San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

July 1 8, 1908. THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW Van Ness There seems to be no abatement of interest in The Great Divide, as produced by Henry Miller and his able company at the Van Ness. Full houses attest the success of the piece, though discussion of its relative merits leads often to varying opinions. The play is a very intense one, relieved only here and there by a lighter touch. It requires the constant and close attention of the audience. There is nothing of the melodramatic about it ; it portrays an entirely possible series of events. Whatever the opinion about the play, all are agreed upon the excellence of the stage production and the ability of the players. Henry Miller's work is so well and favorably known to San Francisco audiences as to need no further comment. It is difficult to see where his interpretation of the character of Stephen Ghent could be improved upon. Edythe Olive, while lacking in some of the personal charm that invests many of our leading ladies, more than makes up for it in her acting ability. Mrs. Laura Hope Crews makes a decided hit in her small part, contributing the few light touches to this otherwise serious piece. A number of most excellently done character sketches assist in rounding out the performance and adding the proper degree of local color. Alcazar White Whittlesey is back after three years of absence, and a large outpouring of friends on Monday night demonstrated most conclusively that he had not been forgotten. The play selected for Mr. Whittlesey's opening was The Due De Grammont, one of Clyde Fitch's sartorial romances. The chief interest in the play was Mr. Whittlesey's appearance as the fire-eating young French courtier. Next week, when the star appears in If I Were King, we will give a lengthy review of the play and acting. For the present instance, it will suffice to say that the real hero of the occasion is Edward Williams and his trusty paint brush. Such a gorgeous scenic setting has never been given any play at the Alcazar. The actors did their best to give life and sparkle to the Fitch play, with little success. The Due De Grammont is not a dramatic vehicle. It is superb as an opportunity to display silks and laces and pretty pictures. In the cast were Howard C. Hickman, White Whittlesey, Will R. Walling, A. Burt Wesner. Ernest Glendinning, Edward Coxen, Howard Bennison, Roy Neill, Walter Whipple, Edward Bracht, Adele Belgarde, Louise Brownell, Effie Bond, Anita Murray and Bessie Barrisdale. Central The bill this week offers a distinct novelty in the way of melodramatic offering. Her Mad Marriage, up to the last act, is the conventional thing, then the playwright gets away from his regular procedure and gives us thrilling novelty. The last act opens upon a stage being set for rehearsal, the heroine crying over her hard luck, the villain standing around superciliously and pouring poison into a glass of drinking water, and the advent of the hero, who in his Sherlock Holmes' superiority finds out that the villain of the play has murdered the heroine's father. Thus far the action takes place in the rehearsal on the stage. Then the curtain goes down, to come up instantly and the action is transferred in a few moments to the body of the house. Kernan Cripps denounces the heroine, Edna Ellsmere, from a box ; Herschel Mayall, from the same box, rushes to the fair one's rescue ; Claire Sinclair, also a box holder, adds to the uproar by denouncing the heroine ; Elmer Booth comes flying down the aisle from among the gallery gods, with proofs of the villain's perfidy, and to add a little heart interest. Myrtle Gayetty does a pathetic stunt back of the orchestra leader by beseeching the heroine (her daughter) to come home. As you can imagine, this is a novelty, and the audience simply revels in it. Outside of the work done by the principals, which is unusually good this week, Arthur Hill — a new-comer, — Alice Condon, Ben McQuarrie and Frank Bonner did clever work. Manager Howell has introduced moving pictures and other vaudeville features, and the Central shows are great offerings for the money asked. American May Robson, that delightful comedienne of talent and magnetic personality, will close her two weeks' engagement tonight. The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary is one of those plays that without any superior merit, meets with the approval of a majority of people and because of a certain amount of heart interest and much comedy of popular kind, bids fair to live a long and useful life on the stage. It may be classed with the Old Homestead class. Miss Robson is a genuine artist, and among her support are several people of ability. Princess The gorgeous production of It Happened in Nordland is now in its last nights. Nothing in the history of the Princess has given more satisfaction than this performance. Julius Steger, Virginia Foltz, May Boley, Wm. Burress, Frank Farrington, Zoe Barnett and Arthur Cunningham have worked up their parts to a point of rare excellence, and Selli Simonson's orchestra adds a great deal to the pleasure of everybody in the audience. George Lask shares, too, in the general verdict, for he has staged the piece with exceptional ability and has introduced many little bits of effective business. Norris 6c Rowe are Prospering Well, yes; Norris & Rowe are rather popular in their territory. Each year their business has increased, and the press is devoting columns upon columns of the strongest after notices any show has ever received. There must be some good reason for this. I wonder what it is. It must be they are delivering the show. At Vancouver, B. C, June 22d and 23d, the business was simply great. The checker-up was instructed to make all litho and billboard passes good for the second day only. The free list on the two performances did not exceed 150. At the matinee