Los Angeles herald., 1892-06-27
DRAMA At THE BAY,
Amusements Up at San
Francisco.
Francis Wilson's Great Success at
the Baldwin.
The Lion Tanner and Merry Monarch
to BE Given Here-Natural
Gas = News
Notes.
Special Correspondence to the Herald

Francis Wilson is giving The Lion
Tanner this week, and it has if anything
scored even q greater success than did
The Merry Monarch, but that is proba-
bly, because people are getting to appre-
ciate Wilson better and to understand
what an artist he really is. For he is
an artist, and he comes close to being
great one. People in general, upon see-
ing him for the first time, would be apt
to pooh-pooh that idea, would say he
was an awfully funny devil and that is
all. They see him cut up more or less
monkey shines on the stage and hear
him say some very funny things in .
very funny manner, but they just think
he cannot help being funny. 1t is his
spontaneity that puzzles them. When
he makes some absurd or. otherwise
laughable remark in such a way
rs to cause the audience to
roll in their seats, how can
they be expected to know anything of
the work involved in producing that
laugh? Yet imagine man saying that
thing every evening for months, and
still being funny while saying it. There
is the test that Wilson meets. Then, if
you sit anywhere near the stage, you
will see a play of expression and per-
lection of pantomime that would keep
you laughing, even if, through natural
causes, you were unable to hear word.
OF how many comic opera comedians
today can that be said? There is one
thing about Wilson-immensely funny
as he is at first sight, he still grows on
you, and you think him funnier every
time you see him. A unique proof OF
this assertion is found in the fact that
the Baldwin for the past few weeks has
been haven of rest to the weary critics,
and almost any night you can find two
or three Or more of them there, and
actually being entertained and amused
by something they have already seen q
number of times. Funny, isn't it?
But it is none the less true.
x*x
But to return to the Lion Tanner.
You will like it. You cannot help
yourselves. You know you are to
see both of Wilson's pieces, the Merry
Monarch and the Lion Tanner. 1t was
originally intended to give only the first
named, excepting in San Francisco, on
this tour but it has been decided to thus
favor Los Angeles also. The Lion Tanner
has something to do with circus and
something to do with the vendetta. The
scene of the first act is laid in the dress
ing tent of the circus belonging to CAST
mer, the lion tanner. Casimer is heavi-
ly in debt and losing money on bis
show every day. He has q beautiful
wife, Angelina, the equestriennne, whose
father was the former proprietor of the
circus. Three men are dead in love
with Angelina. They are the grand
duke, the juggler and the ringmaster.
The juggier buys up all Casimer's debts
intending to freeze him ont
of the circus and also out
of Angelina. But Casimer learns
that by his father-in-law's will
the circus goes to Angelina in case of
the death of her husband, the lion
tanner, and he therefore makes his ar
rangements for becoming dead to the
world. He goes to Corsica, where he
distinguishes himself by cowing an es-
capped lion, at least that is what they
say in the opera. Wilson is the only
lion on the stage out of cage. He also
gets caught in ruined castle by moon
light, after quite accidental meeting,
with the daughter of Corsican count,
and is thereupon compelled by the
father to marry her, in spite of the fact
that she loves another. Just after the
ceremony, Angelina, her three admirers
and her circus arrive in Bastia; also the
lover of the countess, fiery lover of
Dragons. This puts Casimer in a
hole, bnt the marriage turns out to have
been only mock ceremony, the matter
having been fixed by the countess, and
Casimer and his Angelina are restored
to each other, and as the circus has
made money under her administration,
they are without care. OF course
Wilson plays Casimer and plays it
brilliantly. The entry of the circus
into Bastia is one of the greatest effects
ever seen on the stage, and with the
handling of the populace in the scene
represents triumph of stage manage
ment, and sends the audience wild ev-
cry night. 1 will not describe the pa
rade further than to cay that it is true
to life and occupies nearly ten minutes
in passing given point.
~
Donnelly and Girard and Natural Gas
are at the California, and will be for one
week more. l had not seen them, as it
has happened, for over three years and
a half, and l am sorry that I have seen
them again, for have had earlier
illusions destroyed. They have not
kept the piece up to the old standard
and have eliminated much of the bright
dialogue that used to be in it, for the
sake Of room for some very dull songs.
Girard is as clever as ever, and so is
Donnelly, though he is suffering from a
horrible cold this week. The men in
the company are fairly good, but the
girls are simply pretty and useless, with
the exception of Amy Ames, who has
not the slightest claim to beauty, at
least in her makeup, and who is a
wonder. 1 think she is one of the
cleverest impersonators of Irish char
acter on the stage.
~
The Police Patrol, which you have
seen, is at the Bush and is doing well.
Charles Erin Werner is playinga starring
engagement at the Alcazar, supported
by the stock company. This week he is
giving Loch-na. Garran. Werner is q
fine Irish actor and is very popular here.
La Willie de Madame Augot is being seen
at the Tivoli.
xsx
DIR. Carver's big production of The
Scout ls doing an enormous business at
the Grand opera house. No one can
find just what the play is about, but NO
one cares anything about that. The
effects are extremely sensational and 20
with hurrah. Curver rides on and of
on fiery broncho. shoots, and creates q
circus generally. There is an Indian