The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-09
THE MIMIC WORLD.
MidWeek Notes of Business at the
Different Theaters.
The AlcazaPs New Melcdrama-Carleton' 5
Opera-Eoyt's 'Trip"-Mr Keene-"Life
in Paris" at the Tivoli.

BY arrangement with Mr.. AL Hayman
new meledrama, ''The Bells of Haslemere,"
was, after a good deal of preparation, pro-
duced at the AlcaZar on Tu eSday evening. 1t
belongs to the same school of the dramatic
work that has been Il feature of the Ameri-
can stage at short intervals for several years
past The same motive is apparent in all.
In this instance combine" Of swindlers
brings to grief Squire Frank Beresford of the
village after which the piece takes its name,
and throws him on the world to battle for
living first, with the remote contingency of re-
coupling his fortunes. After variety OF ad-
ventures (Sume of which are undergone in
the United States, for dramatic purposes,
the Squire comes to his own again. and the
swinders are defeated. The cast is quite
lengthy one and affords nearly every person
in it a chance to do some individual business
that takes the notice CT the audience.
Mr.. Beach'S Squire is in his best style,
and he opposes his breast to ''the sea of
troubles" that threatens to OyerWhelm him
with true dramatic heroism. He is tender
in his lOve-making, strong in his denunci-
alton of wrong and brave in danger. Silk
stone (Mr. Leo Cooper, pretended London
tinancier and the real chief of the swindling
organization, in love with Evelyn, betrOthed
TO the impoverished Squire, was well pre-
scented, as was The character Of Captain
We're (Mr. James L. Wilson,, an adventurer.
Wilson has been doing some very good
work since lie joined this company, aud that
which he gave US ON Tuesday night was not
the least in merit. The gentleman seems to
move in mimetic aura, so TO speak, to be
thoroughly in rapport with the spirit OF
each part lie assumes. Miss Ethel Bran
don played Evelyn BroOkfeld, the millerS
sister, with whom two men are in love, and
played it, too, like a high-Sprted English
girl of good principle. An important char
acter III working out the dennuement is Mary
Northcote miss ldalene Cotton, the school
mistress. She married SiikStone some years
before the opening Of the drama, when he
was known as Jonn Baxter, a bank clerk,
but he proved to be for2er and generally
broad-gauge scoundrel; he deserted his
| wife. Thinking hi III dead in Australia and
herself widowed she is about to marry
| Matthew Broo kield the miller, when BaX-
! ter reappears under his new name, and Mary
| disappears, but comes in at the close OF the
| piece, when needed to StraigbteD out mat
| tiers. Miss Cotton is now Is Years old and
has grown tall and shapeiy. She makes
striking stage appearance and her acting
| ability keeps pace with the de velOping grace
| of her figure. Her reading IS clear and
nicely mOdulated.
MATTHEW BRooKFIELD,
| The miller was assumed by Mr.. Julius
| Kahn (his first appearance on the stage; he
promises to be a useful member of the COM
| pauy. In the American episodes of the
me!odrama lie unprecedented Captain Salem,
| Yankee owner of Mississippi steamer.
| The work in both parts showed versatility.
! What comedy-the usual heavy, English,
| lumpy comedy-there is Mr.. L. Il. Stock
| well as Reuben Armstrong the village black
smith, and Miss Fanny Bowman, his sweet
heart, Dorothy Tremble, managed to pre-
sent in very good shape. Stockwel can
make more out of this style Of thing than
any actor we have among US at present, and
Miss Bowman did Ler share Of the business
pretty well, the defect being in want of
local color. The young lady is rather too
| piQuant in her style for an English village
maiden. The Bells" again this evening