San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

6 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW October ii, 1913 Correspondence M-:\V YORK, Oct. 5.—Nine days" wonder at the growing;' audiences at- tending tiic new Century opera per- formances reaciied a climax wiien Cio- conda's bargain matinee at liaif prices sold out the house. It was "dollar oi)era" at la.st, \vith a dittcrence. I'dr the five big scenes on the stage would have made the oldest Metropolitan subscriber feel perfectly at home, since the settings were those of the parent house, duplicated on a smaller scale for ordinary theatres on the Aletropoli- tan tours. The Aborn ;!udience didn't go away when the matinee was over. It lined" up in the lobby that covers a whole block on Central Park West and waited to buy its scats right over again for Tales of Hoffmann. At this rate, it was said, there will be a season's sell-out l)y the time LoItcu- grin is sung a fortnight from now. Later ])argain hunters will have to wait till (jscar Hammerstein opens a third house in November. The mat- inee crowd had its reward when Wal- ter Wheatley, new in the tenor role, took a high ])-f1at, just as Caruso does in the Cielo e Mar. It had been sung three notes lower, as Ponchielli wrote it, on the opening night. Eliza- beth Amsden's incisive .style fitted the heroine's more dramatic moments. Thomas Chalmers sang well as the vil- lain. .\ new tenor's debut interested also. John Bardsley of ]>eecham's London com])any is a big man, and he managed his voice well. He also got the important top note over. Lois Ewcll rea])peare(l after what might have been a serious accident. She drew first blood with a real dagger when she stabbed herself at the Cio- conda premiere. * * * E. H. Sothern and Julia Marlowe began the second week of their prosperous engagement at the Manhattan Opera Ilou.se last Monday in The Taming of the Shrew, in which both these artists appear. The theatre was crowded with the in- telligent and appreciative public, which sup])orts these distinguished actors in the New York engagements. The performance on Wednesday afternoon was If I Were King, and Romeo and Juliet was played on Thursday and l'"riday evening and at the Saturday matinee. Hamlet was the bill on Sat- urday night. * * * The new bill at the Emi)ire last Monday, The Tyranny of Tears, and J. M. Barrie's new play- let in three scenes, The W'ill, gave John Drew as fine a chance to dem- onstrate his ver-satility as any bill in win'ch he has appeared since those old, ha])py, halcyon days of Rosemary. The W ill, which was played after The Tyranny of Tears, in which, besides Mr. J>rew, Miss Crews, Miss I5oland, Julian L'Estrangc and Herbert Druce had all appeared to excellent advan- tage, has none of the theatrical and obvious features of Half an Hour. In fact, it shows Barie in one of his most effective moods, except that it shows a degree of bitterness and cyncism which has not appeared in any other of his works. Ilowever, that has nothing to do with the play, regarded purely as a play, except that it leaves you at the end with a sense of de- pression which comes from the fact that the play is brutally true. A young couple, only married four months, come to a lawyer's office to make the husband's will. He's a clerk earning £170 a year—and im- mensely ]jroud of it. As for the young wife, she weeps profusely every Dick Wilbur Co FOURTH SEASON OF SUCCESS THE BIGGEST REPERTOIRE COMPANY ON THE COAST .MDiiilay. Rioilley; Tutsilay. Dinuba; Wed- iieslay, I.,in<isay; Thursday. PorterviUe; Friday. Tulare; Saturday, Selma; Sunday, l.,emoore. lime she hears the word "will." it brings her beloved's death .so much nearer to her, she ex])lains, of course. ( Hitside of two small legacies to maid- en aunts he leaves everything to her, of course. This all takes place in early \'ictorian days. You know that by the picture of the Widow o' Wind- sor whicii decorates the wall. The next scene is many years later. King Edward is on the throne, and where his mother's picture once hung on the office wall there is now a lithograph of Edward. The wife comes in alone this time. She is now rich, prosper- ous, an unjoyful mother of grown-up children, both of whom she is planning to make marry well. In place of heV gingham gown she is enveloped in riaming yellow satin and a huge pic- ture hat some twenty years too young for her. Her furbelows seem to have aged her far more than the years. She won't grow old. Her voice has taken on a bitter, strident tone, and in her bearing there is that aggravating blending of arrogance and ignorance which can only be found in those women who have been enriched by their husbands or somebody else. She has come to the lawyer's office because she has heard that her husband is coming there to make a new will. She has a presentment that he means to cut her off with a life interest. This proves to be the case. The hus- band enters, and at the first glance he throws in her direction the whole story of what the years have brought to them is laid pitifully bare. Of the old time love and trust and comrade- ship there is no trace left. They seem to live only to haggle with each other. And she, being the better haggler and a consummate nagger as well, wins her point. CJutside of the two small legacies of fifty pounds apiece to the old aunts, a legacy which, now that they are fabulously wealthy, she con- siders entirely too large, everything is willed to her. And after the discus- sion and the bickerings husband and wife leave the office one by one. The third scene is today. 