Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-19
snecial oorrssponaence to the HEnAIp.

SAN Francisco, Oct, 16, 1891.
The theaters are all doing we'll this
week. DR.. Bill is keeping up the Cali
fornia's record, as there are full houses
at Harry Mann's handsome theater every
night. DR.. Bill is a comedy in three
acts by Hamilton Aide. 1t is amusing
and rather Frenchy, and each act ends
with hurrah. 1t has also percepti-
BILE plot. The hero of the play is Will
liam Brown, retired physician. He is
still young and has young wife, their
married life having lasted three months
at the time the curtain rises. His prac-
tice had been largely among the mem
bers OF the theatrical profession, partic-
ularly the ladies, with whom he had
been very popular He had been known
to them as DIR. Bill and had led very
CAV life. The reason for his de-
sire to drop his practice after his
marriage is therefore obvious, and being
wealthy he is able to do so very COM
fortably. But he has a father-in-law
who does not believe in idleness, and
who, after making every effort to induce
him to return to his profession in vain,
takes matters into his own hands. The
stern father-in-law hangs out a door
plate, inserts advertisements and sends
out cards, all without the young DOCTORS
knowledge. From this springs the play.
1t is too complicated story to tell in
anything short of a column, and, besides,
large part of the interest comes in in
guessing what is going to happen. There
are plenty of bright lines and cleverly
worked-up situations. Mrs. George S.
Knight, who used to be known as Sophie
Worrell, is a member OF the company,
and so is Ernest Bartram, who will be
remembered in Los Angeles as a mem
Der of Roland Reeds company. There
are other bright people, although l do
not think they get everything possible
out of the comedy. 1t is what may be
called fair company, although it is not
fine company. Still, they provide
pleasant entertainment. DIR. Bill is pre-
coded at each performance by curtain
raiser by Jeron k. Jerome entitled
Sunset, which is not very interesting.
Leighton Barker does good bit of char
acter work in the curtain-raiser which
he supplements by another clever char
acter impersonation in the comedy.
The hit OF the play is made at the end
of the first act. Miss Fauntleroy, of the
Frivolity theater, calls on DIR. Brown,
finds he is DR.. Bill, and inveigles him
into the kangaroo dance. In the midst
OF the dance the family appear.
Climax. The dance is short, but while
it lasts the audience goes wild. 1t is
decided hit and after seeing it no one
wonders that the kangaroo dance made
hit in New York.
x*s
Augustin Days comedy, Love in Har-
ness, is being given at the Alcazar. 1t
is bright and pleasing trihe and is
given good performance. The excel
lence of the performances at the Alcazar
is really remarkable when one considers
that the company never has more than
week to rehearse in. The comedy is
built upon the woes of young married
people and the trouble they have in
getting along togetherin double harness.
Two young couples, the wives being
sisters, agree to disagree, and the fun
comes in with their efforts to keep
apart and get together again, the
latter being eventually accomplished
through a strategem inaugurated
by well-disposed friend. Leo Cooper
plays the father OF the two young wives
admirably. L. r. Stockwel and Fred
erick Bryton are the husbands and
Ethel Brandon and Eleanor Barry the
wives. Idalene Cotton makes hit as a
hoydenish domestic. Love in Harness
was adapted from the French OF Albin
Valabreque.
Nv
La Vile de Madame Angot has been
more than we'll received at the Tivoli,
for the house has been crowded every
l.
with life and spirit, and Oracle Plaisted
IL the song 81 am the Daughter OF
Madame Angot," is very reminiscent of
Aimee. 1t is the best thing she has
done here. 1t is clever company, this
one at the Tivoli, and the people work
hard, too. 1t is no light task to present
weekly change of opera.
n ~
Sinbad is doing a phenomenal bust
ness at the Baldwin. There has not
been vacant seat since the engage
ment opened and the third week is
nearly past. Monday night occurred
the hundred and fiftieth performance,
and the occasion was marked by the
distribution of very handsome litho-
graphed souvenirs. Sinbad is booked
for four weeks, but l believe it could
fill the house for twice as long.
x*#
The President has caught on, as the
saying is, at the Bush street, and is get
ting its full share OF attendance. Frank
David and Frank Lane are both favor
ties here, and Charlotte Tittell is more
than favorite. 1t will do large bust
ness here.
NV
The Oriental Opera company will
make another bid for San Francisco's
favor tonight at the Bijou, when they
will present The Fanatic, or the Two
Sufferers. They have not made very
strong impression here. There are good
singers in the company, but not many
people care to listen to the dreary He
brew operas of their repertoire. One
would think that the hard luck they
have already had would deter them
from making any more attempts, but /
suppose it is the poor fellows only
chance Of getting east or paying their
board bills.
~
On Monday night the Columbia opera
company begins season at the Orphe-
UNI opera house. The organization is to
be strong one, and will com
prise number of well known
people, including Signor Albert Guile,