The morning call., 1892-12-27
AT THE THEATERS.
Christmas Crowds All the
Houses.
Success of Fanny Rice at the Stock
well" Ali Baba" i'm Its Last
Week-Cinderella.

The two festival days Of the Christmas
season just past have been more than kind
to all the local theaters now open.
Fanny Rice with her New Jolly Sur
prise" has made an accounting at the box
office Of the Stockwell far exceeding apy
recorded since that pretty little theater was
opened to the public. Droves of people
were turned away from the Sunday per-
formanees, and the same state of affairs
was seen last night, much to the deligh. of
the managers. But then Fanny offers a
most attractive double bill. the charms Of
which promise TO last beyond the leisure of
holiday
The curtain raiser by Burgess clever
bit called "The Little Broomseler," is
reminiscent. Its chief charm /. the
duet II Am an Alsatian" and has
been sung by Miss Susan Ga,ton and Mr.
Kelleher, her husband, during their stage
career in San Francisco. 1t loses not a whit
OF its vivacity In the treatment by Miss Rice
as Lschen and Mr.. Frank Jones as Fischen,
who meet in a strange land, discover they are
compatriets, then brother and sister, but
eventually, by letter that Lischen has in
her pocket and which Fischen reads for her.
that she IS only an adopted child, and, Of
course, they fall in love, with many pretty
songs as an accompaniment and several
dances by Lischen.
''Ihe New Jolly Surprise" turns on the
everlasting Objectionable mother-in-iaw ::
but as il is advertised ''for laughing pur-
poses only" and as this result is obtained
to the greatest degree, nothing more need
be said. Bradshaw. whom the mother-in-
law oppresses like nightmare, is a good
broad comedian in his way. and Melville
Stewart very acceptable light actor, with
good voice and graceful action. The chief
charm rests, however. with Fanny Rice, as
Violet Gray. and her musical and terpsi-
ehorean accomplishments. Miss Rice can
play the piano with a neat crisp touch,
and when she accompanied herself la
Heller and Mansfield In describing what a
man cannot do and woman can accomplish
in the duties of life, singing in a mos. ex-
preSsive and sweet voice, the audience were
unwilling TO let her leave the instrument
she gave as an encore the plant Of an in
dlyidual who was hopelessly in love with
"Sopbler," altering the tone of her voice,
and pronounclng, also, the words with a
strong Western accent She caused the
house TO ring again with laughter and ap-
plause OF the audience. The music OF the
orchestra under The direction of c. 5. Bur
ton Is a notable feature In this entertain
ment. AS for Miss Rice herself she has im-
proved in her stage work and general
manner since she was here as prima donna
with W. T. Carleton-bright and acceptable
as at that time.
With to-night's performance Of "Ali
Baba" at ithe Grand Opera-house begins
the fourth and last week Of the exls tence
of that magnificent spectacle In this city.
To this attraction belongs the credit OF one
of the most remarkable runs In the history
of California theatrieals, and probably the
most successful, financially, that has ever
been played in San Francisco. When one
considers the crowded houses thatiare still
seen at the Grand and the nature of the
spectacle the people assemble 10 see, il
seems quite possible that the American Ex-
trayaganza Company could play TO a massed
auditorium for another month. at least
Next Monday night 'Ali Baba," with all
lis glittering beauty. will bid farewell to
the Pacific Slope and move eastward. Two
more matinees will be giyen-one on Satur-
day next and special holiday performance
on Monday, January Q. "Ali Baba's" popu-
larlty as matinee draw was never better
shown than yesterday afternoon when tho
vast theater was packed from the ground
floor 10 the topmost gallery by an audience
made up almost entirely of ladies and chill
dfen.
The Christmas spectacle at the Tvoli, "a
Trip 10 the Moon," now running 10 full
benches for week, also felt the effect of
what may be called the two supreme DAYS Of
the present season. Greater smoo,hness
lar opera, owing 10 some improving changes
that have been made and the closer famil-
iarty Of the different people In the cast
with their respective parts.
'Lumpazs Vagabondus." produced by
Herr HitzigratRs German players at the
Baldwin on Sunday night, is Viennese
Latin. suggesting something like Good for
Nothing Tramp." 1t 10 a fareical comedy
hy If ha
writer's in Vienna during the forties and
hfties, man whose satirical pen was even
more praised than MS talent for grotesQue
acting This particular piece can boast of
greater dramatic vitality than probably all
the farce-comedies ever written by Ger
man author. The characters are drawn
from life and by a masterly hand. Life
changes its phases, though. and the tramp
ing apprentices Of the comedy, rowing
from place to place. begging when they
could not get work. are a social phase that
has disappeared IN Germany during the last
five decades, under the influence of cheap
and better means of transportation. But
these honest tramps that Nestroy DIRE W so
carefully and naturally still touch the old
German heart aud regret is felt at their dis
placement by the stagecoaeh and rail. This
comedy can only be properly produced by
actors well acquainted with the Vienna
dialect, and Herr Hitzigrath's company was
not selected for work Of this kind. The
performance, therefore, only achieved a
success d'estime.
Cinderella, the Christmas spectacle
selected for an attraction by the managers
Of The Grove-street Theater, is filling that
house with delighted spectators. In it's
construction the scenic artist. mechanican
and propertyman have fully repeated 1.-The
unsubstantis glories of this fairy tale that's
many time and oft dazzled the eyes Of
preceding generations. 1t is a great show
for the women and children. who
are never tired OF Ire sheen, never
weary Of contemplating the good
fortune Of the despised servant-girl
who became princess by means
OF that uncomfortable piece OF foot
gear popularity called "Glass Slipper" I"
But this idea Of discomfort vanishes when
it is known that in taking the story from
the French a mistraEslation Of a word was
made and never rectifed. The proper read
ing is a "fur slipper"
Wilkes third concert of the Maple Hall
series takes place tomorrow afternoon at
the Palace Hotel.
Mrs. General Tom Thumb and company
continue to exhibit at Irving Hall.