The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-04-01
1.-The Dark secrer.n

Inc management oil the Grand opera
House ''builded better than they knew"
when they secured the rights of that noted,
sensational melodrama THE Dark Secret"
for the Pacific Coast. Though weak and
fimsy as dramatic WORK, its sensational
features in great measure eounterbalance
these defects. 1t was produced at the
old California Theater a little over
two years ago under the direction of Mr..
Lewis Morrison, and ran to splendid
business for month. 1t looks as IL the re-
vival at the Grand would duplicate its sue
cess judging from the enthusiastic manner
in which the various scenes were received
last evening by crowded house. The
regatta at Henley on-the-T Thames was made
most realistic by the Introduction of a river
of real water. Everything had been done
that human ingenuity could suggest to
make this scene 8 pronounced success,
and the management must have felt
highly gratified at the result of their
labors. The rowing-boatS, with their
fair occupants, the steam-launch also,
with its living freight, and the crowds
of pieasure-seekers that lined the rivers
banks made up a very pretty and pictur-
esque scene. The great race for the dia-
mOnd SOULS, and for which Henry Peterson.
the California oarsman, was engaged to
represent one OF the contestants, was splen-
didly worked up, and when he dashed by,
the victor, in full view of the audience,
with magnificent squirt, the applause
from the auditors was loud and continuous,
and the curtain had to be raised sew
eral times before their ardor was appeased.
The scene representing the river of
real water by moonlight was very pictur-
eSque, and the effect was heightened by
quartet, who sang several selections while
rowing along the stream. The scene where
the heroine is thrown into the river by the
villain and the rescue by the Oxford oars
man, Martin Brooks, was carried out in
raalistip Tho actinn N ba
whole was very praiseworthy, and every
body concerned in the production is en-
titled to need of praise. Mr.. John
Jack took the part of Jonas
Norton, the hypocritical old scoundrel. and,
as might be expected from an actor of his
experience, did his work remarkably well.
The part. of the young villain Stephen
Norton, Jonas son, was entrusted to Mr..
William Ryan Jr., newcomer, and, albeit
trfie rough, was good performance, and
showed his talents in a pleasing light. Mr..
James j. Lent did all that was possible
with the colorless part of Martin Brooks.
There were one or two little bits of char
acter work that were cleverly done. This
can be applied to Mr.. Harry Browns coun...
try lad and Mr.. David Davies tough
Miss Annie Firmin played the heroine,
May Joyce, with good deal OF feeling, and
achieved decided success. Miss Jean
Clara Walters was we'll placed as Emile
d Esterre, French adventures. Miss
Kathlynne Heron made pretty and inter-
esting Nellie. Mr.. George e. LaSk. who
directed the production. is entitled TO much
praise for the manner in which he has car
ried out his very arduous duties. The
Dark Secret" is up for heightened run.
At the Bush
1.-THE Black Hussar," military opera,
had the stage at the Bush-street Theater
last night. 1t is not whit inferior in at
Effectiveness to either "Nadiy" or " Err
minie," abounds in sparkling melodies, in.
teresting situations and semi-ludicrous
dialogue. The best airs are martial and the
| quick beat of drum ana fife form the under
| tone OF tile motive. Being the Casino COM
pany, it is unnecessary to say that the cos
| tunes are gorgeous, the uniforms brilliant
| enough TO satisfy the most ardent colorist
and the equipments polished to degree OF
| shininess that would win approval from a
mattinet. The libretto turns on the in
| teresting adventures of two dashing Black
| Hussars, Lloyd Wilson and Ross David,
| who come TO the home of pompOus old
| burgomaster named Hackenbach and there
| guised his lovely daughters. Miss Lamont
| and Miss Hanley, as old women. just as
might be expected. Messrs. Wilson and
| David are soon made aware of the at
| Effectiveness of Misses Lamont and Hanley
| and there's O mighty deal OF sly iove-mak-
| ing goes on between them. Of course, the
| love-making is told the audience in several
duets, solos, qnartets aud other forms for
the announcement of love in comic opera.
Besides the singing, Miss Hanley goes
| through series of eye evolutions and
dances bewilderingly and does various
| other little amusing things that very old
| ladies are not in the habit of doing.
| In the second act Mr.. Wilson, who by the
way is at the Burgomaster's incog., is sus-
pected of being a spy and has a variety OF
adventurers with the chorus, whose
| rounded limbs appear to advantage in the
costume of the village Of Trautenfeldt in
1872. Then, to a capital march, the BLACK
| Hussars in propria persona enter the
scene, maneuver, form stars, crosses, ETC.
and disappear behind the curtain. d
| course, the whole ends by the uniting in
bonds of wedlock of Messrs Wilson
and David and Misses Lamont and Hanley
and the Burgomaster, who labors undel
the impression that he is good dea
cleverer than he appears to the audienc 9
does the BLESS you, my children" act in |
truly paternal manner. Broad comedy il
furnished by Mr.. de Lange and Miss Rey
nolds, who are supremely funny in thei
own entirely satisfactory way.
The Black Hussars are we'll worth seeing
and one can form good idea Of their valo
and all-conqnering power in real life from
the r0undad limbs and tho manning avae nj