'vVe are now in that era which some witty English woman who had been snubbed at court for wearing a too tight skirt has im- mortalized as the reign of King George and the Dragon. The husband comes to the lawyer's office alone this time. He's a baronet now and in deep mourning. His wife is dead; his .son, to use his own term, is a "rotter," his only daughter has run away with the chauffeur. He is richer than ever now. In fact, financially he has only one care in the world—to whom shall he leave his money. There is a speech just here in which the baronet curses his riches and all that they have brought with them. This is the strongest moment of the play and Mr. Drew rose splendidly to it. Later there comes a scene of pathos which is as fine as anything that Barrie has written. The head of the firm of solicitors, quite a doddering octoge- narian now, is dozing in a chair before the fire. He hears his son si)eak the name of his old client, Philip Ross. But he fails entirely to recognize the pompous, fluttering old baronet who now bears that name. Instead his Send for New Catalogue Stating Kind Desired THEATRICAL CATALOGUE af Sh»« Print- ing. RsBorteire. Stock. Circua, Wild Wtst, Ttnt Shows, Etc. FAIR PRINTING. Fain. RvM. Aviatltn, Auto, Horse. Stocic Shows, Etc. MAGIC PRINTING, Hypsotism, Illusions, Mind Reading, Etc. MINSTREL PRINTING. «hlle or Colored, With or Without THIe. Etc MOVING PICTURE PRINTING. Etc. WESTERN PLAYS, Etc. FOLDERS of Non-Royalty Plays with Printing. Slow and Tliatrical Printers Lithographers, Engravers National Stoek Hangers and Posters on Hand tor every Kind of Amusement Enterprise WRITE ST. LOUIS OFFICE - 7TH AND ELM STS, memory carries him back fifty years to the time when young Ross first came to the office with ris bride. This role of the old lawyer was delightfully acted by I-'rank Kcmble Cooper. ]\Iary IJoland's characterization of the first doting and then querulous wife was the most artistic piece of work she has ever done. As for Mr. Drew, his Philip Ross will rank in his repertoire with the hero of Rosemary, although it is not nearly so lovable a role. The Will reveals a new Barrie, to be sure, cynical and harsh as he has never been before, but it enables him to hold up his standard as a dramatist. The Will is no ])otboiler. And in company with The Tyranny (A Tears it provides Mr. Drew with a charming, versatile and delightful bill. * * * Evelyn Nesbit Th»w, supported by a company of 75, began a week's engagement at the West End Theatre, in West i25tli Street, in a musical divertissement called Mariette, by Maurice \'olny. Mrs. Thaw appeared in the princiijal feminine role. The piece in panto- mime form was seen here at the Win- ter (iardn last sason under the title of The I'.allet of 1830. This engage- ment is to be followed by a week at the Majestic Theatre, Brooklyn, after which Mrs. Thaw will go on a tour of the principal cities of this country. * * * The new Sam S. Shubert Thea- tre in West Eorty-fourth Street, built by Lee and J. T. Shubert, and named m memory of their brother, the found- er of the theatrical firm, who lo.st his life in a railroad accident several years ago, was formally dedicated last week at a reception tendered to Sir Johnston I'orbes-Robertson and Lady Robert- ,son ((.lertrude Elliott), who are to open the theatre with a performance of Hamlet. The theatre was filled with men and women well known in literary, theatrical and musical life. De Wolf Hopper, who presided, ex- plained that E. H. Sothern, who is to play Hamlet at the Manhattan Opera House with his wife, Julia Marlowe, in a Shakespearian repertoire reper- toire, had decided not to tempt the strngth of his voice, as he was sufi^er- ing from a slight cold, and that he had asked Miss Marlowe to read what he had to say. Eor her husband Miss Marlowe read : "It would seem super- tluous to introduce Sir Johnston l-'orbcs-Robertson to this assembly, but since that is my happy privilege it is pleasant indeed to welcome him back to America on behalf of his fellow actors in this country, and indeed in the name of all persons who care for what is best and noble.>t in the thea- tre—to wish him great success in this his farcv,ell tour and to congratulate him heartily on the new distinction which has been confered upon him; of all the great English actors who have been so honored none has more rightly deserved it, and surely none will wear it more worthily. Sir John- ston and Lady Eorbes-Rol)ertson, per- mit me to wish you a triumphant pro- gress and in your well-earned retire- ment, in the height of your power, all possible happiness." In replying to ]\Iiss Marlowe's speech Sir John- ston said: '1 am i)roud and flattered at the kind welcome from Mr. Soth- ern, so graciously delivered by his charming wife. Mr. Sothern and Miss Marlowe have held up the high- est traditions of the drama. They have won a unique position in the L'nited States and Canada, and it is indeed a very great honor that I slnnild receive such words of praise from them. Ladies and gentlemen, these expressions ar doubly gratifying to me and I am deeply n.oved by them. At the beginning of my career forty years ago I said to myself, 'Let me please my brother actors and I do not care what comes after.' The painter wishes to satisfy his brother artist>; the singer looks forward to the ap- probation of his fellow singers, and so it is that the actor is deeply gratified when iiis conu'ades speak such a splen- did tril)utc as Mr. and Mrs. Sothern have just paid me. This theatre, as you know, has been dedicated to Mr. Sam Shubert. I think that it is a very beautiful thing to dedicate such a handsome building to one who has ])assed away. It is well enough to name a theatre after your own name while living, but it is a fine idea for one brother to show to the world his love and res])ect for his deceased brother by erecting such a noble temple as this to his memory. I am no stranger to your wonderful country. I do not feel that I am a foreigner. 1 have watched your progress for six and twenty years. Such vast improve- ments you have made in every direc- tion ! Such remarkable cities you have built and such fine encouragement you are always holding out to all the fine arts. It is very near to my heart that Americans and Englishmen are becoming more and more closely united. Permit me to say that my farewell does not include my wife! She, I trust, will go through the ordeal of many first nights in your city, which has treated us both so kindly in the past." Lady Eorbes-Robertson then said: "Thank you so much. Thank you. It is perfectly lovely to be back again. " After the scenery