The morning call., 1891-02-24
THE THEATERS.
"Twelfth Night" as Presented
at the New California.
Ole Olson" at the Aleszar -" LIE Clemen-
ceau" at the Bush-Street-Good
Holiday Business


Shahespeare'S great comedy, at the Califor-
MIA last evening was notable feature in
the history of the new theater-a more i'm
portant. because a better, illustration of
Shakespeare than the opening of the
house by Messrs. Booth and Bar
rett. Miss Marie Wainwright's YER
sion OF the poets comedy violates none
OF the canOns of text; it only, by scenic
Encouragement, perfects the sequences of
the play. AT the same time the lady, with
that love for proprety in art which is char
acteristic of her, has been to the trouble of
bringing, to this production, at her own ex-
pense, all the scenery and stage furniture
necessary to its completeness; scenery
painted by Graham, Goatcher, Schaefer and
Maeder. Mr.. Ben Teal must be accredited
some praise in the matter, as with deft
hand and intelligent brain he has managed
to invest this delightful comedy with addi-
t0nal interest.
MISS MARIE WAINWRIGHT
Has evidently made close study of the
character of Viola, who, under the name
Cesarlo and as page, is the Dukes ennis
sary to the Lady Olivia to tell her the story
OF The love that her aristOcratc neighbor
feels for her. In the early history of Puli-
tau New England we have similar incl
dent-saylng the seX-in the w0oing of Miles.
Standish. AS Viola Miss Wainwright pre-
sented handsome appearance in her
male attire, and no one wonders that the
Lady Olivia fell in love with the messenger
instead OF the Duke who sent him. Some
Oh the scenes of the page with the Duke,
who thinks him boy, While she loves him
as woman, are full of nice acting points.
and illustrate the condition of her mind as
expressed In the text:
She never told her love,
But let concealment like worm 1.-THE bud,
Feed on her damask cheek.
AS MALVoLIo
Mr.. Barton Hill, the old-tme favorite with
the California theater-going public, whether
considered as a manager or an actor, was
received with positive and long-sustained
greeting on his entrance. There were many
IN the audience who remembered him, and
they were determined to emphasize their
memory. Without doubt, there is no one
on the American stage to day SO
competent TO convey the Shakespearian
idea of the ambitious steward of
Lady Olivia as this we'll trained
actor. 1t is said that Malvoln was meant
by the author as n type of the Puritan char
acter, and that in him il was intended to
exhibit all the worst features of the class
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, conceit and intoler
ance. Thus we have Sir Toby Belch saying
to him in the registering scene: "Dost
GUS. there shall be no more cakes
and aleP" and, also, Maria, in CIV
Rami as5 hin ."' THE S5 de sRf R'o' pur T.
tan that hat u5 he is; or anything else
IDENTIFY taken this conception of the charac-
ter and maintains it all through. Malvolio
Is not fool, by any means. He is a man of
business and good manager OF his lady'S
affairs, else would be not have been ad-
vanced to the position in which we find him
in the play. In Lady Oliyia's unprotected
condition, and her material dependence on
him. It is naturally suggested to his
mind that the position he holds by
sufterance, he may attain by right
as lord and master of the estate. Here lie
makes his mistake and opens the door to the
conspirators to play upon a very natural
vanity that leads to his humiliation. HiIPs
Malyolio, looking at it from this standpoint,
Is splendid piece of acting all through,
and justified the applause that followed
every phase of its presentation. 1t Is not
the first time such plaudits' have greeted
this accomplished hiStron ON the same site;
but it must be eminently satisfactory to the
actor to find that in the New California as
in tine Old, a comparatively new generation
join hands and voices as fast disappearing
old enc did in recognizing his great stage
merit.
SIR TOBY BELCH.
Mr.. William f. Owen presented this TAM
Gus character. crystallized in American
tlieatric history by Bass, Burton: De Bar
ON II.
Henry Edwards. 1t was fully up to the
standard fixed by any of the great names
mentioned. Sir Toby Belch, in nearly ali
the points of his character. Is a companion
picture OF Sir John Falstaff. He is one of
the ''bummerS" of Shakespeare. Sir Toby
is disselute hanger-un to the bounty of his
cousin, the Lady Olivia, and confident in
this position has no respect of place per-
soES nor time As a portraiture of n
thoroughly worthless Bohemian. who VIC
timiyaS pvnrvhn1y within
the foolish knight, Sir Andrew Aguecheek.
Owen was perfect. In the conviyial scene
between himself. Sir Andrew and the clown
which Maria and Malvolio seek 10 interrupt
he was at his best and the whole party
were called before the curtain at its close,
GROUPING THE OTHER CHARACTERS.
We find in Miss Louise Muldener as Maria
the pert and Quick-wilted waiting maid of
Lady Olivia, one OF the. best interpreters of
that character. Miss Muldener will be re-
membered as having been here some wears
ago III support OF RnsSi, the Italian actor
In her work last night she showed herself
an actress of wonderful versatility. The
Lady Olivia by Miss Blanche Walsh was
fairly rendered, subjective as it was. Sir
Andrew Aguecheek, one of the most difficult
presentations to make in all of the d,amalis
persona, was nicely managed bv Mr.. Percy
Brooke. 1t is ridiculous from beginning to
end, and the actor made it so to the top of
It's bent. The clown, by Z. Y. Backus. was
light and airy, fool with purpose, and
whose presence and manner relieved the
sottishness of Sir Toby and the imbecility
OF Sir Andrew. Sebastian, the double of
Viola. was well sustained by Edward
Elsner, quite as well as Nick Long did tire
same service for Adelaide Nelson at the old
theater years ago. In fact it may be said
that the great merit of the general per
formance lies in this that nearly every one
in the cast is fully equipped for the part
assigned him or her, and, as q consequence.
the whole business from beginning to end
moves without hitch.