The San Francisco call., 1896-10-18

scribed In dialogue between critic and
dramatist published in the st. James Ga
zette. During ali these years, says the
critic reproachfulIy to the dramatist,
'tyou fellows have been led on to play ex-
clusively upon the intellect of audiences.
Well, one fine day, as might have been
anticipated, il suddenly collapsed, and up
sprang the emotions with, Now, it's our
turn"
From New York and Boston, London
and Paris the same news comes. Emo
ton and romance are to rule the roost in
the new dramatic productions, and the
back parlor immortality of Ibsen and Su-
dermaun, and the vice and water of
Pinero, and the other English dramatists
who have followed timidly and talkily IN
their footsteps, are all to be cleaned out
and the sunlight of healthy, honest sen IL
ment is to be let in once more. Adieu
Second Mrs. Tanqueray," farewell Re
bellious Susan" The lady with ''past"
and the wife with "new" views are dead as
a door nail, and the sweet young thing
who wants to give her hand where she
gives her heart is to be all the "go'' in
dramatic circles this winter.
. Prisoner of Zenda" last season had a great
deal to do with the routing out of the
problem play, but 1 think there is nat
ural reaction against the presence of small
talk and the absence of movement, which
have characterized the dramas produced
during the last few years. Anyway, the
success of the dawnlng season, both in
America and England, promises to be
1.-THE Two Little Vagabonds," adopted
from the French of LES Deux Gosses."
1t contains more sentiment than East
Lynne" and the 1.-TWO Orphans" rolled
into one, and hardened irst-nighters and
blase critics manfully confess that they
have moistened handkerchiefs over it.
"The Two Little Vagabonds" received it's
first American production in the hub of
the universe couple of weeks ago, and
brainy Boston bedewed it with the tribu-
tary tear.
Talking of weeping in the theater,
"Uncle Toms Cabin" has always been a
champion tear-extractor, and if little Mil
dred's Eva last week did not make strong
men sob it brought some of them to the
verge of that emotion. l know it, because
l observed several sturdy specimens of
|
with unnecessary violence just at the time
when Eva was telling her pepper about
going to join the angels. If anything
could reconcile me to that impossible
specimen of sanity childhood it would be
little Mildred's impersonation of Eva.
Most precocious infants make Eva pc
dantic little prig, but Mildred was pa
thetically natural and childlike, and she
looked fraiI and ethereal enough to be an
angel herself, if angels are characterized
by consumptive tendencies.
made it duty-and pleasure-to see
a performance of 1.-The Wife's PeriI' at
the Alcazar last week. Francis Powers
was the young man who introduced the
peril element and he played the part of
the would desecrator of the Winthrops'
domestic hearth with guilt stamped upon
his brow. If the husband had been even
more guileIessly unsuspicious than he
was, and had no "unselfish" friends to
open his eyes, Powers guilty hang-dog
look ought to have assured him that all
was not well. He was
Greenery-yellovy. Grosvenor gallery,
Foot in the grave young man,
as they say in patience and he looked
soulful enough to satisfy even Mrs. Ger
trude Atherton's yesrnings for more soul.
1 have no confidence in soulful men my
self. They may pretend that they dine off
lily and sup off a dewdrop, but I would
not imperil the safety of an oyster-supper
by leaving it alone with one of them.
Powers looked just the sort of soulful
young man that it would be well to keep
an eye on.
John T. Sullivan and ]. B. Polk gave
clever character studies of that good fell
low Winthrop and his faithful physician,
put they were too fond of the part of the
stage where the prompter's still small
voice can best be heard. 1 was fabagas-
tered to see them continually tacking
toward the prompt side, because one never
suspects actors of their ability of having
speaking acquaintance with the prompter.
Carl Smith, as Major Dolittle, knew his
lines and acted with refreshing vigor.
His makeup was perfect, and the brutal
aggressiYeness of his walk and the arro-
CANT way in which he put MS hands into
his pockets never failed to bring down
laugh at the touching phrase, ''I wish
was selfish" Theodore, his son,
who tortured the majors heart and his
| OHu lHIeIudl arrangements, Dy smoking
cigar ends, was well played by F. B. Clay
ton. Altogether the Alcazar Compan is
doing very nicely indeed and the plays
are most artisticalIy staged.
There was gathering of the clans of
light-opera lovers at the Tivoli on Mon
day night which gave conclusive proof of
Hartman's popularity as a comedian.
The jovial Ferris was quite unknown to
fame as an extravaganza writer, but his
friends were anxious to sample his first
attempt and went prepared 20 judge his
work leniently. To say that they were
surprised at his offering would be putting
it mildly. The best proof of their feelings
is afforded by the fact that they went
again the next night and took their
friends. Ever since if you want good
seat at the Tivoli you must book it ahead,
or you may perchance have to stand.
Hartman says he wrote his extravaganza
in sylvan retreat, where there was a
trout stream and no population to speak of. |