The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-09-15
" Ours" a Robertsonian Comedy,
Is Revived at the Alcazar
Theater.
DANGER SIGNAL AT THE GRAND
Humperdinck'S Beautiful Music Would
Be Improved by Better
Principals.

The Frawley company has found a
treasure-trove OF laughter in "a Matri-
monial Maze" which was produced for the
first time in this City at the Column bia
Theater last night. From the time the
curtain first went up till it fell at the end
of the last act the audience was kept in
continual flow of mirth by the humorous
developments of the farcicaI comedy.
Walter s. Craven has well named his
piece "a Matrimonial Maze" The whole
action of the play hinges on a system of
marriages, and the development of the
story is as winding and unexpected as a
good, old-fashioned maze. At every turn
the dramatis persona seem to be coming
to q situation out of which there is no pos
sible outlet, except by general confession
and explanation, when 10 and behold by
some ingenious device, another turn is
given to events and the action of the piece
pursues its may way as briskIy as ever,
till the climax is finally reached, at point
when con tinuation in matrimonial deception
has become impossible, except by making out
both the youthful heroes to be bigamists and
giving both their fathers breach Of promise
suits with elderly housekeepers.
The whole piece is full of comicaI situations
and a cold synopsis Of its may story could
give no idea of the fun it contains The i'm
preston left on the mind is that Harry Corsen
Clarke, as Jakel Muggeridge, NJ. A, of Oxford,
IS one OF the worst lll-uSed characters in farce
comedy, not excepting the Private Seere-
tary," to whom he bears q strong family re-
sem blanee. Jakel is tutor to two boys whose
fathers provide them with q nice fat in New
York City and otherwise minister 10 their
wants, even to the extent of finding wives for
them.
Now, it happens that the youths have al
ready provided for themselves in the latter
respect, but when fear of the parental wrath
strikes them each "boy" introduces his wife
10 his father as the wife of Jakel Muggeridge
Eaeh father has seen different wife and in
the Kindness OF his heart each trots off to New
York and brings the wife he knows as a jOy-
ful surprise 10 JaKel in his country retreat by
which means the wretched bachelor suddenly
appears IN the light of hardened bigamist
These are only small share of the misfor-
tunes which belell Jakel Muggeridge, NJ A.
and all of them afford the audience plenty OF
amusement. Harry Corsen Clarke, who had
made himself up pocket edition of Henry
Irving. gave a clever rendering of the tutors
role. Most of his misfortunes were met with
the sad expression, '"How very AWKWARD
aud his mincing, pedantie way of throwing
the phrase at his oppressors' heads never failed
TO arouse laugh.
Meelyn Arbuckle added a good deal to the
success OF "A Matrimonial Maze" by his
retired grocer. He was the talking member
OF the parental combine. His partner
tyrone Power, seldom opened his mouth
except S ibs 70 say eec,vs Or ne" but he
ing and Charles Wyngate were the
boy aud the roles of their lawful wives
were eleverly taken by Miss Blanche Bates and
Miss Hope Ross. Miss Alice Pixley and Miss
Anna Daily were both good as the prospective
wives, proposed by the fathers The parts of
the two housekeepers, with whom the fathers
contemplated allyIng themselves, were taken
effectively by Miss Madge Carr Cook and Miss
Phosa McAllister.