Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-06
PLAYS IN TIE CITY.
NEWS ABOUT THEATRICAL MAT
TIERS IN SAN FRANCISCO.
Grismers' Plans-Evans and Hoey-
Dramatic Gossip.

Nat Goodwin has made big hit with
The Nominee at the Baldwin-the kind
of hit that is ssubstantiated by crowded
houses. Goodwin is a clever comedian,
very clever, and unexcelled in his line.
The Nominee is an adaptation from
French farce, Depute de Bombignae, by
Leander Richardson, the editor of the
New York Dramatic News, and gen.
tleman by the name of Yardley. The
plot is amusing, though improbable, at
least in this country, a little circum-
stance which does not prevent its be-
ing enjoyable. Goodwin plays Jack
Medford, gay man of the world who is
blessed with a charming wife and
mother-in-law, the latter not so charm
ing. The said mother-in-law is dyed
in-the-wool jackson Democrat, with
political aspirations for her daughters
husband, although he has none for him.
self. They live in Stamford, Conn.,,
very quietly. The quiet does not suit
Medford, who seeks every opportunity
to get away to New York for a good
time. An opportunity comes for him
to run as the Democratic candidate for
congress in the Willimantic district.
Seeing good chance to get away from
home for a couple of weeks, he accepts.
Ostensibly starting for Willimantc he
takes the train for New York, sending
his private secretary to Willimantic to
impersonate him and stump the district.
The secretary is red-hot protectionist
Republican, and he displays such
eloquence and such zeal for protection
that the Republican candidate resigns
in his favor and Jack Medford, as the
secretary is supposed to be, is elected to
congress as a republican. OF course such
happening would be impossible in this
country, but it leads to some very funny
complications. There is a woman in
the case to help mix things up, couple
of lovers for romance, and some others
for other purposes. There is plenty
more to the plot, which is ingenious and
is skilfully worked up, but what have
written will suffice to give an idea of it.
Goodwin is in his element as Jack Med
ford, straight comedy part, by the
way, and makes things hum while on
the scene. He is an actor of peculiar
abilities, Carrying everything with a rush
and snap which is refreshing, and has
faculty OF convulsing his auditors with
the simplest methods. His company is
in the main good one, though not all
fully in touch with the piece yet, as
Monday night was the opening OF the
season. Jean Clara Walters gives an
excellent performance of the mother-in-
law, and Elsie Lombard is delightful in
an ingenue role. Harry Woodruff, who
was in Los Angeles with the Palmer
company last summer, is also member
of the cast.
The Nominee isspreceded by one,act
comedy, as curtain-raiser, entitled
Barbara. 1t is from the pen OF Jerome
K. Jerome, and tells charming little
story.
x*x
The Grismers changed their bill on
Monday night and have this week been
presenting their great success of season
before last, The Burglar. The author
of this play used to be plain Gus Thorn
as, author of Alabama. The Burglar it
is unnecessary for me to describe, as it
has been seen in Los Angeles. The pro-
duction now is in the main fully as
good as it was then, IN some respects
better. Mr.. Grismer has duplicated
his former success as William Lewis,