Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-15
FROM THE BAY CITY.
DRAMATIC DoINGS UP IN SAN
FRANCISCO.
Roland Reed in the Club Friend-An Ex-
cellent Support Plays at the Other
Theaters-News Notes.
Correspondence to the HERALD.

SAN Francisco, February IL, 1892.
There is plenty worth seeing at the
theaters here now, and all sorts of fare
are provided. Roland Reed opened at
the California theater on Monday night
in his latest play, The Club Friend.
The play was written by Sydney Rosen-
field. who is also the author OF A Posi-
BILE Case, which you will remember in
Los Angeles. 1t is bright in dialogue
and clever in construction, but is very
different from any of the pieces with
which Reed has previously been identi-
fed, as the fun is much quieter in its
nature. But it is very entertaining, and
you will enjoy it very much. Reed has
light comedy part which he plays
very cleverly. You will remember his
Samuel Bundy in The Woman Halter,
but that was very different sort of
part, and his points are made much
more quietly and more in the spirit of
true comedy. Reeds peculiar person
ality would make almost any part he
chose to take up effective, that is in the
line of comedy, and it makes him one
of the most popular comedians on the
stage.
x*x
Besides possessing peculiar person
alty Reed has another peculiarity, that
of always having good company in his
support, and the present one is the best
he has ever had. Isadore Rush, who
was with him two years ago, is still his
leading lady, and is still one OF the most
beautiful women on the stage. She is a
good actress and is most charming in
manner. She plays in The Club
Friend delightful young married
woman-young, yet old enough to have
adaughter just old enough to be married,
and gives an extremely satisfying per-
formance. She made very fine i'm
preston when she was in Los Angeles
before, and will, am sure, renew it this
time. Personally she is very fascinat-
ing, and would have been power had
her love for society been greater than
for the stage. Her daughter in the
play is represented by Edna Wallace,
San Francisco girl. She went east to
join the company about nine months
ago, and in that time wonders have
been accomplished. She owes all her
training to Reed, for she has never been
with any other company. She is only
about IL years old and makes a deli
cious ingenue. Mary Myers is still with
the company and is still greatly ad-
mired. She is finished actress and a
strikingly handsome woman. There is
another lady in the company, Cecile
James, daughter of Louis James. She
is very pretty girl and very charm
ing one. The men of the company are
all good, too. Geo. Frederick Nash
plays fashionable physician, who
turns out to be the villain of the play,
in striking manner. Charles Smiley
is a good actor who plays q Jealous hus-
band. William Davridge does an ex-
cellent piece of character work. Albert
Roberts plays an eccentric comedy
character, and Julian Reed plays boy
in buttons as no one else can. You
don't want to miss The Club Friend
when it shows up in Los Angeles.
x*x
Minna Gale is at the Baldwin and is
doing an excellent business. She is a
splendid actress and will one day be at
the top. 1t is unnecessary for me to
write at length concerning her, as she
has already appeared in Los Angeles.
She has thoroughly charmed all who
have seen her here. Maude Granger,
whom you have also seen in the south,
is at the Bush Street and doing better
from an artistic than from pecuniary
standpoint.
x*x
They are giving My Son-in-Law, a
rather amusing comedy, at the Alcazar
this week, and doing well with it. Lor-
raine Hollis has leased the Bijou and is
giving The Tigress and Forget-me-N Not.
The Grand Duchess is being nicely sung
at the Orpheum and Folka is giving
satisfaction at the Tvoli.
x*x
Next week there will be great rich
ness in the land. attractions begin
ming Monday the 18th will be Stuart
Robson at the Baldwin in She Stoops to
Conquer, Roland Reed at the California
in The Club Friend, James O'Neil at the
Bush Street in Monte Cristo, The Pri-
vate Secretary at the Alcazar, Mario
laine at the Orpheum. The Merry War
at the Tivoli, and Lorraine Hollis in
Alike at the Bijou.
**x
Mckee Rankin comes to the Alcazar
shortly, opening on Washington's birth
day.
Ben Stern will be out here again in
the near future, ahead of Agnes Hun
tington. He is one of the most popular
theatrical men on the road.
Jos. r. Grismer has secured the coast
rights to The Merchant, Martha Nor
toms prize play.
Oakland amateurs gave A Night Off
last week with considerable success.
How would it do for the Owl club?
The cornerstone of Oakland's new
theater, the Macdonough, will be laid
by the Elks on Washington's birthday,
and it is hoped that Joseph Jefferson
will be present to officiate.
HENRY L. MERRITT.
La Grippei
The tendency of this disease toward