy has been known to our stage. He was as good as Fechter in Monte Cristo, finer than Booth as Iago, matchless in Richard III, superior, mentally, to Forrest as Lear and Damon, yet he could play Aranza, light leading gentleman, and low comedy. His Sir Giles Overreach could not have been surpassed. Like all great artists he was always a trifle different. When old, at Booth's Theatre, he played Brutus. His magnificent voice was almost gone, but in the quarrel scene he looked like some grand St. Bernard listening to the snarling of Cassius— Barrett. I remember his Louis XL He was unique and is totally underrated." On the "Road Barlow's Minstrels Astoria, 30, week. Girl from Chili Denver, 29, week; Rocky Ford, 7; La Junta, 8; Trinidad; 9; Raton, N. M., 10; Las Vegas, 11; Albuquerque, 12; Gallup, 14; Winslow, Ariz., 15; Flagstaff, 16; Williams, 17; Phoenix, 19; Prescott, 20-21; Jerome, 22; San Bernardino, Cal., 24; Santa Ana, 25; San Diego, 26; Los Angeles, 27, week. Evil Eye Company (Chas. H. Yale, Mgr.)— San Francisco, May 7, two weeks. Have You Seen Smith f Fargo, 19. Suwanee River Co. Seattle, 29-May 5; Fargo, 22. Pudd' nhead Wilson Fargo, May 7. Frawley Company Los Angeles, April 8, six weeks. Morosco Opera Company Los Angeles, April 8, indefinitely. Boston Lyric Opera Company Victoria, 2-5; Seattle, 6-13; Walla Walla, 17; Spokane, 18-19; Wallace, 21; Missoula, 22; Butte, 23-26. Harry Corson Clarke Co. Colo. Springs, 5; Denver, 6, week. Dailey Stock Company Reno, April 30-May 6; Virginia, 7-13; Carson, 14-20; Auburn, 21-27. Jessie Shirley Company (Harry W. .Smith, Mgr.)— Salinas 30-May 6; Watsonville, 7-13; San Jose, 14-20; Santa Cruz, 21-27. West's Minstrel Jubilee (S. B. Ricaby, Mgr. )— Tacoma.5; Spokane, 7-8; Anaconda, 10; Butte, 11-12; Helena, 14; Billings, 15; Fargo, 17; Grand Porks, 18; Winnipeg, 19; Duluth, 21; Calumet, 23; Marquette, 24; Sault Ste. Marie, 25, clote. Imperial Slock Company Nevada City, May 6, week; Reno,i3,wee^; Virginia City, 20, week; Carson City, 27, week. Ward and Vokes Company Sacramento, 8; Portland, 10-11; Tacoma, 12; Seattle, 13-15; Fargo, 28. Subscribe for the Dramatic Review Xj. DTTVAIj Theatrical Wigf Maker 112 Eddy St., San Francisco