The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-22
AT THE THEATERS.
A Drawing Old Comedy
at the Baldwin.
Gardner in 1.-The Prize Winner
Welcome to BeIcher at the
California-sVende

John Baldwin Buckstone's archaic COM
edy Leap Year, or the Ladies' Privilege"
as offered by Stuart Robson and comp any
at the Baldwin last evening" had more
drawing power in it for the modern thea
ter-goer than was anticipated. There was
nothing blase nor hypocritical in the audi
ence assembled. 1t was fresh and sensi-
tive, and ready to catch and enjoy all the
varied phases of the comedy. Ii was
MD aud haekneyed, but it was new to the
Baldwinites of last evening. The pivot of
the whole business is that the ladies are
required to marry before certain date in
order to be benefited by condition in
their favor made by "a distant relative"
and leap year is avaiIed of to take hus-
band pro tempOre or nominally, ii may be
said. This gives rise to all sorts of queer
twists and Turns, more or less funny in
character Robson as Donysius Dimple
is the central figure, but all the dramaiis
persona have distinctive business. Rob-
son has drunken scene that made the
audience roar; but there was more and
better comedy work in John w. WOoder
sons Solomon SOlus, prosecuted for mat
rimonial designs by Miss Desperate Miss
Camille CampbelD. Elwood's William
Walker, the lover of Mrs Fl0werby (Miss
Lynch, was a capital persOnation, and
Mrs. Robson as Miss Sarah O'Learv, with
a delicate brOgue, not too much, but just
enough. was full of color. John (Joseph
Zahne,), the Indispensable servant of
Solus, was an excellent bit OF eccentric
comedy. In fact, the ola comedy had
"go" all through, and we would not be
surprised To see another full attendance at
the Baldwin tonight, when 1T Will be re-
peared. Tomorrow night Bronson How
ards chef d'euvre, "The Henrietta" will
ha tod NAV the
ment ending with shis week.
The curtain went down at the California
Theater last evening. and large pOmp0us
gentleman inquired in stentorian tones:
"WhaPs the matter with Belcher?"
Six hundred pairs of Olympian lungs
responded geefully:
He's all right"
"Who?" INTERCEPTED the stout gentle
man.
why. Frank Belcher," and everybody
in the immense audience manifested unde-
niable approval. And even Messrs. Hallen
and Fart, than whom two more successful
merTymakers in the country do not exist
had to yield up the palm to the
young San Francisco baTytone, who, after
a six months absence, returns to the
city full-fedged professional When he
came on the stage wild whOop went up,
and in the second act, when he appeared
alone, the stage looked as If section Of the
flower festival had been brought in from
the fair grounds. The OymDics, COrin-
THAN yachiers and Stanford PaflOr uf
Native SUES sent magnificent designs. and
then a perfect bOmbardment of bouquets
commenced from all parts of the house.
One enthusiast from the gallery nearly put
the singers eye out with bunch of roses,
and finally when Halen came on and said
tSkNhv Wa fhio floral festival 81
! the audience almost felt like responding,
| mo, you're not In it
A very capable company has been
! brought out. and although the plot of
the Idea" is as slight as that of every
! farce-comedy a very bright aud enjoyable
| entertain ment is served. The songs are
! almost entirely new, Hallen dances even
more gracefully than he did in Later On"
| and Hart sings and talks with that nasal
twang, peculiarly HI his own. Their song on
| CoXev's army, TRAMP, Tramp, Tramp,
! the TramEs Are Tramping," completely
captured the house. and when Mark Muir
ply. who refuses TO accept a dollar
/ for bringing a ton of coal down
! hill. Tesolutely pushes his barrow
with various sections of his load up again,
finally has TO pause and remark that he is
| only a common wheeler" the cause of
the men who would rather 'die than
work" as the song put it, received a seri-
oUs setback. Among the ladies of the cast
/ Lydia Yeamans-Ttus carried off the hon
ors. Her singing of Moloy's "Baby Bye.
Here's a Fly" with babyish voice and
manner. created nearly as much enthusi-
asm as Becher's appearance, Kiss
Julia Mackey. has a bsrytnne voice,
and sang you Can't Lose Me.
Charley" the refrain of which was
promptly picked up by the male members
of the audience and howled as only Olym-
plans can howl. Carrie de Mar danced
and sang well. and TWO young persons,
known as misses Murray and Grovini,"
| kicked, turned sOmersaults and finally
curled themselves up in bOwknOts and
rolled off the stage. The supporting COM
pany generally was excellent and "The
Idea" will undoubtedly do a good two
weeks business.