The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-21

Nat c. Goodwin has broken the record OF
discounted actors-he has not called this
q lay City. Night after night he shlvered
with loneliness in the empty BALDWIN
Tbeater. and the members of his troupe
could not be persuaded that they were not
giving a series of dress rehearsals. Judg-
ing by precedent, Goodwin should have
zone away saving that haysee chung to
our hair and that we dwelt on the Jump
ing-off place of creation. The actors
who deign to glorify the town by their
presence have always judged US by their
box-ofice receipts. If they departed with
their rockets full of money they bowed to
our refinement; if they lost coin here they
discovered our souls to be dead 10 all
culture. But Goodwin has heaped Goals
of fire on our heads in return for neglect.
He told us so on Friday in a speech.
Although he met with chilling frost he
battled with the mptation to call US
s'iay" and rose superior to it. The cruel
word never passed his lips. Kind, con-
sid crate Nat Goodwin! 1t is pleasant to
know that there is an actor who does not
Judge us bv purely monetary standard.
In return for Goodwin's moderation the
least one can do is to wish him all pros
peritv in Australia. II he were taking a
different and a better company he would
be more sure of it. "In MiZzoura" should
be PLAYED as often as possible and "a
Gilded Fool" seldom or not at all. In the
latter play no one shines except Goodwin
himself When he is off the stage the
audience suffers from that tired feeling
that comes from an utter lack of interest
IN the proceedings. 1t is useless to specify
the particular actors and actresses who are
misfits IN their parts, for II that
comedy the whole company falls below
mediocrity excepting always Goodwin
himself, and excellent actor as be is the
days of one-man plays have gone by.
Though lost to sight for some years,
Colonel Mapleson has remained dear TO
the memory of American opera-gcers. and
ii he really fulfilIs his promise OF coming
back to us next season, he is pretty sure
of a welcome. The old gentleman has been
making it hot in London lately with his
plans for building great opera-house on
the site of the theater that used tc be Her
Majesty's. The scheme fell through for the
reason that so many of Mapleson's schemes
nave ld4lCIl ll1AOhSli1 1AC W 90 4OOilU W "
minus the necessary capital 1t is said
that he is now the employe of the I'M
perial Opera Company, and in that
capacity he will bring a troupe to the
Baldwin Theater early next year. He
has been in Milan, looking over the oper-
attic market for young and pro missing
singers who can be picked up at a bar
gam, and he processes to have found
several prima donnas who will make
Calve and Melba look to their laurels.
The colonel has a positive talent for
discovering genius. One could cite
numbers of operate stars who owe
their hrst recognition to him, and though
he has seldom paid them in coin
OF the realm, he has brought them fame
which is as good as money in an opera
singers pocket. People whose reputa-
tions are made have in these later years
Stunned Mapleson as they would the
plague, but the beginners who are for
tunate enough TO have friends to pay their
bills still hail him as their friend. If the
colonel does not relapse into his almost
chronic state of bankruptcy between now
and January, it is very possible that he
will bring US a good troupe of coming
stars, willing to sing for glory in the hope
that later on they may reap golden re-
ward.