The San Francisco call., 1897-03-16
ON BOTH SIDES
OF THE FOOTL|GHTS
Gismonda" StartleS Bald
win Habitues With Its
Gorgeousness.
"Cissy' at the Columbia Theater
Fails to Draw the
"Chappies."
A Cool House Greets the Second Week
of "Jim the Penman" at
the AlcaZ r.

Fanny Davenport's gorgeous produc-
tion of "Gismonda" at the Baldwin Thea
ater last night was all the advance no.
tices have painted it TO be. Each scene
was more magnificent piece of staging
than the one preceding il. and the be-
jeweled dresses worn by the star were be-
wilderingly rich and costly.
Like so many of Sarduu's PLAYS "Gis-
monda" is a series of tableaux, linked
together by a story of love, hatred and
revenge. An especial element of pic
turesuueness is introduced into this new
play by the scene being laid in Athens
during the Florentine dominion, thus
giving scope for the display of classic
ruins, as well as of Byzantine and Floren-
tine architecture, tapestries and paintings.
Iu the first tabIeau Gismorda, the wild
owed Duchess of Athens, vows TO m AIRY
the man who will rescue her infant son
from the tiger pit, into which he is sup
posed to have fallen accidentally. A fall
coner performs the feat. and the Due ess
is so shocked at the thought OF such
plebeian alliance that she appeals to the
Pope for absolution from her VOW.
The second act shows the cloisters of
L..
refuge pending the Papal decision. The
scene is especially gorgeous in color. and
reminds one of Florentne picture with
its airy colonnades surrounding court
yard filed with flowers.
An added picturesqueness is given by
the main body of the convent silhouette
in the background against a saffron and
crimson colored sunset. The scene in
Gismonda's palace is another triumph of
staging. Here the effect is more that of
Byzantium; the gorgeous tapestries bear
paintings of knights and saints, and
through the wide window the Gulf of
Athens flashes the purple blue of the
Mediterranean.
The nymphs' hill by moonlight, with
its crumbting marble columns entwined
with ivy, is another beautiful stage pic
ture; and the last scene of all, the Church
of Santa Maria, is almost sensational in
its realism. The devout may experience
q momentary feeling that it is sacrilegious
TO see the priest al the high altar, the
incense ascending and to hear the organ
peal forth, Just as If it were church and
not a theater at all. but there is no doubt
about the gorgeousness and realism of the
stage picture.
The story built round these tableaux is
of the usual Sardou type, IN which love
triumphS over hate and dlsdalD. AlmerlO.
the falconer, refuses to release Gismonda,
and the Pope decides against her. The
naughty Duchess imprisous the man she
has been ordered to wed, ana, moved by
caprice, orders her prisoner before her anc
offers him her waiting maid, Cypriella,
for a wife. Almerio's protestations of
love move Gismonda to believe in his sim
cerity and to love him in return.
In this scene both Fanny Davenport
and Melbourne MacDowell. who plays
Almerio, do some excellent acting. Dav-
enports transitions from gayety to wrath
and from wrath 10 love are very cleverly
portray ed, and Melbourne McDowelPs in
tense earnestness is very dramatic and
convincing.
In the scene on Nymphs' Hill Gismonda
learns that Zaccarie, the chief of her bar
ons, had planned to murder her little son
and is about to assassinate Almerio. She
strikes him down with his own ak,
and to save her from disgrace Almerio
takes the blame of his murder.
In the final scene tie Duchess throws
pride to the winds and marIies the hum BILE
but faithful filconer.
The heroic role of Gismo suits Miss
Davenport well. She received a liberal
amount OF applause. Melbourne Mac
Dowell fully shared honors with her, if he
did not almost eclipse her in some of the
scenes by the manly Observation-Disclosures
of his acting W. H. Elwood was effe ctive
as the villain, Zaccarie. Therese Milford
was graceful and pleasing as Cypriella.
Norman d. Conniers was rather stacy
bishop The long cast OF minor charac-
ters WAS yery efficiently filed