The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-07

instead of three it might have been written
down bright and shining success. For
the first two weeks the houses were big,
and the company was on It's mettle, out
last week the cheaper rates of the Frawiey
company drew away many OF the DAILY
disciples, and seeing the audiences grow
smaller by degrees and beautifully less,
was evidently depressing to the perform
ers. 1t is true that Twelfth Night was
excellently acted on Monday, but as the
week progressed the troupe grew Jaded
and careless. and 1.-THE Great Double
Bill" was an exhibition of how slovenly
good actors can be when they are not
tuned up to concert pitch. With the ex-
ception of Clarke, the members OF 1.-THE
Bellies Stratagem" caste had forgotten
their lines, and needed the efforts of the
prompter as badly as those cock-sure
amateurs who trust to remembering it all
on the night Even the great Ada Rehan
had neglected the little detail of refresh
ing her tired memory, and after founder
ing through part of one of her opening
speeches she gave it up as bad job, and
began ali over again.
All this was to be regretted, because a
company that has the name, and asks the
prices of the Daily troupe, cannot afford to
be slovenly, under any circumstances.
Considered as a whole, however, the season
lust passed was a success. The best vale
dictory we can give Mr.. Daily is that he
will find some stronger plays than those
wishy-washy adaptations from the German
-"Gucki," and "The Last Woodland
that fortified with them, he will speedily
return to US.
1t is too soon to judge the strength of
the new Frawley troupe, for "The Two
Escutcheons" brought forward only a few
sample members of the big troupe which
Daniel Frawley seems to have behind him.
Apparently Frawley is aiming more at
satisfactory all-round performances than
at astronomical displays of large stars, sur
rounded by small satellites. The star
system has ruined opera in this country,
and is threatening to ruin the drama, so
that Frawley is to be congratulated on
having none of it.
The Eastern papers are getting up SEN
sational articles headed Theatrical Dis
asters," Breakers Ahead for Managers.
etc. According to these organs, ruin
stares the theaters in the face, and it is
only question of short time before half
the big theatrical arrangements in New
York go down, as Abbey, Schoeffel 81
Grau have gone down. cit is folly" says
the New York Herald, ''to pretend not to
see what is clearly apparent to every man
ager in the country, what is known to
every actor and stage hand in the pro-
fession-that the theaters have been losing
money right and left, and that unless there
is determination among the managers to
look the trouble squarely in the face, find
the cause and effect the cure, the season
of 1896-97 will be more disastrous still. the
failure of Abbey, Schoeffel & Grau will be
duplicated in other high quarters and
managers and actors will face widespread
disaster"
The Herald has interviewed number of
managers to discover, If possible, the cause
of the trouble. The replies given are many
and various. A. NJ. Palmer blames hard
times; William Lederer lays the fault at
the door of the cheap theater; T. Henry
French says dear theaters have made the
mischief, and William Harris of the Gar
rick Theater considers the bicycle the root
of the whole trouble. He is not alone in
this opinion, for number of other man
ayers consider the insidious wheel the
worst enemy they have to contend with.
Augustus Pitou, however, pretty nearly
hits the nail on the head when he says ::
my opinion is that good deal that has
not been up to the proper standard has
been offered to the public. and the public
would not have it at any price,"