The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-23
THE THEATERS.
New Pieces Crowd the Three Prin.
cipal Theaters.
The Crystal Slipper" in Splendid Form at the
Grand-"A Nan From Maine"-" The
q. S, Maii"-Eotes.

The vast auditorium of the Grand Opera
House could not contain the swarm OF peo-
pie that applied for admission last evening
to see the magnificent spectacle-the Ideal
Extravaganza as it is truly called-of 'The
Crystal Slipper" and many, therefore,
turned away from its doors to await another
opportunity Mr. Harry b. Smith, who wrote
the tbretto, preserving only a thread of the
original fairy tale of Cinderella" and Mr.
Alfred Thompson, designer of the effects
that invest it with such mimic glories, have
both reason to be proud of their joint work
From the opening act to the close of the last
there is prodigal wealth of scenic display,
the painters OF which are Voegtlin, who
made himself locally famous here long ago
by his pictorial art, aud Dangerfield, who
seems equally dextprous with his colleague
in the use of the brush. The costumes
of the multitudinouS characters must
have exhausted the costumer's skill. They
enhance in the most delightful way, the
native beauty of the cohorts of fsurantes,
the movements of whom on the stage are
like the pattern changes, in harmonic color
and precision, when one turns a kaleid-
oscore. 1t is impossible to go into de-
tailed description of the many beauties of
situation which this spectacle of The Crys-
tai Slipper" presents. 1t must be taken as
whole and enjoyed as gor
geous picture, as an Illustration
of the poetry of motion, from first to last
What ought to be the two principal charac-
ters-Mi's Louise Montague as Prince Pretti-
witt and Miss Ida Mule as Cinderella-in
the spectacle, if the run Of the fairy story
was strictly preserv ed, are lost in the frolic
of fancy that enters into the composition
ard the brilliant encourage with which it is
presented. Montague, who, we believe,
enjoys the reputation Of having been
at one time $4,000 beauty, makes
a very charming scion of royalty, on the
Prince Of Wales style in his salad days,
the Champagne Charlie" sort of business,
and Miss Ida Mule. while very funny in the
first act before GraciOSa is called in, be-
comes perfect pocket edition of loneliness
when that beneiicent fairy has gotten
through with her in the second The funny
business, of which there is great deal, is
contributed by Mr.. w. >. DabOll as the
Baron de Boulevard, father of Cinderella and
her jealous sisters; Mr.. Edwin Foy, his
valet; Mr.. Joseph Frunkan, the Princes
saaiied poet; Miss Annie Dacre as Mardi-
GTaS, the Court Jester and several others;
in fact the business of most of the people
on the stage is to make fun, the only eXcep-
tions being the ballet, and here the eye is
delighted by grace and agility of movement.
At the end Of the first act there is the Grand
+ oily Balleth by the Misses IL. Roche, II.
Konrat Z. Ringquist |. Maccarri, IL.
kuley, A. StOddard and b. Lynch, which is
very pretty arrangement, and was deserVedly
applauded. These, with others, make up the
corps de ballet, and reappeared in the
Fairy Stories and Nursery Rhymes" In
Act III. there is the grand banquet ballet
with gavOtte by the entire company, tie
nrinpIODl fna pf which characteristic
dance, The Cicciari," by Fraulein Clara
Qualitz and Mile. MorandO. In this the
famous Saltatorial effect of ''Azella the flying
dancer" by QualItz, also takes place. The
ballet Is the chief feature of the whole pro-
duetion, which ends with grand trans
formation scene by Dangerfed, showing
the four seasons and the golden age, AMI
which is fitting climax to this aggregation
of all the possibilities of stage display.
ga Man From Maine"
Was produced at the Alcazar last even
ing for the benefit of Mr.. ALT Filing
house, the treasurer of the theater. The
auditorium was we'll filled, but the at
fractions elsewhere had. no doubt an eff
feet on the attendance. The story of
Mr.. Meredith's play is well told; but the
dependence OF the piece for popular APP
prevail and success is on the scenery, painted
by Mr.. Forrest eabury-particularly the
battle tableaux of South Bridge and the
Anderso nyille Prison. The war pictures
have all the vividneSs of a Horace Vernet
| composition, while the pris on pen at Ander-
sonvlle, a true view Of that death-hOle,
has the same effect in perspective
that was seen in Voegtlin's Battle
of Agincourt when "Henry the Fifth" was
played in this city. There is action among
the detenus in the foreground, while the
painters brush continues the perspective OF
The prison to the vanishing line in the dis
lance The Andersonviile scene, however,
realistic as it is, will not win with the pub
lie. 1t is depressing, notwithstanding Mr..
Absolom Bates, prisoner, in the person OF
Mr.. l.. X. Stockwell, tries to infuSe grim
humor into this situation of life in death,
and seeks 10 perform that most difficult of
all tasks, to raise laugh on an empty
stomach. In the first act, on Carroll Shows
farm in Maine, Miss Ethel Brandon as
Ruby Golden, the sweetheart of Carroll.
Is ia demand for good deal
of work, which she performs with credit to
herself. Perhaps it may be said, however,
she was hardly at her best, as we missed
her wonted ease in many of the phases of
the personation, a trouble that besets our
best actresses on the production Of a new
piece. The business of the first act is
rather oyercrowded, as it is only
sort of prologue for what follows. Mr..
| William Beach played Carroll Snow in a
manly, straightforward fashion, and Mr.
| James Z. Wilson made feature of his part
of Patrick Cork. Miss Fanny Bowman, 4
rising young actress, had character part
in Marie Daugier. a French girl, and appre-
| hepded it very neatly The comedy company,
| as whole is growing in favor. Emulation
is at work, and developing, as it always
| does, efficiency.