on the opening day we stood them up, and at night hundreds were turned away. The side show, under the able management of W. A. Shannon, took over $900.00. The second day's business was also capacity. At Bellingham, June 24th, the business was very large, and at Everett, on the 25th, like conditions prevailed. At Wenatchee, Wash, (a new one), we were the first show that ever made the town. Our prices were fifty cents and one dollar for general admission and fifty cents straight for reserved seats. I am almost ashamed to tell you the amount of money we took in this paradise. Well, it was considerably over $8,000.00, and that isn't any fairy tale. Wenatchee is in the heart of the greatest fruit growing country in the world. Every one has plenty of this world's goods and they spend their money. This week has been the record one of a very good season up to date. The Guggenheimer interests came at Treasurer Joseph Geisler so strong for his mining interests, that the deal was consummated the past week whereby he has transferred all his interests to them. Joe is a good fellow, and his many friends will be happy to learn of his good fortune. Every one with the "Pride of the West" is well, sassy, happy and prosperous, so there you are again. — /. H. Fitzpatrick. How "Buffalo Bill" Started His Wild West Show "Buffalo Bill" conceived the idea of his Wild West Show twenty-nine years ago, according to the recollection of Frank P. Brewer, sheriff of Snohomish County, Washington, who, in 1875 was a cowboy employed by an "outfit" along the Platte River and knew the famous plainsman. In an interview, Sheriff Brewer tells, as follows how Colonel Cody started his typically American attraction : "I became acquainted with 'Buffalo Bill' when he was employed by the government as scout at old Fort McPherson. Cody saw much active life on the plains, and, during a long and eventful career, rendered his country many valuable services ; but he became weary of the life and put an end to it by establishing his ranch, 'Scout's Rest,' on the North Platte, where he settled down to the then lucrative vocation of raising cattle. Living in the vicinity of 'Scout's Rest,' I quite naturally became better acquainted with its owner and his family, with whom I spent many pleasant days under their hospitable roof. Long life on the plains in the Indian service is not, on the whole, conducive to a life of peace and quietude. Cody began to grow restless. He did not wish to re-enter the service, though the government would gladly have welcomed him back in the cavalry saddle, but he did long for a life of more activity than befalls the average stockman. Frequently in our gatherings, we indulged in thoughts of the life we should like to lead. During one of these talks Cody suggested that a fortune awaited the man who should take a portion of the wild West, in which he lived, to the staid East for the edification of the 'tenderfoot,' and he immediately followed up his thought by collecting such Western curios as he believed would create interest among Easterners. We all aided the scout in getting together his first Wild West Show, which was very much in the rough and a long way from the finished article which delights the world today. As near as I can remember, Cody went to Chicago with a small herd of trained elk,* a few 'cow punchers,' — all experts in throwing the rope and breaking bronchos, — Miss Annie Oakley, the rifle shot, and himself in the role of a rifle and six-shooter wonder. Some time later the government permitted him to annex Indians to his show. His venture almost immediately took the public by storm. 'Ikiffalo Bill' was a popular man among the plainsmen and soldiers. He is a very staunch friend in time of need, with his purse always open to those requiring his assistance." — /. Nezvton Greene in Success Magazine. Vallejo, July 15. — The Brackets Menzel Company have taken a three weeks' lease on the Farragut Theatre and opened Monday night in David Harum to a pleased audience. Each night has seen an increased attendance, and it looks as though the company would stay all summer. Tedd Brackett has already become a great favorite. C. Personals George H. Tyler, the head of Liebler & Co., is laid up in Florence, Italy, the result of a serious automobile accident. Ben Dillon will be, as in former years, one of the mainstays of Kolb & Dill, who are planning a long season in the West. Abe S. Cohn, manager of the American Theatre, left yesterday, for a few weeks' stay in Seattle, as the guest of John Cort. Carson Davenport, a talented character man, who is well known in Eastern stocks, has joined the Alisky Company in Sacramento. Margaret and Howard Nugent, of the Noland and Blum stock of San Jose, have become immensely popular • members of that company. Carlton Chase, who was a member of the Gardner Stock at the Isis Theatre in San Diego last winter, has signed with Kolb & Dill. Maud Lambert and Single Billy Clifford have arrived from New York and are rehearsing with Kolb and Dill for the forthcoming road tour. Mina Gleason, that delightful woman and talented actress, who numbers hosts of friends all over the West, opens with Ye Liberty stock in Oakland next week. Olive Vail, the handsome and talented prima donna, will open at the Novelty, Oakland, with the new musical comedy company, on July 27th. Harry James will be the musical director of the company. Dale Devereaux, Jr., has been engaged for the lead, Harry Myers, in The Little Prospector company, management Frank G. King. Mr. Devereaux's last engagement on the Coast was with Quincy Adams Sawyer. Henry Miller, now that he is a man of wealth and affairs, travels the same road as the financial kings. He has brought with him his Pope-Hartford car, on his western trip. Mr. Miller is a great devotee of the motor, and expects during his stay in San Francisco to visit many of the resorts in this vicinity, which he can reach by motor.