The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-05
AT THE THEATERS
Two Good Programmes
Last Night.
Keene and SalVini Show Themselves
at Their Best and Please the
Audiences.

Casimir DelaYigne's dramatic version Of
episodes in the life and reign of Louis
XI of France. with additions from Quen-
tin Durward, made for Mr.. Keene by
Messrs. Edwin Arden and Arden Smith,
is very different from Dion Boucicault's
treatment of the same matters taken ex-
clusively from Sir Walter ScotPs most in
terestlng novel. In many respects Della
vigne's work is the superior, and gives oc-
casion for NATURALIZATION by the actor
Of those traits of character in one who is
generally regarded as the wisest, meanest,
most ambitious and most cruel King that
ever reigned. We have in it more of the
historical portrait of the potentate,
who broke all pledges and disregarded all
ties, saying, Hearts must bleed and
hearts must break that thrones may
stand" Keene's conception of such a
nature was certainly acute, clearly defined
and well realized in action. Cruelty.
craftiness. fear of death aud a servile sub
mission to his religious teachers that
amounted to superstition were the changing
n GODS that by turn assailsd the Kings
mind; but ever dominant was the enhance
ment of the political power of France and
the expan sion of its territory. He never
lcotCu tliA uO dUoOL D6u dIl ID6 lesser
princes. and, as he expressed it, 'left
them penniess." The Due de Nemours.
envoy OF the Duke of Burgundy, Charles
the Bold, King Louis bette noir, was well
played by Mr.. Hennig, and Marie de Com
ines. in the hands of Miss Laurence, was
the picture of girl affianced to Nemours,
with mind as strong as that of her
famous father, allied to a beautiful face
and graceful form. The rest of the sup
port was efficient, but the cast is not given
as much to do as Ill the other versions, d or
are the leading scenes as striking and pic
turesque. The principal one, where Louis,
about To sign the treaty with Charles the
Bold. hears of his defeat by the Swiss.
tears up the document and throws it at
Burgundan ENJOYS feet, is tame in com
parison with BoucicaulL's treatment of
the same occasion. "Othello" this evening.
Salvini's Double Bill.
The young Italo-American actor gave US
taste of his quality last evening as q gen.
eral actor. He left the realms of the
romantic for comedy, "Friend Fritz"
and a mono-act tragedy, Rustic Chiv-
airy" adapted from the Italian of G.
Verga by A. Carrano.
Savini is excellent in comedy. Erck-
mann-Chatrian's Friend Fritz ia the
story of a wrathy bachelor, Fritz K0bus
(Salvini being Fritz, who is In love with
SuZel (Maude DixOn), a maid servant in
his own household, while she in her turn,
is in love with her master, but trembles at
her temerity for en- tertaining the passion.
The business Of the comedy is to make
this interesting part of mutual love clear,
so that master and maid may be brought
together as husband and wife. Salvini
played Robus In such way that be had
the audience laughing almost uninter-
ruptedly from the beginning to the end of
the piece.
Rustic Chivalry" the same condition
of things OF which Mascagni has made an
operate grouping under the title "Caval-
leria RusLicana'0 is an experience of
Italian jealousy and revenge-short, sharp
and bloody. The situations are simple
enough, the interest is in the passionate
workings of the two feelings that lie IN
the hearts of Santuzza Eleanor MorettD :;
Lola, her rival. Grace Edlefsen); Tn-
riddu, the betrayer of SantuZza. (Sal-
WIND and Alto civilian kedmonu)
till they burst into flame like an
eruption from Etna or Vesuvius. When
Alto discovers through SantuZza that Tu.
riddu, former lover. is too attentive to
Lola, his wife, there is a challenge given
to mortal combat by Turlddu grasping
A fio's hand and biting his ear-the usual
sign. 1t Is on Easter morning. A fight
ensues that, although in stimulation, stirs
the spectators blood, and only ends when
TuriddG lies knitted on the stage. 1t is,
we presume, realistic episode OF life
among the lowly in Italy, and there is
more business in it than any one-act piece
ever seen. This evening, Don Caesar de
Razan ~