The San Francisco call., 1898-03-22
STILL FARCE
 AND VARIETY "1492" Once Again With Lots of Reckoning
 Features.
Unseenaliness of Female Ina- personators as Typified
 by Stuart.
Alcazar's New Farce, Morosco Melo- drama and the Orpheurn's
 One-Act Play.

It was my fortune to be off on a vaca- tion while '1492' was here at the Bald win a couple of seasons back, so I can not draw any sagacious comparisons be- tween that production and the present at the Columbia With the exception of few songs and few hundred jokes and puns that have survived in other shows s.1492" was 1898 for me last night. And it seems a piece that should age beautifully. . even for those who have seen it before, since the author is never brought to ques- tion and the entertainment depends wholly on the people who are giving 1t and fleet stage management. Everybody who sat near me seemed to know all about the Baldwin performance and to be quite amused by this one, so I feel safe in estimating the difference between the two productions at not a cent over 5O cents. the difference in the price of seats.
 The most poignant alteration is, dare say. in the part of Isabella. which is now played by Stuart, of the large Patti family There are Black. White, Irish and other Pattis. Stuart distin- guishes himself from his relatives by be- ing male. However, his maleness is not insisted upon in the performance. With out a programme you might easily take him for the tired mother of the whole Patti tribe.
 If there is one branch of theatrical work which I am incapable of judging without prejudice, it is female imper- sonation." A young woman in knickers or in doublet and hose I can enjoy to the full extent of her talent; but a man in womans clothes, affecting her guiles and graces, gives me creeps and goose-flesh. And I have yet to meet one of these emasculated warblers who does not strut like a peacock and sing like two.
 But don't let my disesteem of Stuart interfere with your enjoyment of '1492"; he is by no means the whole show There are Ferdinand of Aragon and Christopher Columbus, for instance, most excellently we'll done by Carl An derson and Francis Gaillard. MT. Ander- son sings several venturesome verses of comic song with such artless insinuation that you hardly notice their vulgarity MT Gaillard's songs are virtuous, but his singing is a sin. Nevertheless he is a comedian of keen character apprecia- tion and makes a strong showing in bur lesque.
 I did not think much of Thomas Peas ley's tramp speciality, which was vulgar without being funny, but Master Tommy Meade's limitations of Andrew Mack were prodigiousy entertaining. Only I could | not see where the imitation part came | in. Master Meade has personality and 1 voice that are purely his own; he sings with poise and finish and his tone is de- l lightfully free and true. There is no reason why he should initiate Andrew Mack or anybody else; there is a plenty of good inspiration and material in his | own little self.
 Another live feature is the Herald | Square Quartet, which differs from most | quartets in being really funy in the funny songs. The girls of '1492" are not dan gerous to look upon nor especially siren like in voice. They harmonZe almost too | well with the scenery in the second act | which mainly consists of an eruptive ad- vertisement for somebody's tomato cat sup.
 Those who deplore the present invasion | of farce and vaudeville may take com fort in the news that the next attrac- tion at the Columbia will be James J. Corbett ASHTON STEVENS