San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

6 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW May 5, 1900 AT THE ♦ * ♦ hOCAh THEATRES Q**aBK.D '* CO SP The Columbia. It's a funny show at the Columbia. *■ Not very much in the way of new fun— but fun that is highly entertaining, thrown at you without cessation for two and a half hours by clever people. If you like to laugh, or need to laugh, take in The Floor Walkers in their few next performances, and you'll not regret it. Ward and Vokes head the aggregation in a lot of tramp nonsense, and George Sidney challenges the leaders with splendid results iu the way of some clever Hebrewisms. Lucy Daly, about the most nimble thing on earth, does a lot of clever dancing, and the larger cast of good-looking girls help to keep things lively. The attendance has been large all week, repeating this success achieved on the entire trip Westward. Grand Opera House IN Gay New York has been meeting with splendid success at the Grand Opera House this week. Although devoid of any plot, it is so well presented by a company composed of earnest, conscientious and talented members, that the house is filled nightly to its utmost seating capacity. Much zest is added by numerous specialties which serve to keep things merry, and are very acceptable and amusing. Arnold Grazer, in his songs and dancing, was just as cute as ever, and La Petite Hazel was very dainty and graceful. A burlesque representation from the Heart of Maryland was very cleverly acted, Miss Blanche Chapman taking off Mrs. Leslie Carter, (the ruddy wig not forgotten and very much in evidence) in a mirth-provoking manner, especially so when she does the bell swinging act. Mr. Chris Bruno demonstrates his ability for character work and his imitation of Henry Irving was given in a very masterly way. Harry Cashman, as Solomon Solomon, in his Hebrew songs, made a very favorable impression. Mr. George C. Lyding, as Johnny Brown, and Miss Louise Royce, who takes the part of his bride, were excellent in their roles. Miss Isabelle Underwood, notwithstanding her grotesque costume, proved to be a very sweet singer. Subscribe for The Dramatic Review The California A NOTHER exceedingly entertaining «* production has been that of the Neill Company in Nat Goodwin's favorite Carleton comedy, A Gilded Fool. In playing the chief part in the comedy, Mr. Neill has adopted the not very usual idea of imitating the Goodwin performance throughout and he does it consistently and most successfully. Beginning with a particularly representative make-up, he plays the part of Chauncey Short with nearly all of Goodwin's tricks of personality. In the first act, Mr. Neill missed some of the auburn-haired comedian's spontaneous mannerisms, but throughout the performance he was very good indeed, notably in those scenes which required dramatic strength and fire, and in these he certainly was superior to our recollection of what Goodwin gave us. Benjamin Howard was a much stronger figure as Bannister Strange than the original of the part, in the Goodwin production, bringing out with great dramatic force the character of the plausible, scheming partner. Mr. Howard is essentially a modern of moderns — his conceptions are apt to err, if they do at all — and that is always from the point of view — on the side of subletly and repression — and it has been particularly noticeable this week that his work has taken on a more dominant tone — and with entirely satisfactory results. Frank MacVicars was Matthew Ruthven, the senior of the firm of bankers and he was, as we have already learned to expect, good. Robert Morris gave a creditable portrayal of the young clerk of the firm of Ruthven & Co. John W. Burton played the minister detective very well and Emmet Shakelford, William Brewer, and George Bloomquest capably handled small parts. Edythe Chapman was her charming, sympathetic self with name changed to Margaret Ruthven. Grace Lamkin, as the banker Ruthven's young wife was not called upon for much except to look handsome— and she can always be relied upon todo that. Julia Dean once more impressed her delightful personality upon a very friendly audience and lived up to the pleasant impression created in the first play the company presented here. Lillian Andrews played an impossible stage old maid and made the character quite plausible and amusing enough. The stage settings are again worthy of special comment, notably in the third act. The attendence throughout the week has been large. THURSDAY MATINEE Last week's special Thursday matinee was devoted to a very good performance of Captain Swift. This Thursday saw a repeat of A Gilded Fool. The Alcazar Que, adapted from Bret Harte's k-* story, The Judgment of Bolinas Plain, is drawing good houses this week at the Alcazar, who listen with great interest to this melodrama of early California life. The first act is particularly pretty, and Laura Crews, as Sue, gives a very clever representation of the innocent country girl with a love for the beautiful, and a great yearning for something which her own intuition tells her is beyond the narrow, limited sphere in which her environment has placed her. Slight, petite, impulsive, careless and happy, she loves only the flowers and the cattle, and the realities of life are forced upon her by the unrelenting father, Silas Prescott, Geo. P. Webster, who gives her in marriage to Ira Beasley, Ernest Hastings, the clodhopper, the heavy, ignorant cattle rancher, without a thought above his cowhide boots or the feeding of the brutes. Upon the tragedy of this loveless marriage hangs the story. Geo. Webster shows his great versatility in the make-up and characterization of the miserable, wizened, little old man. Ernest Hastings has no trouble in carrying out the character of this farmer who loves, yet knows not how to show it, to the maid who loves him not. At the close of the first act nearly every night this week, the audience demand recalls until the curtain refused to rise again. Edwin T. Emery, as Jim Wynd, the circus performer, who in tights and spangles, wins the hearts of the country girl, is impetuous in his love making and boisterous in his manner, though enthusiastic in his art. Georgie Woodthorpe, the six mouths' bride, is capital in the very small part allotted her. The noisy climax is well carried out by the balance of the company in the closing act, when the vigilance committee carry one back to the stirring scenes of '49. The moli HThe Wizard of the Nile follow* ing in the wake of The Idol's Eye, is scoring a phenomenal success in its third week, and bids fair to outdo it even in popularity, and will probably run for weeks. "Am I a Wiz" is fast becoming a catch word with the throngs that nightly listen to Wizard Hartman and his "Wouldn't That Bump You. ' ' The Topical Song bids fair to wear out the popular singers, for they are nightly recalled beyond the limit, in fact until they all but beg for respite. Their many new verses add greatly to the joyousness of this very comic opera. The chorus calls for especial praise. Their faithfulness and enthusiasm add much to the success of the play. The orchestra, under the leadership of Max Hirschfeld, are doing fine work and are the recipients of deserved applause. Francis Graham and Helen Merrill are not only beautiful women, but sing beautifully as well. Miss Merrill is a picture long to be remembered in her solo, and Miss Graham has one of the best contralto voices ever heard on the Tivoli stage. The Dewey Theatre A Soldier of the Empire, " aromantic drama in five acts, by Howard Hall, is being presented to crowded houses at the Dewey this week. The leading character, Guilbert de Montville, was excellently portrayed by Landers Stevens. A clever impersonation of the King's Attorney, Eugene Count de Yere, was given by Carl Birch, and the part of Major Durant was acted by E. J. Holden in a very artistic style. Win. B. Mack, as usual, played his part with all the vivacity and realism required. T. F. O'Malley and Walter F. Whipple acted their parts well. Fanny Gillette was wonderfully good as Louise de Vere. Maud Miller did her disagreeable part in a very villain ous style. Grace Plaisted was clever as Vivette Girard, and so was Grace Addison in the part of Madame Mathilda Girard. Ross B. Meder, the Review's Carson correspondent, has been in San Francisco the past week.