The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-10
HE THEATERS.
IL Comforts of Home" a
Deserved Success.
resumption of the Hess Opera COrinne-"The
Sea King"-"The Glemenceau Case"
Burlesque in Plenty.

- WuIam H. Gillette is at home In farce
la more completely aud comfortably so
~, in his other dramatic work. The latest
-, his men. now before the public-whieh was
.assed l,y 4 crowded and fashionable audience
~, Baldwin last eVening-amply iuslifes this
-. o,,ress5on of opinion. IAN the Comforts of
5Jnn,eo i not. however, wholly original work by
Nh GHlct.e; part OF 1t is based upon Carl Laufs
,s,mop comedy Elm Toller Elnfan," PLAYED
=, the Amberc Theaier, New York, some time in
~ Iqftsr mart Of 1888. The plot-n plot there
Te-of the play may be summed up briefly: A
3salous husband takes his family away for tour
Tssyipc an mpecunious nephew Ont. Henry Mil
Ian I'D charge OF large and well-furnished man
SION. and tile nephew, assisted by an eXtraordi-
- EroIisn prniege. Tom mellow (Mr. Frank
- 1-.,I VS. apartments In the house TO q
- number OF peculiar persons. all of whom he
- s.rres will mud there "the comforts OF a home.n
Tbase persons annoy each other, assist each
.aiber. fall in love, quarrel, misunderstood each
ctD,, and become almost helpeSsly mixed up In
r,upIIcatious which keep the audience con-
-et,hfly laughing. There is not a reposeful mo-
r--nt in he audiiOrium-eXee during entr' aetes
,,apl lie using Of the curtain on the first act
.,fn.rs f,Il at the close OF the last. The piece
VS. stnLably played, quickly and With preci-
.118 Had this not been SO much of the effect
would nave been lost.
=. IN THE CAST
NJ Henry Mil er was conspicuous as Alfred
81 Hastings. the misunderstanding aud impecunious
IspbeW He brings on all the trouble, and to
MIN IS due the mirth.provOkiug complications
s1UIer established himself at once as a favorite
WIN lie audience But parallel with him In tie
,fgg-maklng quality is Mr.. sam Edwards as
Iueod0ie Bender 4 retired produce dealer, with
I!S vile Josephine (Mrs. Kate Denim Wilson,,
and his daughter Eyangeline Miss Marie Green
valid. The burden of the piece depends, In fact,
on tile adventures Of the Bender family. Edwards
has BurtOn-like rOIundity OF person,
and much OF the manner and unctnons
humor that made the old manager of the New
York Chambers. street Theater famous as a come
dian. lie is henpecked mefeilessly by his wife,
but sui has an eve tor a good looking woman,
auu the yan,Jy 10 believe that the regard Is re-
'ciurocal He falls IN love with an opera singer
VINO has taken apartments In the PeItibone man
sion. In pursuing this amOuretIe. and at the
same time deceiying his wife, no end Of COM
Heal ana peculiar situations arise. Ed
wards IS a comedian Of to-day, with a
complete iuyestiture OF the rich numor
: e.. an earler and row almost forgotten school,
When horse play was not accepted for genuine
comedy. All the people in the cast have nice
~lGtle bits IL is play for everybody, aud each
:. does his or her work well. In fact as the Clip
% per remarked when II was produced in New
York. Nj. Gillette seems to have builded on the
3: plan suggested by the elder Dumas TO his sou;
-" Make your nr5I act as strong as you can, ans
all tie others stronger" 1t IS moro a confident
o. assertion than the hazard OF a prophecy wheT
we say that IAN the Comforts of Home " vii
lave a-briliaut run from post To finish.