The San Francisco call., 1898-09-03
NEW COMEDY
 THEATER OPENS ACroWded House Greets
 "The Leading Man. |IT IS A LAUGHABLE COMEDY THE REMoDELED THEATEE IS VERY PRETTY. A Cordial Reception of the First Pro-
 duction, Recalls and Flowers Galore and Everybody Happy.
THE REMODELED THEATER IS
 VERY PRETTY.

| The New Comedy Theater, bright and
 handsome as new Easter bonnet, opened | it's doors to the public last night under | conditions that made glad the hearts Of l Managers Leavitt and Ellinghouse ana | thoroughly pleased a fashionable and l critical audience. The alterations ana l improvements are so complete that the | old-time patrons of the former famous
 Bush-street Theater could hardly realize
 it. Everything Is up to date, uniformed
 ushers, cozy retiring rooms for ladies
 and gentlemen and all things in the way
 of comforts that could be expected. In
 addition to this the curtain went up | promptly and the play was produced | without hitch.
 "The Leading Man. as presented by 1 the Pacheco comedy company, Is an original and decidedly amusing comedy in | four acts from the pen Of Mrs. Romuaido
 Pacheco. The story revolves around the
 compulsory exchange of names between l Fletcher, who shutters dreadfully, and
 Frederick Maitland, a prominent actor.
 The scenes are laid in two country houses 1 in Westchester County, New York, ana | the embarrassing and Imaginable situa- | tions growing out of the efforts of the
 two men and their intimate friends to to
 maintain the deception create the major portion of the fun. The comedy, part IS greatly assisted by the introduction of a doctor, who is crank on the subject l, 4i
 
 eventually heals the man with the i'm. | pedment in his speech. In the second act | the leading man, Brigham Royce, is af- l forded an opportunity to thrash Duliy- l ing prize-fghter and put him out with FitZsmmons pet blow, and the last act ends with a fast. furious and funny sou tion of the somewhat complicated puzzle MT. Royce, as leading man, had a con genial part and played it well. making a very favorable first impression Whlch will no doubt be maintained. He nas . good stage presence and, above all. Is natural
 The hit of the evening fell to George s. Probert as the effeminate and Stul1SI- ing young California millionaire. me part is difficult one, but was most cleV- erly handled and won for the young mdll 1 unstinted approval. He has the right kind of stuff in him to become 1aVorlte | comedian among San Francisco play | goers. Thomas M. Hunter, as the Joiiy scheming husband with young Wne
 who he Is disciplining, has part tnal 1 is suited to him and plays 1t satlsiac- | torily. Miss Hattie Schell. in the char 1 acter of a spirited and charming young | lady in love with the masquera1ding sas leaos ing man. was deservedly well received | and made friends with her auditors at once Miss Carina Jordan, Tn the trying role of the unwillingly deceitful wife. did | not make of the part all that 1t IS capa- l ble of Less effort in the matter Of fa- | cial expression would be an improve ment
 Stewart Alien, as a deserted and dis gruntled husband: Harry St. Maur, as the doctor with fad: James Willard, as the pugilist and Kate Vanderhon as the adoring wife of the electrician were well